Uyghur language advocate Quddus Hapiz has passed away at the age of 74

Uyghur Post, December 27

by Tahir Imin, Dec 27, 2025

Uyghur language advocate Quddus Hapiz passed away in Istanbul on December 27, 2025, at the age of 74.

Quddus Hapiz was born in 1951 in Kalpin into an enlightened merchant family. Due to the destructive impact of the Cultural Revolution, he was unable to attend university. For a short period, he worked as a musician and creative artist in a county-level arts troupe. From 1973 to 1978, he worked as an electrician at a county water and power station; from 1978 to 1981, he served as a painter and calligrapher at the county cultural center; and from 1981 to 1996, he worked as a translator at the county science and technology association.

At an event organized by the Uyghur Academy in 2013, it was introduced that Quddus Hapiz was preparing a 1,800-page book titled Which Language Can Become a World Language?, aimed at demonstrating that the Uyghur language is a universal language and promoting its status as a global language.

While living in his homeland, Quddus Hapiz wrote articles advocating for the strengthening of the Uyghur language and strongly expressed his love and passion for it. He was known for statements such as: “The Uyghur language is more eloquent and practical than English. Therefore, Uyghur should become an international language. I will go abroad and raise this issue at the United Nations.” These views earned him praise from Uyghurs who aspired for international recognition and acknowledgment.

Although Quddus Hapiz did not receive formal academic training in linguistics nor publish scholarly articles at an academic level, his grassroots advocacy for the mother tongue inspired those in the field of linguistics to take action to strengthen the role of the Uyghur language.

Even if some of the late Quddus Hapiz’s views on the Uyghur language did not fully align with reality, his emotional commitment to the language played an important advocacy role in instilling in many people a spirit of valuing and cherishing their mother tongue.

Quddus Hapiz had lived in Turkey for many years, maintaining close ties with the Uyghur community and actively participating in ceremonies and public events. In recent years, like many other Uyghurs, he faced economic hardship.

This article was originally published in Uyghur Post and has been translated and republished in Uyghur Times.