Saparmurat Niyazov’s historical and philosophical work, titled “Spirituality,” was first published in 2001 in the Turkmen language. Since then, the pink-green book with a bas-relief of the first President of Turkmenistan has officially been known as “The Sacred Book of the Turkmen People.” The purpose of the book is to create a positive image of the Turkmen people, a heroic-poetic reinterpretation of their history, an overview of Turkmen customs, and the definition of moral, family, social, and religious norms for modern Turkmen people in their everyday life.
Until recently, knowledge of this book by citizens of Turkmenistan was mandatory. However, after the death of Turkmenbashi in 2006 and the rise to power of the new president, Ruhnama, as with other attributes of his legacy, received less attention. Since 2008, the study of Ruhnama in Turkmen educational institutions has been reduced, and since 2013 it has been completely discontinued.
To date, Ruhnama has been published in 40 languages worldwide, with a total circulation of more than one million copies.