Poetic Thought and Sufi Ideas in Alisher Navoi’s Nasāyim Al-Muhabbat

Аннотация

Tazkiras hold an important place in Eastern literature as literary-artistic and historical-biographical sources. This article analyzes the classification of tazkiras and their historical development. In particular, it highlights the traditions of Turkic and Persian tazkira writing and their impact on the development of literature and scientific thought. Furthermore, the author emphasizes that tazkiras serve not only as sources of biographical information but also as works of significant moral-educational and artistic value. The formation of tazkiras, their genre characteristics, and the analysis of their most renowned examples are discussed, paying attention to how they evolved in response to the demands of their time. The article offers a new approach to the study of tazkiras, aiming to determine their genre-specific features and their role in the literary process. Alisher Navoi’s Nasāyim al- Muhabbat is analyzed artistically, focusing on the harmony of lyricism and didacticism within the work. While depicting the lives of sheikhs and saints, the lyrical spirit is enhanced through artistic imagery, and at the same time, didactic elements — moral exhortations — promote Sufi-educational ideas. The article scientifically analyzes the integration of literary devices such as metaphors, similes, symbolic imagery, and wise sayings with didactic content. As a result, the distinctive features of the work in terms of the combination of lyricism and didacticism are identified. Keywords: Alisher Navoi, Nasāyim al-Muhabbat, lyricism, didacticism, Sufism, literary devices, moral exhortations, symbolic imagery, metaphor, simile. highlighted the special place of Sufi figures in artistic Introduction: Alisher Navoi is recognized in the history creativity, and incorporated didactic elements related of Uzbek literature not only as a poet but also as a to Sufism. thinker and a prominent representative of Sufism. His work Nasāyim al-Muhabbat is of a Sufi-biographical The work contains the biographies of more than 770 nature, expressing moral and educational views saints and sheikhs, conveying instructive lessons to through the lives of sheikhs and saints. In this work, readers through the lives, wise sayings, and behaviors lyricism and didacticism are harmoniously embodied, of Sufi figures. Nasāyim al-Muhabbat begins with clearly showcasing Navoi’s style of skillfully combining Shaykh Uways al-Qarani and concludes with Bibichay artistic imagery with moral exhortations. Munajjima. After the main part of the work, a detailed table of contents and explanations about individual Although Nasāyim al-Muhabbat is dedicated to the sheikhs are provided. chain of Sufi followers, as mentioned above, it also provides information about many renowned Navoi mentions many famous Sufi scholars and poets representatives of Persian and Turkic poetry, in relation such as Imam Azam, Imam Shafi'i, Muhammad Aslam to the theme of the work [4, p.79]. Tusi, Ibrahim ibn Adham, Abdurahman Jami, Husayn ibn Mansur Hallaj, and Abu Bakr Shibli. He also includes Alisher Navoi wrote this work in 1499, creating it as an references to “gnostic women who attained the rank of edited and revised version of Jami’s Nafahāt al-Uns. men,” mentioning a total of 35 Sufi women such as However, Navoi did not limit himself to mere Rabi'a al-Adawiyya, Maryam al-Basriya, Rayhana al- translation; he enriched it with his lyrical approach, American Journal Of Philological Sciences 279 https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN – 2771-2273) Waliha, Ufayra al-Abida, and Sha'wana. figures, he praises their virtues with affection: in mentioning Imam Azam (may Allah sanctify his secret), Thus, through the tazkira, we obtain information about Navoi states, “His merits are boundless, and his Sufi women as well. The work serves not only as a praiseworthy qualities are innumerable,” and regarding purely biographical source but also fulfills educational Imam Shafi’i (may Allah be pleased with him), he and moral-pedagogical functions. writes, “In describing his excellence and praised The expression of lyricism and its artistic means: character, the pen is helpless and the scribe is In Nasāyim al-Muhabbat, lyricism manifests itself in the astonished. What has been narrated of him is so depiction of the lives of sheikhs and saints, in extraordinary that the human mind finds it hard to expressing their spiritual experiences, and in Navoi's comprehend.” Through such poetic expressions, Navoi deep respect and love for them. The poet vividly conveys that the knowledge and perfection of the portrays events through effective use of imagery and sheikhs are beyond human comprehension. This poetic style. approach further intensifies the lyrical atmosphere of In Navoi's work, lyricism is expressed through the the work. following artistic devices: Navoi not only describes the virtues of the sheikhs but Metaphors – conveying Sufi concepts with beautiful also