Interpretation of the Poetic Views of the Period in Mutribi Tazkiras

(Essays)

I. I. Adizova

Tashkent State University of Uzbek Language and Literature named after Alisher Navoi, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Keywords Hashiya (the Border, Genre), Mazhaka (Joke, Genre), Tazkira (Genre), Tasmiya (Names), Rhyme, Aruz

Weight, Mushkila She'r (Difficult Poem), Science Is Subjective, Mustazad (Genre), Muvashshah (Literal Art),

Mysticism, Saint, Matbu' Sher (Printed Poem).

Abstract This article is devoted to the history of the tazkira genre, which reached its zenith in the 16th century in

Eastern classical literature. Under the influence of Alisher Navoi's tazkira "Majolis un-nafais", dozens of

works were created in the subsequent centuries. Their scope broadened, starting to assume an encyclopaedic

character. Nowadays, a tazkira is not merely a niche genre that provides information about creators, but

encapsulates the literary process of its time, the history of literary and aesthetic perspectives, issues of poetics,

the foundations of Sufism, and the expression of the national mindset in literature. Numerous issues related

to this genre await exploration. Among them, issues such as illuminating the literary process of the period,

the history and development of poetics, and the reflection of the period's literary theory in the tazkiras are

particularly pertinent. This article addresses one of these significant problems: the manifestation of the poetic

views of the period in the tazkiras. Given the breadth of the scope, Sultan Muhammed Mutribi's work

"Tazkirat ush-shuaro" was selected as a representative sample from the tazkiras.

1 INTRODUCTION

In Eastern classical literature, the tazkira genre has

progressively developed and refined. For instance, in

the 15th century, tazkira features in Jami's

"Bahoristan" as the first chapter, that is, Chapter 7,

while Davlatshah Samarkandi constructs his

"Tazkirat ush-shuaro" as a standalone, specialised

work. Navoi, drawing inspiration from their works,

elevated this genre to a superior level with his work

"Majolis un-nafois".

This development peaked in the 16th century with

Hasankhoja Nisari's "Muzakkiri ahbob" and Mutribi's

"Tazkirat ush-shuaro". These authors have made

significant contributions to the refinement of the

tazkira genre. Maintaining the traditions of their

predecessors, they enriched it with new

characteristics. Specifically, we can observe a sense

of collectivism in Nisari's work. It is not confined to

information about creators, but also encompasses a

wealth of information related to such subjects as

literary theory, geography, music, science

Corresponding author

(astronomy), history, linguistics, mathematics,

geometry, physics, zoology, and natural science. This

diversity lends the tazkira an encyclopaedic scope.

2 STUDY METHOD

Numerous tazkiras were produced following Nisari.

For instance, the "Tazkirat ush-shuaro" by Sultan

Muhammed Mutribi, compiled in 1604-1605,

contains information about 343 accomplished

individuals who lived and worked in the regions of

Central Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, East

Turkestan, Iran, Turkey, Iraq, and Yemen during the

second half of the 16th century. Included among these

are poets, musicians, calligraphers, and painters. The

literary contexts, influences, and relationships among

them are emphasised. The Tazkira also provides

valuable insights into the world map displayed on the

wall of the Ulugbek madrasa, engineering inventions,

and certain historical events.

The review demonstrates the author's

encyclopaedic knowledge. When evaluating a

Adizova, I.

Interpretation of the Poetic Views of the Period in Mutribi Tazkiras (Essays).

DOI: 10.5220/0012478000003792

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 97-101

ISBN: 978-989-758-687-3

creator's work, he cites evidence from numerous

scientific-theoretical, historical, and original sources

related to them, introducing these to the reader.

