FROM SCROLLS TO SCREENS DIGITALIZATION OF NAVOIY'S WORK

Аннотация

This article explores the digitalization process of Alisher Navoiy's legacy, highlighting the transition from ancient manuscripts to modern digital formats. It discusses the scientific and technological efforts behind this transformation and emphasizes the role of digitalization in popularizing Navoiy's works among the general public, especially the youth. The article also examines the global opportunities for studying Navoiy’s heritage through digital platforms. Keywords: Alisher Navoiy, digitalization, manuscripts, modern technologies, scholarly research, digital archive, cultural heritage, information technology, online platform, globalization. Аннотация:В данной статье рассматривается процесс цифровизации наследия Алишера Навои —переход от древних рукописей к современным цифровым форматам. Раскрываются научные и технологические аспекты этой работы, а также значение цифровизации для популяризации произведений Навои среди широкой общественности, особенно среди молодежи. Также обсуждаются перспективы глобального изучениянаследия Навои через цифровые платформы. Ключевые слова: Алишер Навои, цифровизация, рукописи, современные технологии, научные исследования, цифровой архив, культурное наследие, информационные технологии,онлайн-платформы,глобализация. The manuscript tradition surrounding the works of Alisher Navoiy represents one of the richest legacies of Central Asian intellectual history. A master of the Chagatai language and a towering figure in the world of classical Persianate literature, Navoiy (1441–1501) created a corpus of poetry and prose that not only shaped Turkic literary traditions but also left a lasting imprint on cultural, philosophical, and religious discourse throughout the Islamic world. The journey of his works through manuscript transmission, preservation, copying, and scholarly engagement reflects both the reverence accorded to his genius and the evolution of page1109 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ISSN:2692-5206,ImpactFactor:12,23 AmericanAcademicpublishers,volume05,issue05,2025 Journal: https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai manuscript culture in the broader Islamic East. His literary legacy, handed down through carefully transcribed manuscripts, offers a window into how knowledge was preserved, transmitted, and revered long before the age of print. "Alisher Navoiy asarlarini raqamlashtirish jarayoni ularning keng ommaga yetib borishini ta'minlaydi, shu bilan birga, ularni asrab-avaylashda ham muhim vositaga aylanmoqda."[1] One of themost remarkable aspects of themanuscript tradition of Navoiy’s works is the early emergence of systematic copying and compilation. Unlike many other authors whose manuscripts were scattered and piecemeal, Navoiy’s writings were often compiled into well- structured codices that followed specific organizational principles. This early codification facilitated the formation of a stable textual tradition and contributed to the consistent transmission of his oeuvre across regions and generations. "Elektron kutubxonalar orqali Navoiy g‘azallari endi nafaqat O‘zbekistonda, balki butun dunyoda o‘qilmoqda."[2] In particular, the tradition of producing "majmuas" — anthologies that included selections of poetry or entire works — became common, allowing various segments of society to access andappreciate Navoiy’s poetry. The artistic quality of Navoiy manuscripts is another significant dimension of their historical journey. Many of the surviving copies, especially those produced in the 15th and 16th centuries, are masterpieces of book art. Script styles such as naskh, nastaliq, and shikasta were employed to render his verses in aesthetically pleasing forms. Illuminators and miniature painters contributed decorative motifs, floral designs, and occasionally narrative illustrations that reflected the content of the texts. These embellishments not only enhanced the visual appeal of the manuscripts but also underscored the high status of Navoiy’s works inthecultural hierarchy of thetime. Beyond aesthetics, the manuscript tradition also served a pedagogical function. Navoiy’s works were used as teaching materials in madrasas (Islamic schools) and literary circles. Commentaries, glosses, and marginal notes found in many manuscripts attest to the depth of scholarly engagement with his writings. In particular, his didacticpoems such as "Mahbub ul- qulub" and philosophical prose like "Nasoyim ul-muhabbat" attracted attention from theologians and mystics, who found in them a synthesis of Sufi metaphysics, moral instruction, and linguistic artistry. Manuscripts thus became not only vehicles of preservation butalso instruments ofinterpretation and intellectual discourse. The geographic spread of Navoiy manuscripts further illustrates their historical reach. From Herat, where Navoiy lived and worked, his writings traveled across the Persianate world — to cities like Bukhara, Samarkand, Tabriz, Istanbul, Delhi, and even beyond. In each of the