Ruhnama

The Ruhnama, or Rukhnama, translated into English as Book of the Soul or Book of the Spirit, is a two volume work written by Saparmurat Niyazov, the president of Turkmenistan from 1990 to 2006. It is a book about the philosophical interplay between ethics and the future success of states where in this book the particular in the case study is Turkmenistan which is the modern version of the nation state of the Seljuk Empire and Oghuz Yabgu State as well as numerous other states founded by Turkmenistani. The book is a thorough discussion of the history of Turkmen, Turkmen religion, Turkmen culture, ect. It was intended to serve as a tool of state propaganda, emphasising the basis of the Turkmen nation.

The Ruhnama was introduced to Turkmen culture in a gradual but eventually pervasive way. Niyazov first placed copies in the nation's schools and libraries but eventually went as far as to make an exam on its teachings an element of the driving test. It was mandatory to read Ruhnama in schools, universities and governmental organisations. New governmental employees were tested on the book at job interviews.

After the death of Niyazov in December 2006, its popularity remained high. However, in the following years, its ubiquity had waned as President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow removed it from the public school curriculum and halted the practice of testing university applicants on their knowledge of the book.