Occasionally, he also suggests that readers acquaint

themselves with significant texts and resources that

have informed his arguments. He brings new works

to the reader's attention.

nly one copy of the work, penned by the author's

own hand, is known to exist in the world. It is housed

in the manuscript fund of the Academy of Sciences of

Uzbekistan under number 2253. Later, the Tajik

scientist A. Jonfido, in collaboration with the Iranian

literary critic A. Marvdashti, published this work in

1999 based on a copy duplicated from this

manuscript. In 2013, the renowned orientalist Ismail

Bekjon translated this tazkira into Uzbek and

published it [Davlatshah Samarkandi. (1981)].

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

"Tazkirat ush-shuaro" possesses a distinctive

structure. It commences with praise and blessings in

line with classical tradition. Thereafter, the author

reflects on the circumstances that motivated the

writing of the book. He acknowledges the role of

artists and poets in society and their invaluable

contributions. Tazkiras, written by the author himself,

illuminate their place in the literary process. He refers

with particular attention and respect to the tazkiras of

his predecessors, Davlatshah Samarkandi, Amir

Alisher Navoi, and Hasankhoja Nisari, who directly

mentored Mutribi. He lavishes particular praise on

"Muzakkiri ahbob" as "a book of high description"

and "the finest of books". He rightly and respectfully

emphasises the precision and depth of his teacher's

research and analysis methodology. Subsequently, to

continue their noble work, he reveals that he has

included the notable names and activities of

contemporary poets and virtues in the "record of

scriptures".

Tazkira is based on a specific order. The author

provides detailed information about the structure of

the work. The work comprises a prologue, an

epilogue, and three parts. The "Tasmiya" part of the

work addresses the activities of 17 artist-sultans. In

the subsequent alphabetical section, the artists' names

are organised according to their initials. Each of the

letters, according to the author, consists of three

points:

Mutribi's "Tazkirat ush-shuaro" also has an

encyclopaedic character. Within it, alongside the

author's information about the activities of scholars,

we observe his unique conclusions and scientific

innovations related to literary theory. Discussing the

unique aspects of the author's work, he highlights new

features which until now have been overlooked by

tazkiranavis. He concedes that he determined the

weight of all the poetic examples presented in the

work and annotated them in the manuscript's margin,

thereby enhancing existing methods.

Based on the aim and nature of our research,

while studying the tazkira, we decided to particularly

focus on the information related to science and

literary theory within it, classifying them as follows:

1. About poetry and poets;

2. About Aruz;

3. About rhyme;

4. About fine arts;

5. About difficult arts;

6. About Ilmi maoniy (the author regards clarity

of meaning as a sign of skill);

7. About genres;

8. About the literary process and literary

environment of the 16th-17th centuries (Afghanistan,

Pakistan, India, East Turkestan, Iran, Turkey, Iraq,

Yemen).

Mutribi frequently states that Hasankhoja carried

on Nisari's work. In fact, if we approach from the

perspective of providing information about literary

theory and poetics, we can observe the literary

process of the 16th century, its stylistic

improvements, the development of genres, and the

radiance of artistic craftsmanship in the "Muzakkiri

Ahbob" study. For example, in the season of poets

who died at an advanced age and were buried in

Bukhara, Maulana Foni speaks respectfully about the

ingenuity in the science of poetry, his keen intellect,

his cleverness in stating and solving problems, his

popularity with "difficult poems", the meaning of the

words used in his works, and provides several

examples. In particular, he cites a rubai. It's

recognised that it was composed in the form of

mustazad - rubai. This information alone indicates a

genre update in the 16th century. However, Nisari

Mavlano explains other aspects of Fani's skill: "If you

combine the last mustazad with the first verse, the

first mustazad with the second verse, the second

mustazad with the third verse, and the third mustazad

with the fourth verse, another mustazad-rubai is

formed. There will be no alteration or defect in words

and meaning."

The innovation in Rubai does not end there. The

author notes, "It is said that a name emerges from

each verse of this Rubaiyat." Inspired by this, the

author states that he transformed one rubai into 20

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different forms by dissecting it and reassembling the

parts: Almost 20 different compositions can be made.

