Ruhnama

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Turkmenistan
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Turkmenistan

Constitution President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow Assembly People's Council Military of Turkmenistan (incl. State Security Council) Political parties Democratic Party of Turkmenistan Elections: 2007 presidential Provinces Human rights Foreign relations Ruhnama
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Ruhnama, also spelled Rukhnama, (or The Book of the Soul from Arabic: روح rūḥ (soul) and Persian: نامه nāmeh (book)) is Turkmenbashi Saparmurat Niyazov's combination of autobiography, historical fiction, and spiritual guidebook. The text is composed of many stories and poems, including those by Sufi poet Magtymguly Pyragy.

Niyazov issued the first part of the work in 2001, saying it would "eliminate all shortcomings, to raise the spirit of the Turkmen." Niyazov issued the second part, which covers morals, philosophy, and life conduct, in 2004. The book was a substantial part of Niyazov's personality cult and his administration's policy of Turkmenization. The government required bookstores, government offices, and mosques to display it prominently. Some Imams refused to comply with this demand, alleging that compliance would be blasphemous, resulting in some such mosques being demolished by the state.

Ruhnama is compulsory, imposed on religious communities and society generally. The work is the main component of education from primary school to university. Knowledge of the text – up to the ability to recite passages from it exactly – is required for passing education exams, holding any state employment, and to qualify for a driving license.

Public criticism of or even insufficient reverence to the text was seen as the equivalent to showing disrespect to the former president himself, and harshly punished by dispossession, imprisonment or torture of the offender or the offender's whole family if the violation was grave enough. Since the passing of Niyazov, punishment for disrespect of the book is in a questionable status.

In March 2006 Niyazov was recorded as saying that he had interceded with Allah to ensure that any student who reads the book three times would automatically get into paradise.

An enormous mechanical replica of the book is located in the capital; every night at 8:00PM it opens and passages are recited with accompanying video.

Questions remain about whether Niyazov actually wrote the two-volume "Ruhnama" himself. It has been translated into 30 languages.