The poem “Yusuf and Zuleikha” written by Makhmud Qirimli is the oldest written monument of Crimean Tatar literature. It is written on the basis of the Quranic tale of the Prophet Yusuf. Nothing is known about Makhmud Qirimli. He wrote a poem at the end of his life and did not even have time to finish it. It was established that «Yusuf and Zuilekhf» written by Makhmud Qirimli was written at the end of the 12th century, which makes this work one of the oldest in the history of Turkic literature.In preparing this publication, the materials of Riza Fazyla were used.