Mutribi has also made significant contributions to

the description, enhancement, and practice of

classical genres. For example, Haji Ataliq, who

composed under the pseudonym Haji, recalls writing

a masnu' work by Zubahrain Ma' Mustazadi

Muvashshahi as a tribute to him (p. 268-269). When

separated, the musada of hazaji is revealed as mahzuf

bahri. Additionally, this ghazal contains 15

muvashshahs. The differentiation of letters with red,

green, yellow colours, the order of placement, and the

position introduce the methods of discovering the 15

muvashshahs with the help of given signs.

Furthermore, the muvashshahs "...if recited from the

beginning to the end of the ghazal together with the

order, form a verse, and this verse is adorned with the

art of maqlub mustavi":

At this point, Haji mentions another poem written

in the mushajjar style, dedicated to Ataliq. The

significant point is that in tazkira, images of

mushajjar (tree-shaped), mutayyir (bird-shaped), and

round-shaped works are also

In Tazkira, we also encounter information about

new genres in the literary process of the 16th century.

For instance, speaking about Mahrumi Bukhari's

work, he remembers that he has "pleasant poems,

knows ghazal very well in a rather unique way, tells

sweet jokes and makes people laugh", and gives

examples of his works in the genres of ghazals and

jokes. The word 'Mazhaka' has the dictionary

meaning of 'laughing'. Based on this and the examples

given in the review, it can be said that these works are

close to the anecdote genre. Here, the author shares a

joke about 'Poet Bahlul' from Jami's 'Bahoristan'.

However, in Jami's work, he calls this genre by the

name of mutaiba. Thus, it turns out that the anecdote

was referred to as a joke in the 15th century, and a jest

in the 16th century. The author quotes five jests told

by Mahrumi in Tazkira.

hile discussing Tazkira Mushkuli Samarkandi, he

particularly studied the works of Hoshiya written in

scientific books. "His intellect is sharp and his taste is

healthy. He is also good at poetry," he says. Here we

would like to draw your attention to the term

'Hoshiya'. 'Hashiya' is primarily understood as the

margin of manuscripts and the texts written on it. In

the "Dictionary of Navoi's works", it is explained that

"Hashiya is the edge of something, a circle around it,

a comment on the edges of a book." It seems that one

of the meanings of the word 'Hashiya' is 'a

commentary of a commentary.' Based on this, we can

understand 'Hoshiya' as a unique form (genre). In this

sense, Tazkira is important as it sheds light on the

essence of another genre in the literary process.

Speaking about the poet Shakiri, he said, "He has

good classification and interpretations. One of them

is the Hashiya written in the book 'Favaidi Ziyayiya'

by Hazrat Haqayiqpanahi, Khojasta Farjami

Abdurrahman Jami. This Hashiyya is very pleasant

and heart-warming, and it is an excellent guide for the

use of scholars.” This shows that the writing of

Hoshiya, that is, commentaries, was also active in the

literature of the period.

When speaking about Hakim Rukno from

Koshon, he also provides a lesson to poets in terms of

skill: "He used words artistically and did not forget

any wisdom. And to my surprise, even if he increased

the exaggeration in his opinion, he did not go beyond

the limits of moderation”. So here, the author pays

special attention to the issues of harmony of form and

meaning, as well as the normative proportionality of

realistic and romantic methods of expression, as an

element that provides the poetics of the artistic text.

These two aspects are important features that ensure

the vitality and artistry of the work.

In the work, the author is able to demonstrate his

unique talent about Sufism, which is rich in symbols

in literature and difficult to research. To understand

the worldview of mystics and to comprehend the

boundaries of deep meaning underlying their works

and activities requires special study. Here, the author

gives a comment about the people of the Tariqat and

the saints who followed the path of Hazrat Ali's truth.

