The Origin of Iskandar’s Image in Fiction and Navoi's Attitude

Towards It

Zuhra Mamadalieva

Jizzakh State Pedagogical University, Jizzakh, Uzbekistan

Keywords: "Shohnoma", Iskandar Zulkarnain, Nizami, "Iskandarnoma", Khusrav Dehlavi, Abdurahman Jami,

"Hiradnomai Iskandariy", Alisher Navoi, "Saddi Iskandariy", Courage, Knowledge, Wisdom, a Genius Man.

Abstract: This article explores the relationship between the historical figure, Alexander of Macedonia, and the literary

portrayal of Alexander the Great. Specifically, we examine the refinement of the image of Iskandar Zulkarnain,

as well as his interpretations in works such as Firdavsi's "Shohnoma", Nizami's "Iskandarnoma", Khusrav

Dehlavi's "Oyinai Iskandariy", and Abdurahman Jami's "Hiradnomai Iskandariy". Alisher Navoi's unique

perspective on this image, as interpreted in the epic "Saddi Iskandariy", is also analysed. Particular attention

is paid to the symbolic and figurative features of the image. Navoi's genius in this context is substantiated

through examples.

1 INTRODUCTION

The earliest historical information about Iskandar the

Horned, renowned in the world of literature, was

chronicled by 10th-century historians Hamza ibn

Hasan al-Isfahani, Dinyuvari, and Tabari

(Abdurrahman Jami. 1978). Later, this information

was found in Beruni's book, "Relics from Ancient

Nations" (Abu Rayhan Beruni. (1968)). Beruni

identifies Zulkarnain as Alexander ibn Filif (i.e.

Alexander the Great), providing information about

Alexander's birth, his battle with Darius, while also

referring to data that significantly contradicts this

idea, suggesting that Zulkarnain might have

originated from Yemen. Although he seems to back

the latter hypothesis, he refrains from expressing a

definitive opinion. N. Pegulevsky, in his work 'Syrian

Legends about Alexander the Great', documents over

80 legends about Alexander the Great in 24

languages. Among these, the Syrian legends are the

most ancient, and Pegulevsky argues that the

legendary images of Hizr and the two-horned

representation of Alexander originate from the

narratives about the historical figure of Alexander the

Great (Abulqasim Firdavsi. Shahnama. (1976)).

The reign of Alexander traces back to Egyptian

mythology, where the Egyptian priest Calefin first

dubbed Alexander as "the son of the god Amon Ra."

The depiction of him with two horns also stems from

legends that describe Amon Ra as being two-horned.

The Greek scholar Plutarch noted in his work,

'Alexander the Great', that while the Greeks hailed

him as the son of Zeus and the Egyptians proclaimed

him the son of Amon, Alexander himself neither

expressed agreement nor opposition to this

glorification (Alisher Navoi. (1989)).

Alexander first emerged as a literary figure in

Firdavsi's "Shohnoma". In this work, Firdavsi

narrated more historical events, including

Alexander's march on Iran and his defeat of Darius,

portraying Alexander as a gallant king. Concurrently,

he is recognised as a disciple of the wise Aristotle, a

king who heeded the counsel of his philosophical

mentor (Alisher Navoi. (1996)). The positive

portrayal of Alexander in Firdavsi's Shohnoma is

likely influenced by Alexander the Great's regard for

the Persians. As per the Greek historian Plutarch,

Alexander became so immersed in Persian customs

that he even adopted Persian attire at social

gatherings, adhering to their traditions (Alisher

Navoi. Saddi Iskandari. 1991).

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

In the two-part epic "Iskandarnoma", featured as a

distinct work within Nizami's "Panj Ganj", the folk

tales and legends about Alexander are elaborately

892

Mamadalieva, Z.

The Origin of Iskandar’s Image in Fiction and Navoi’s Attitude Towards It.

