Therefore, the mystics had also been treated with tolerance in Turkish-Islam states and the most honoured religious mystics were respected thereof. The religious mysticism was a powerful movement in that period. The mysticism that was identified as the Union with the Majority or Union of the Living (Vahdet-i Vücüt) was based on the views that all organic and inorganic things and everything was united in Allah that was the only self of existence; and that the universe was consisted of the indicators of Allah; and that wisdom, mind, knowledge and justice had resulted from the spiritual power of the God; and that the human being that was the most perfect creature was the supplementary component of Allah; and that the reality could only be perceived with unlimited feelings rather than the knowledge that was acquired through the mind. This mysticism had attained its most vivid environment in Turkestan that was the intersection point of idealistic trends of India, Mediterranean and Middle East regions and particularly in Khorasan. This situation led the Turkish-Islamic states to be shaken by various religious orders since the 11th century. The mystics had shown respect to feelings rather than the Holy Book (Koran) that stipulated several duties as definite conditions and rules to be followed by the Muslims. They had opposed to the Muslim theological schools and given much more importance to dancing and music. The mystics (sheikhs and dervishes) that had lived within a spiritual environment without taking pains in the recluses cells were influential over the Turkmen groups from steppe lands that had difficulties in blending with the dogmatism of the religion of Islam. Actually, the religious information and educations were managed in a complicated manner together with the considerations of mysticism since the Muslim theological schools that were charged with the religious education connected with books had not been reinforced as required yet. The theologists of the period tried to soften the conflicts and contradiction between the Islamic faiths and the religious mysticism. Gazzali (died in 1111) who was the famous scholar of Koran Scriptures succeeded in this issue. He had opposed to the Ancient Greek philosophy that was reinvigorated with Farabi (died in 950) in the Islam world, and he had provided the founded and reasonable evidence in his books and dissertations that he had written about various issues in relation with the religious philosophy. Thus, he was able to conciliate the Koran Scriptures-the religious mysticism. Gazzali has founded the principles of the mysticism of Islam that had been very influential in the intellectual environments in the Islam world.
On one hand, the spiritual union of Islam was damaged by the Crusades and on the other hand, the movements of Batini order had also deteriorated this union. This great thinker had followed the purpose of the establishment of a spiritual peace that would withstand all sorts of destructive movements with a new understanding of mysticism in the Islam world in order to protect the spiritual union of Islam. His thoughts were in agreement with a real fact of that period and it met the social requirements of the people. Most of the religious orders were based on the organisation of mystic views in the line of Sunni Islam and these religious orders tried to establish the spiritual peace and quiet in the same path.
There were four big religious orders that were widespread and influential in the Turkish-Islam period with the quality of uniting people: These orders were Kaadiri order that was established by Abdulkaadir Gilânî (died in 1166) and diffused towards India and Spain; Kubrevi religious order that was established by the Sheikh Necmüd-din Kübrâ (died in 1221) in the period of Harezmshah State; and Ekberi religious order established by Muhyiddîn İbnül Arabî (=Sheikh of Ekber, died in 1240). Particularly the second branch of this religious order included the principles that satisfied the Turkish psychology through its melameti opinions that reflected the ancient Turkish understandings about heroism and it laid the foundation for Mevlevi religious order with the dominant character of Iranian mysticism in Anatolia. The fourth big religious order was Yesevi religious order that was established by Hâce Ahmed Yesevî (died in 1166) from the city of Yesi in Turkestan. The language of this religious order was Turkish (Yesevis Philosophies). Hakim Süleyman Ata (died in 1186) who was much liked among the Steppe Turkish people was a follower of Yesevi order that was well known with his works in relation with the religious mysticism. Yesevi religious order was diffused in the regions of Golden Horde State, in Afghanistan, and Khorasan apart from Turkestan and the northern steppe lands. On the other hand, this religious order had laid foundation for the establishment of Nakshibendi religious order in Transoxania (that was established by Bahâüd-din Nakshbend, died in 1389) and Bektashi order and the similar religious orders in Anatolia.