This conclusion is important as it serves as a

programme for understanding the relationship with

sainthood. "They are few in number. But they are

great in the sight of God. They are God's vicegerents

on earth. They are such a people who do not get

caught in the snares of the world and do not bow

down to the door of the Hereafter. They don't wear

clothes from the fabric of this world, and they don't

drink the cup of joy of the hereafter. Here, the author

cites a comment of our Prophet, which serves to

clarify the essence of sainthood for us: 'The world is

forbidden for the people of the Hereafter, and the

Hereafter is forbidden for the people of the world.

Both of them are haram for the people of Allah. The

author relies on these great views”. They develop

their thoughts further with their conclusions and the

fact that neither this world nor the hereafter is of any

importance to the tax collectors indicates that they

understand the essence of life to lie in divinity.

Divine favour can only be reached through love.

It's clear that the author is well aware of such

theoretical views of Sufism. For instance, when

speaking about Unsiy Oratepagiy, he touched on the

Interpretation of the Poetic Views of the Period in Mutribi Tazkiras (Essays)

issue of love in relation to his work: "You know that

love does not require definition or description, and

words are powerless to describe it... The great ones

said that love is divided into two parts: The first part

is love that belongs to the soul and is the joy of

spiritual perfection, he observes the sign of the

Creator in the window of creation. So, those who say

true love consists of this part. The second part is that

there is no benefit to the soul from love..."

From Tazkira, we also gain insight into the

processes related to the editing and refining of works:

"One day, I recited this matla at a well-known

gathering. Then Hajibi Otaliq suggested, 'Would the

meaning be clearer if the word "zakhm" were

replaced by the word "tig" (sword) in this matla?

Indeed, it is neater in this manner:

(Ёр тили озоридан (қиличидан) қон бўлган

тиш эрмас у билсанг, Анор донасидирким, лаби

аксидин топган қизил ранг)

As the author acknowledges, the use of the word

'dagger' in this context is quite fitting, given the

discussion revolves around blood and redness. It is

the work of the sword, not because of language.

Perhaps the mouth is bloodier than the sword of the

tongue. With the substitution of the word, the action

and the result of the language poison that the poet

wants to convey are more clearly understood. Thus,

we see that with the replacement of a single word,

clarity and vitality in the imagery are achieved.

Such an image is characteristic of traditionalism,

which is actively used in classical literature. Here,

too, the poet uses the word 'tig'' in relation to science

to express 'bleeding the bosom of anger'. So, it

appears that in Tazkira, we find information about the

processes of working on the text and editing of our

ancestors.

The author of Tazkira adheres to a certain

principle when interpreting the artistic arts used in

Eastern classical literature. It provides

comprehensive information, delving into detail when

encountering lesser-used and difficult arts. However,

it does not specifically define traditional or active

arts.

Mutribi pays special attention to the flaws and

shortcomings found in the works of poets. For

instance, while providing information about Aminiy

Hiyaboni, he notes that he is a "poet with great talent

and is famous for writing poetry". Abdullah Khan

cites an ode he wrote in connection with the conquest

of Khorezm, and explains that the author allowed the

repetition of a rhyme, which is considered a serious

flaw in classical literature.

Maulana Baqi Bukhari also highlights that "he is

unique in finding rare words, and his solitude in the

city, and he is famous among the people who pour

dur" and also dwells on some defects in his ghazals.

"Let's keep it a secret, combining the middle of a

known (clear) and unknown (unclear) rhyme is one of

the forbidden things in this science. But if the nazim

makes a reference to it in his verse, it is permissible".

In the course of providing information about

Baqi, in relation to his work, the author introduces the

readers to the pamphlets he created and the significant

innovations related to the theory of literature in them.

For instance, he wrote a treatise on the hard-to-

understand words in Abdurrahman Jami's epic

"Yusuf and Zulaikha", and in this treatise, he also

mentions the fields of rhyme such as ma'ruf and

majhul, iytai jali and khafi, as well as tarse', tajnis,

sajji mutawazi, ihyom, tashbeh in the art of poetry.

