Ahilik is an organization that enables the people living in Anatolia during the Seljuk and Ottoman periods to grow up in various professions such as art, trade and economy, educates them morally, and organizes their working life on the basis of good human virtues. It has its own rules and boards. Akhism, which has a function similar to today's chambers of tradesmen, is a socio-economic order in which good morals, honesty, brotherhood, benevolence, in short, all good virtues come together. Ahilik, which was practiced in Anatolia for 600 years, lasted until the reign of Ahmet III. In 1727, an order called "gedik" began to be implemented. It took until the 17th century for the members of the Ahi-Union to teach art at the counter and to teach manners in the zawiyas as specific to Muslims, but as the Ottoman Empire's dominance over non-Muslims grew and expanded, as the number of craftsmen increased and its branches increased, this distinction between Muslims and non-Muslims continued. It was not continued any longer, and in direct proportion to the increase in the non-Muslim population, the necessity of working together among people of various religions arose. This new organization, which was established without discrimination of religion and did not lose much of its old quality, was called Gedik. The word Ahi is described as "open-handed and generous" in sources such as Dîvânu Lugâti't-Türk and Atabetü'l-Hakâyık. It is argued that it comes from the Turkish word "flux". It is argued that the word “akı” has been transformed into “ahı” with the change (k > h), which is a sound phenomenon that is common in Turkish language and is included in Turkish rules, and the indirect formation of “ahi” is defended. There are many examples of these sound events in the Turkish language.

Ahi Organization

It is claimed that the Ahi organization, in addition to its economic and commercial activities during the Seljuk period, also engaged in military and political activities and played an active role in the establishment and strengthening of the Ottoman Principality. The Ahi organization is a social institution that continued during the founding years of the Ottoman Empire and afterwards. Ahi Evren is known as the founder of Akhism. Ahi week and celebrations are held every year in some cities by the Chambers of Turkish Craftsmen and Craftsmen in order not to forget the Ahi-order tradition related to this organization founded by Ahi Evran, whose grave is located in Kırşehir. The Ahi organization ensured that young people would grow up well and gain a profession. War, disaster etc. In bad cases, there would be solidarity between the members of the institution and the people. Sultans and other administrators also contributed to the Ahi organization and wanted it to develop by supporting it. It shows similarities with the Fütüvvet Organization, which was established for the same purpose by artisans and craftsmen in the Anatolian Seljuk State. It is the continuation of the Fütüvvet organization in the Ottoman Empire. For membership, the person must be recommended by an Ahi. Those who are not well known around them and who are thought to bring bad words cannot be Ahi. For example, those who kill people, kill animals (butchers), thieves, and those who are proven to have committed adultery cannot join the organization. In the Ahi community, artisans learned the intricacies of the profession in a hierarchy of 4 dimensions in their workplaces during the day, and received moral and philosophical education in the same hierarchy in the ahi guests and meeting rooms where they gathered in the evening.

Hierarchy of craftsmen in Akhism

patch
apprentice
journeyman
Expert
Six leading principles of Ahi organization and Ahi organization

keep your hand open
Keep your table open
Keep your door open
keep your eyes closed,
Own your waist
Own your tongue.
Ahi organization is based on a 9-degree order.

Each gate contains three degrees. These degrees are listed as follows:

Valiant
patch
apprentice
journeyman
Expert
ahi
Caliph
Sheikh
Sheikh ul Mashaih
effect

Ahilik, according to Galip Demir, is the "Renaissance of the Turks".
According to Veysi Erken, even in today's conditions, Ahi-order and institutional order shape an exemplary "horizontal organization" social movement with its 5 core principles, "Social responsibility, Excellence in Service, Honesty and truthfulness, and common living". Early notes that with this aspect of the Ahi community, it offers an advanced organizational model even for the 2000s.
Ahi-order customs turned into common Turkish idioms. For example, the origin of the word 'put your shoes on the checker' is related to the ceremony of wearing loincloth of the Akhism. Before the ceremony of transitioning from apprentice to journeyman, the shoes of the apprentice, whose training was completed, were thrown on the roof. On the other hand, this idiom revealed that he would no longer receive the same attention from his masters and journeymen as before.