DOI: 10.5220/0012523100003792

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 1st Pamir Transboundary Conference for Sustainable Societies (PAMIR 2023), pages 892-895

ISBN: 978-989-758-687-3

developed, based on the fairy tales and myths

influenced by these narratives. The explanation

provided for the designation of Alexander as

Zulkarnain stems from the confrontation between

Alexander and the barber, the fact that he battled Gog

and Magog, and constructed a wall against them

(Komilov N. (2005)).

Overall, any existing contradictions in Firdavsi's

perspective of Alexander are resolved in Nizami's

epic, where Alexander is depicted as a fairly positive

figure. Nizami interpreted Alexander as a courageous

king who heeded the advice of wise men. The image

of Alexander is fully developed within the epic, based

on the folk tales and stories about him. Another

noteworthy point is that Nizami aligned the image of

Dhu'l-Qarnayn in the Qur'an with Alexander, dubbing

his hero as Alexander Dhu'l-Qarnayn. The reason

why the Macedonian was named Dhu'l-Qarnayn was

because he wore a two-horned hat. Consequently,

various aspects, including the motives for

Alexander's war with Darius, his patriotism and

combativeness, his entrepreneurial skills, his role as a

disciple of Aristotle, his beautiful wife Ravshanak,

his battles against Gog and Magog, are all extracted

from the verses depicting Alexander the Great.

Additionally, the folk legends about Alexander's

quest for the water of life alongside Hizr, and his

conflict with the barber are also addressed,

culminating in the creation of an exceedingly

imaginative, ideal image.

Amir Khisrav Dehlavi's "Oynai Iskandari"

amalgamates both of Alexander's qualities - bravery

and wisdom. In this work, he portrays eminent

philosophers such as Aristotle, Apollonia, and Plato

as Alexander's mentors, and describes them as

companions on his terrestrial and maritime voyages

(Koshifi Husayn is a preacher. Futuvvatnamai

Sultani. N. (1994)).

In the epic "Khiridnomai Iskandariy", the

depiction of the great king is somewhat relegated.

Jami places more emphasis on Alexander's wisdom

and counsel than on his kingship, and incorporates

himself among the ranks of the wise (Nizami Ganjavi.

Iqbolnama.( 2009)). Nizami, Khusrav Dehlavi, and

Jami, through their epics about Alexander, present to

the readers their invaluable thoughts - a blend of

scientific wisdom set against the backdrop of his

wisdom and the wisdom of his interlocutors.

Navoi synthesised his experiences and,

employing his genius, forged a novel image of

Alexander. We first perceive Alexander the Great as

a brave prince with an aversion to the throne, then as

an enterprising king and enlightener who, with

courage and astuteness, won the hearts of various

nations and people. Following this, he is seen as a

perfected individual, striving to conquer the unseen,

and finally, we encounter the image of a helpless

servant departing the world empty-handed.

Alexander's quest for worldhood is premised on the

pursuit of wisdom and gnosis, and his conquest of the

seven climes signifies the acquisition of manifest

sciences on this path. This is because, when Navoi

speaks of perfected individuals who are rulers, he

separately mentions their progression in the "science

of the outward and inward (zohir va botin ilmi)"

(Khondamir. Makorim ul-Akhlaq. (2015)). Guiding

him on this path is his mentor, Aristotle, often

referred to as the master of logic in philosophy -

further evidence that his student, Alexander,

embarked on mastering the logical sciences. In

mysticism - or divine knowledge - such desires as

knowledge are characterised. In this epic, Navoi

symbolises the divine sciences with the seven seas.

Thus, Alexander, the possessor of seven climes,

embarks on a voyage, with Socrates, the progenitor of

irrational sciences, leading the way (as he did with

Farhod in the epic 'Farhod and Shirin'). This is clearly

evident in the tale of the fish in the same saga, which

dived into the whirlpool in search of water, only to

realise upon their impending death that they had lost

their water. Alexander not only navigated the seven

seas but also constructed a glass box, descended into

the sea, and explored its depths. Consequently, an

individual versed in the divine sciences, having

learned from Socrates, will now become immersed in

these sciences. Alexander spent such a considerable

time underwater that he gained an abundance of

knowledge, which resulted in the undersea marvels

revealing themselves and beginning to inform

Alexander about their existence. Hence, Alexander's

first voyage can be termed ilm ul-yakin, the second

ayn ul-yakin, and the third journey into the

underwater world can be designated as haqq ul-yakin.