The author highly appreciates this book: "This book

has emerged in a truly unique way. The work came to

the attention of this poor man, and I derived a lot of

benefit from reading it. Akhund is considered very

knowledgeable in the science of poetry and does not

need a definition in this regard".

It is well-known that classical treatises emphasise

that words, meter, rhyme, and meaning are deemed

important for poetry. When we evaluate sources, we

often approach them in terms of meter, rhyme, and

artistry. However, we observe that our classical

scholars also paid special attention to the poetics of

meaning in poetry. In particular, the author of the

tazkira, who was highly respected in his time, "...is a

poet of the theme in poetry, and his poems are like

hidden gems", it is permissible to mention the

shortcomings related to the meaning in some poems

of Anisy Iraqi. At this point, the author elaborates on

two types of errors related to the meaning: "However,

some verses are out of balance as a result of too many

exaggerations in the meaning, that is, they were

written in the realm of fantasy rather than naturalness.

Some scholars regard this as a semantic error. Let it

not be a secret, there are two types of semantic error:

weird, that is, error, and excessive exaggeration. The

error is when the poet imposes a meaning on the

content of the stanza that is semantically incorrect.

Excessive exaggeration means that the poet's praise is

brought to the extreme state of description of things,

that is, to a level that is extremely far from the truth,

and the exaggeration is raised to the limit that leads to

a Shariah prohibition".

In different periods of classical literature, we

come across situations that the author considers as an

error, a flaw related to the meaning. For example,

about the same error in Lutfi's poem "Ustina" in his

work "Majalis un-nafais", Navoi also informs us:

"However, Mawlana is pointing his face to heaven,

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100

and he is paying attention to the top of his head, and

it is very far away. In fact, these two verses are not

connected to each other:

Mutribi has a demanding approach to poetry, and

cites the following opinion of his teacher Nisari: "A

poet needs to know a lot, even if it is to create one

poem".

In Tazkira, we see that in the literary process of

the 16th century, creators sought to show different

aspects of artistic artistry. In no other era do we

encounter such an artistic approach to creative

expression. In particular, we observe such skilful use

of words in the creative perfection of Sanoiy

Mashhady. The author said that "Kornoma" was

finished in the cavalry and sent to Movarounnahr. In

the stanzas, the numbers from one to one hundred are

shown in order with puns, and the poets from

Movarounnahr were asked to respond to them.

The author wrote a response to this ode, Nisari,

who expressed even more meaning by fitting numbers

up to 100 in even fewer stanzas, and Mutribi himself

fit a number up to 6 in stanza 1.

4 CONCLUSION

It appears that this situation served as a literary

competition, a creative workshop for authors in the

literary process.

Mutribi embellishes his work with historical

events and poetic examples, as well as engaging and

intriguing stories. This is significant in shedding light

on the problem or the author's activity. About 20

stories are presented in the work. Particularly, the

stories about Abdullah Khan II and Nuh alaihissalam

are among such unique literary examples.

Following the 16th-century tazkiranavis,

particularly Mutribi's work, we can draw the

following conclusions:

1. The traditions of Davlatshah Samarkandi and

Navoi were perpetuated in the tazkiras created during

this period.

2. The treatment improved. Various innovations

were introduced and the scientific value of the genre

was further increased. In this regard, the activities of

Hasankhoja Nisari and Mutribi are especially notable.

3. The information in the Tazkiras is valuable

because it cannot be found in other sources; it fosters

a holistic and fresh perspective on the cultural life and

literary environment of the period.

4. Encyclopaedic scientific coverage is noticeable

in some reviews. Literary theory is also unique and

valuable, enriched with an abundance of crucial

information that illuminates and enhances literary

history.

5. Tazkiras are not only a source of information

and a record of the work of authors, but also

significant monuments that provide a basis for

making essential scientific conclusions about the

literary process, literary theory, and the history of

poetic views of the time.

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