Ahi Evran was born in the town of Hoy, one of the important cultural centers of his time, located today on the borders of Iran. Ahi Evran's birth date is not known exactly. However, based on the information in many sources that he lived for 93 years and considering that he died in 659 Hijri (1261), it is understood that Ahi Evran was born in 566 Hijri (1171).

The real name of Ahi Evran, the founder of the Ahi organization in Anatolia and the master of 32 tradesmen groups, is Mahmud. He was called Mahmud bin Ahmed el-Hoyî (Mahmut, son of Hoylu Ahmet), depending on his father's name and place of birth. His name is Ebu'l-Hakâyık (father of truths) and his nickname is Nasîrüddîn (helper of religion). In the Ahi genealogies, it is referred to as Nimetullah (God's blessing).

Evran (universe) is a Turkish word meaning "snake, dragon".

Ahi Evran's childhood and early education were spent in his hometown, Azerbaijan. In his youth, he went to Khorasan and Transoxiana and took lessons from the great masters in that region. In Herat, he attended the lessons of Fahruddin-i Râzî, one of the greatest scholars of the time, and learned rational (science) and religious (religious) sciences from him.

Ahi Evran, who was introduced to Sheikh Evhadüddîn Hamid Kirmânî, one of Râzî's students and saints, during a pilgrimage, later joined his students and continued his devotion until Evhadüddîn's death.

While Ahi Evran was in Baghdad, he had contact with the leading sheikhs of the futuwwa organization and benefited from many masters, especially Evhadüddîn Kirmânî. The fact that Baghdad was the largest center of science, art and wisdom in the Islamic world in those years was effective in Ahi Evran becoming a versatile scientist and intellectual. In addition to religious sciences such as tafsir, hadith, kalam, fiqh and mysticism, he also excelled in the fields of philosophy and medicine and produced works on these subjects.

Ahi Evran, who came to Anatolia in 602 (1205) with Muhyiddîn İbni Arabî and his teacher Evhadüddîn Kirmânî, traveled around various Anatolian cities with Evhadüddîn. In his sermons, on the one hand, he gave advice to the tradesmen to regularize their worldly and afterlife affairs, and on the other hand, he worked to strengthen and organize the Anatolian people against the approaching Mongolian danger.

Shortly after Ahi Evran came to Anatolia, he settled in Kayseri and established a tanning (leather processing) workshop there. Ahi Evran, who earned his living by working as a tanner, was especially loved among artistic people. He established the Ahilik institution, which we can call the tradesmen's organization in today's sense, and ensured its organization in many cities and towns. Ahi Evran-ı Velî has been accepted throughout history as the master of tanners and the leader of 32 types of tradesmen and craftsmen.

Ahi Evran settled in Konya after 625 (1227-28), probably at the request of Sultan Alaaddin Keykubad I (reign 618-634 / 1221 -1237). Here he was both practicing his art and teaching. Ahi Evran, who lived a very prosperous and prestigious life while he was in Konya, received constant support and protection from Sultan Alaaddin Keykubad I, and in the meantime, he presented some of the works he wrote to the sultan.

Ahi Evran was arrested and imprisoned upon the complaint of some people who were disturbed by his influence, under the pretext of an incident against the Anatolian Seljuk State. Along with Ahi Evran, many Ahi notables were detained in Konya for five years.

The Akhis, who resisted the siege of the city of Kayseri by the Mongols who attacked Anatolia in 1243, defended the city with the castle guards for fifteen days. Just when the Mongols were about to give up, the Mongols entered the city and slaughtered the Akhis, as a result of the secret agreement of the Kayseri eğdişbaşı, an Armenian convert, with the Mongol Commander Baycu Noyan. Meanwhile, Ahi Evran, who was detained in Konya, survived this massacre.

II. Celâleddîn Karatay, who became the regent after the death of Gıyaseddîn Keyhüsrev (642 / 1245), released the detained Ahi and Turkmens. Ahi Evran went to Denizli and stayed there for about a year. Sultan II, who ascended to the Seljuk throne. Upon the call of Izzeddin Keykavus, he returned to Konya and started teaching in various madrasahs.

After Ahi Evran's return to Konya, some circles spread the claim that Mevlana's son, Alaaddin Çelebi, was involved in the assassination of Mevlana's teacher, Şems-i Tebrizî (645/1247). . Alâaddîn Çelebi, who could not stay in Konya under these conditions, transferred him to Kırşehir, and it is highly probable that Ahi Evran also settled in Kırşehir at the same time. Ahi Evran spent the last fifteen years of his life in Kırşehir.

Turkmens and Akhis, IV. After Kılıç Arslan (reign 1257-1266) took over the government, they started to resist against the sultan and the Mongols due to the appointments he made under the pressure of the Mongols. In Kırşehir, where the strongest resistance took place, IV. Kılıçarslan and the Mongolian ilhan assigned Kırşehir Emir Nureddin Caca to suppress this rebellion. The rebellion was crushed by the Mongol forces under Nureddin Caca.

The issue of Ahi Evran's death or murder was a foggy subject until recently. However, some documents and information unearthed in recent years strengthen the possibility that Ahi Evran was murdered as a martyr.

Ahi Evran-ı Velî is buried in his tomb, which is open to visitors all day, next to the Ahi Evran Mosque in the Ahi Evran District of Kırşehir. www.ahievran.edu.tr