During this journey, Alexander's perceptive eyes

fully opened, as Navoi stated, and he attains the stages

of enlightenment - guardianship and prophethood.

Professor N.Kamilov's research on the epic "Saddi

Iskandariy", titled "Epic of Wisdom and Example",

presents the following perspectives on knowledge

and gnosis: it can be said that a judge embodies the

qualities of a governor, and a governor the qualities

of a judge (Yusupova D. (2014)). Thus, the great

Navoi skilfully amalgamated dominion and

enlightenment - the two polarities of perfection - into

a singular image, consequently elevating him to the

stature of a perfected individual.

The ideal of a perfect individual is fundamental to

every society. Each community advocates this among

The Origin of Iskandar’s Image in Fiction and Navoi’s Attitude Towards It

893

its members as there is a sensed need for such an ideal

that bears its own weight. If we consider Navoi's

perspectives on this matter, the character who is

fitting for the image of a perfect individual and

deserving of standing beside the image of Farhod, is

Alexander. To substantiate that he was not solely a

virtuous king and a symbol of justice but, primarily,

a symbol of a perfect individual, it's sufficient to

recall Alexander's first question to his teacher

Aristotle in the epic - his first instance of wisdom. It

pertains to "reaching the destination." This question

underscores an individual's purpose in life. In the tale,

Alexander enquires about ways to achieve the

objective.

The Jamshid mosque, which was gifted to

Alexander by the Chinese king, along with the mirror

Chinda, are also thought to carry hidden meanings.

The Jamshid Mosque is a legendary item crafted by

the mythical Iranian ruler Jamshid. It possesses two

peculiar features. Firstly, the maze within it never

concludes, which is due to the fat outside the glass

exhibiting the property of attracting fat. Secondly, its

exterior reflects events transpiring all around the

world. This image was later symbolised in mystical

literature with a particular significance. The Jamshid

Jami symbolises both heroism and the vigilant mind.

The awakened mind, conversely, belongs exclusively

to the perfect individual, and it mirrors not just the

seven climates, but the entire universe.

The Oyini Chin (with this phrase, Navoi utilised

the art of iyham to signify both the Chinese mirror

and the mirror of truth) was a mirror that was

illuminated on both sides, and Alexander used it at

receptions to discern people's character. This symbol

is also an emblem of a pure heart, based on the

philosophical-psychological concept that the

reflection of the interlocutor in the heart of an

individual is as pure as the mirror of the heart.

Alexander marvelled at the magnificence of these

gifts, which the art of wisdom had bestowed upon

him, and commanded the responding judges to craft

such miraculous objects as a mirror and a mosque.

The king, who possessed the seven climates, must

now observe and study celestial bodies as well, that

is, the perfect man must fully deepen his knowledge.

To do this, Alexander begins to observe the

movement of the stars with his telescope. The magic

mirror, much like the Jamshid Mosque, reflects what

is happening in the world. The symbolic meaning of

these inventions is that a perfect man purifies his heart

as a result of deepening his knowledge, but he cannot

be perfected solely by mastering the external

sciences. For a person to be perfect, he also needs to

master the inner sciences (Komilov N. Sufism. 2009).

In this epic, we see that Navoi expressed the

divine sciences with the symbol of the seven seas.

That is to say, Alexander, who ruled over seven

climates, now set sail. On this path, Alexander is now

guided by Socrates, the father of the irrational

sciences. We see this in the story of the fish that

ventured into the whirlpool in search of water in the

same epic and only discovered that it had lost its water

after being lured to its death (In "Lison ut-tayr",

Navoi also compares water to the source of the inner

sciences - the sea of knowledge). That is, people of

the world are better and greater than they realise,

without knowing how many qualities are bestowed

upon them. However, a person knows so much that

he is unaware of his own hidden depths, that he does

not fully comprehend his purpose and intentions, that

the words he understands without fully understanding

himself, the meanings in his words, his hopes and

aspirations, distinguish him from other creatures and

elevate him. The determination within a person to use

his intellect to discover something, to attain it, is the

cause of his esteem and grace (in front of all creation

and before the Creator). In particular, knowing what

is in someone's heart, thinking about it, is an

extremely unique and great quality for a person.