The Turkish mysticism had been much more widespread and successful than the Iranian mysticism in the period of Turkish-Islam dominations due to its special characteristics. Iranian mysticism had considered the mystic attitude as a transition to an artistic thought of world and therefore, it had opposed to any sorts of struggles. Iranian mysticism accepted mysticism as a style of thought beyond tribes and periods. However, the Turkish mysticism had aimed to establish the humanist merits and moral and spiritual cleanness and it had combined these aims with the thoughts of homeland and ideals due to its connection with the ancient Turkish opinions. Therefore, the representatives and supporters of Turkish mysticism had provided great services in the defence of the country, on the borders and conquests. Thus, the Turkish heroes from the steppe lands had provided service as alp-eren (brave enlightened mystics) people under the guidance of the Turkish sheikhs that were called as baba (father), abdal (wandering dervish), etc. in the spiritual atmosphere of Khorasan. They also provided their military service for their countries in the capacity of ghazi (warrior for the faith) in Anatolia that was a country of wars. However, once the Turkmens had rebelled against the state upon the provocation through the religious feelings that were misused as an instrument for political abuse (Babai rebellion that was managed by Baba Ishak in the year of 1329).
Fathers and wandering dervishes were the saints of the public. Their opinions were composed of Rafizi (a kind of Shiite branch) understanding that developed under a simple Islamic furnishes. Meanwhile, the Shiah Islam had attained a new identity of sect through combination with the religious residues of the ancient Iranian religions such as Manichaeism, Mazdaism, Zoroastrianism, etc. apart from the Islamic faiths within the new cultural environment that was influential over the Turkish groups that came to Khorasan. It was natural that this new identity of Shiah Islam would have an influence. Particularly the public saints (Turkmen fathers) were inclined towards the faiths that were contradictory to the religion of Sunni Islam. These Rafizi (Shiite) sheikhs and dervishes that came into existence among the cadre of the ancient Turkish understanding were liked and respected among the Turkmen people. Furthermore, they were not found odd by the Turkmen rulers (Seljuk sultans and the others) that had protected the union of Islam as Sunnite Muslims and struggled against the Shiah Islam and the Shiite movements of its branches. For example; Baba Tahir Uryân, and Ebû Saîd Ebûl-Hayr, etc. were the people of the same kind and with great influence in the period of Tugrul Bey, Alp Arslan and Melikshah. A person named as Ahu-puş was so influential that he could even act as a spokesman of the people in the presence of the rulers in the Harezmshah State. A similar mystic person had lived in Egypt. Sultans would show great respect to this sheikh called as Hizir.
Therefore, the religious mysticism developed and diffused in order to address the intellectuals on one hand and to represent the other people on the other hand in the Turkish-Islamic states. This mysticism had been observed in Anatolia with both respects. As it has been known, the mystics with profound culture and knowledge about the Islamic sciences (Muhyeddin Arabî, Celâlüd-dîn Rûmî, etc.) as well as the Turkmen fathers had played important roles in Anatolia. Some mystic works had been written in the period of Turkmen principalities.
The religious mysticism was also influential within Delhi Turkish Sultanate. The famous mystics of the period were Ferîdüd-dîn Evliya (died in 1325) and his successor, Nizâmüd-dîn Evliya (died in 1325) who was called as Mahbûb-u İlâhî and the poet Hasan Dihlevî (died in 1327). This movement in India seems to have caused a revolution in the Indian thoughts. Against the Brahmanism that had lost its older vigour and was choked in formalism, the religious mysticism was much more effective that stipulated sincere and real worship. The following opinions of Ramanand that was the strong advocate of Bakhti movement in the 14th century reflected the faith of Islamic mysticism: The God that was supreme and dominant on everything is a power that exist in everything. In the 15th century, Kebir from Benares had alleged that all the human beings were equal and he took a step towards the rejection of the caste system. He had alleged that The cleanness of the hearts is much more important than bathing in Ganges. Indians and Turks are just like the pots that are made of the same earth. These opinions that were so close to the opinions of Nizâmüd-ün Evliya laid foundation for the Sikh faith that came into existence in the further periods. The mystics had provided great services in the capture of the region of Multan from Karmati people. One of the most beautiful mausoleums that was constructed by the mystics was built by Giyâsüd-dîn Tugluk for Sheikh Rüknüd-din.