Not only did Alexander sail through the seven

seas, but he also constructed a glass box, plunged into

the sea and explored the underwater world.

Consequently, a perfect man who has learned to

master the divine sciences from Socrates will now

become engrossed in these divine sciences. During

this journey, Alexander's eyes of insight were fully

opened, Navoi stated. And he attains the levels of

guardianship and prophethood. However, everything

has an end. As Aziziddin Nasafi stated in his

pamphlet “The Perfect Man (Insoni Komil)”, a

perfect man, despite being complete in character and

knowledge, is powerless in the face of destiny

(Komilov N. Sufism. 2009). Alexander, too, fell

gravely ill and died following his voyage. This

implies that Navoi is faithful to his counsel, and

regardless of how developed a person is, he remains

an ordinary servant and will one day meet his

inevitable end.

3 CONCLUSION

1. The image of Alexander has left its imprint on

Uzbek folklore and literature, influenced by the

Qur'an and earlier narratives. As a result, folk tales

and legends about Alexander have been formed.

2. The image of Alexander, which emerged as an

artistic figure in Firdavsi's "Shohnoma", evolved into

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a perfect artistic ideal in the works of Nizami Ganjavi,

Khusrav Dehlavi, and Adburahmon Jami (all authors

of Hamsa).

3. In Navoi's epic "Saddi Iskandariy", three

interpretations of the image of Alexander were

developed without interfering with one another: a

courageous prince generous enough to despise the

throne, an enterprising king who bravely wins the

hearts of the people, and an enlightened sage - a

perfect man whose knowledge seeks to conquer the

unseen.

4. The downfall of Alexander in the epic illustrates

another of Navoi's wise ideas: "No matter how high a

person rises, they are powerless in the face of fate.

Therefore, since human life is mortal, there is no

room for arrogance."

5. Although at first glance, the epic "Saddi

Iskandariy" seems to be about Alexander - a figure in

Eastern classical literature embodying the image of a

wise, brave, and ideal king - in a deeper sense, it is a

symbolic and mystical work about the path of

perfection for a wise and prudent man.

REFERENCES

Abdurrahman Jami. (1978) Guide to Alexandria.

Translation from Persian by Sh.Shomuhamedov. -

Tashkent: Literature and Art,.

Abu Rayhan Beruni. (1968) Relics of ancient peoples. -

Tashkent: Science,.

Abulqasim Firdavsi. Shahnama. (1976) The second book. -

Tashkent: Literature and Art,.

Alisher Navoi. (1989) Farhad and Shirin (with prose

description). - Tashkent: Literature and Art,.

Alisher Navoi. (1996) Lison ut-tyre. MAT. 20 roofs. -

Tashkent: Science,. T.12.

Alisher Navoi. Saddi Iskandari. (1991) (With a prose

description) - Tashkent: Literature and Art,.

Komilov N. (2005) The saga of wisdom and lesson./ Khizr

chashmasi. Tashkent: Ma'naviyat,.

Koshifi Husayn is a preacher. Futuvvatnamai Sultani. N.

(1994) from the Persian-Tajik language. Komilov's

translation. Tashkent: A. Qadiri,.

Nizami Ganjavi. Iqbolnama.( 2009) \ Iskandarnoma.

Translation from Persian by Jonibek Subhon. -

Tashkent: ARN FLEX,.

Khondamir. Makorim ul-Akhlaq. (2015) - Tashkent:

Literature and Art,.

Yusupova D. (2014) Uzbek classical and national

renaissance literature (Alisher Navoi period). -

Tashkent: TAMADDUN,.

Komilov N. Sufism. 2009 - Tashkent: Movarounnahr -

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