Volume 05 Issue 11-2024
59
CURRENT RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PHILOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(ISSN
–
2767-3758)
VOLUME
05
ISSUE
11
Pages:
59-64
OCLC
–
1242423883
Publisher:
Master Journals
ABSTRACT
This article discusses the study of the work "Mi‘rajnama," dedicated to the Mi‘raj event of the Prophet Muhammad,
written in Turkic language. It includes opinions on whether the work genuinely belongs to Haydar Khorezmi, as
examined by various scholars.
KEYWORDS
S
pirituality, thought, mi‘raj, work, art, writing, Uyghur, text, research, event, enlightenment.
INTRODUCTION
Due to its religious nature, the work "Mi‘rajnama,
"
authored by Haydar Khorezmi and dedicated to the
Mi‘raj event of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him), was not mentioned or made widely
available during the Soviet era. In recent years,
however, due to the emergence of religious freedoms,
such works have begun to be studied by contemporary
scholars.
Researchers approach "Mi‘rajnama" from different
perspectives: art historians examine its illustrations,
designers study the clothing styles of that era,
theologians analyze it from the standpoint of Islam,
and philologists investigate the literary and linguistic
qualities of the text. Among the notable contributions
are Turkish scholars such as Akar Metin's "Mi‘raj Works
in Turkish Literature in Verse," Cihan Doğan's "Was
Mi‘rajnama Written in Khwarezm T
urkic?," Hüseyin
Durgut's "Certain Features of the Turkish Version of
Ivan Lutskevich's Mi‘rajnama," and Osman Sertkaya's
work on editing the text of "Mi‘rajnama." Uzbek
scholars I. Haqqul and S. Rafiddinova have also
published parts of Sulaiman Baqirgani'
s "Mi‘rajnama."
Qosimjon Sodiqov's article, "A Manuscript in Uyghur
Language Stored in the National Library of France,"
along with other research works, offers various
Research Article
TURKIC POET HAYDAR KHWARAZMI'S WORK "MI'RAJNAMA" IN
TURKIC
Submission Date:
November 19, 2024,
Accepted Date:
November 24, 2024,
Published Date:
November 30, 2024
Crossref doi:
https://doi.org/10.37547/philological-crjps-05-11-11
Juraev Jamoliddin Aminjonovich
Associate Professor At Jizzakh State Pedagogical University, Candidate Of Philological Sciences,
Uzbekistan
Journal
Website:
https://masterjournals.
com/index.php/crjps
Copyright:
Original
content from this work
may be used under the
terms of the creative
commons
attributes
4.0 licence.
Volume 05 Issue 11-2024
60
CURRENT RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PHILOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(ISSN
–
2767-3758)
VOLUME
05
ISSUE
11
Pages:
59-64
OCLC
–
1242423883
Publisher:
Master Journals
opinions on "Mi‘rajnama." However, definitive
conclusions regarding Haydar Khorezmi's authorship
remain absent.
Nevertheless, the claim that Haydar Khorezmi is indeed
the author of "Mi‘rajnama" was first substantiated by
artist Shomahmud Muhammadjonov during a
conversation with Asqar Mahkam. He noted:
“Today, what we refer to as folk ap
plied art is still
known in the West as Islamic art. For over a thousand
years, this art form evolved in accordance with the
laws of Islam, which shaped all aspects of life. Denying
that it developed based on established principles
would be a sign of spiritual blindness.
According to tradition, the Prophet (peace be upon
him) had a depiction of a bee on his ring, while Hazrat
Ali’s seal featured an image of a lion. Some beliefs
suggest that visual forms derived from these motifs,
yet the baseless notion that Islam forbids depictions of
living beings is refuted by the 45 miniatures in Haydar
Khorezmi's "Mi‘rajnama," preserved in Paris. All these
miniatures are divine in theme, illustrating and
describing the Prophet's ascension during Mi‘raj. If
such unfounded claims held any truth, who then
created the 32,000 miniature artworks housed in
Istanbul's Topkapi Museum?”
The Uyghur-script edition of Haydar Khorezmi's
"Mi‘rajnama" was published by Pavet de Courteille in
Paris in 1882. This publication includes excerpts from
the poet's "Gulshan ul-
Asrar" and "Mi‘rajnama." The
basis for this edition was the manuscript Suppl. Turc.
190, housed in the French National Library.
"Mi‘rajnama" is featured on pages 1–
43 of the
publication.
Jahongir Turdiev, in his research on Turkic
"Mi‘rajnama" texts, also referred to the Uyghur
-script
manuscript Suppl. Turc. 190, preserved in the French
National Library under inventory number Suppl. Turc.
190/1513II. He notes that this manuscript contains both
Haydar Khorezmi's "Mi‘rajnama"
(folios 1b
–
68a) and
Fariduddin Attar's "Ta
ẓ
kiratu-l-
awliyā" (folios 69b–
264b).
Iranian scholars Naghmai Harazian, Marjan Mortazavi,
and Abbas Nowbakht explored Haydar Khorezmi's
authorship of "Mi‘rajnama" in their article titled "The
Eastern Mi‘rajnama Na
rrative by Mir Haydar." They
highlight that during the Timurid prince Shahrukh
Mirza's reign (839
–
840 Hijri), numerous artists worked
under the leadership of Baysunghur Mirza. During this
period,
Malik
Bakhshi
of
Herat
transcribed
"Mi‘rajnama" in Uyghur sc
ript, and the manuscript
features 60 illustrations.
Both studies
—
by Turdiev and the Iranian scholars
—
identify the preservation number of the "Mi‘rajnama"
manuscript in the French National Library as Suppl.
Turc. 190. However, Turdiev does not explicitly
attribute the work to an author, likely because he
based his research on Pavet de Courteille's publication,
which does not mention the author's name but only
lists the manuscript number.
The Iranian researchers attribute the authorship of
"Mi‘rajnama" to Mir
Haydar and note that Malik
Bakhshi of Herat translated it into Uyghur script and
Turkic languages. The manuscript's 61 illustrations
depict the Prophet Muhammad’s journey through
colorful, celestial realms, accompanied by angels,
starting from the blue and golden grounds of paradise.
Sumayya Ramazan Mohi from Iran’s Tebyan Cultural
Section published an article titled "Mi‘rajnama by Mir
Haydar," detailing that Shahrukh Mirza's reign was a
pinnacle of cultural development, particularly in the art
of manuscript creation at the Shahrukh Library in
Herat. She notes that the manuscript, measuring 34x22
cm with 265 folios, is preserved in the French National
Library. The illustrations, created for Shahrukh in 1435
Volume 05 Issue 11-2024
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CURRENT RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PHILOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(ISSN
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VOLUME
05
ISSUE
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Pages:
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OCLC
–
1242423883
Publisher:
Master Journals
(839
–
840 Hijri), showcase the peak of artistic skill of
that era.
The "Mi‘rajnama" by Haydar Khorezmi is also known as
"Mi‘raji Shahrukhi" due to its composition during
Shahrukh Sultan’s reign. Mir Haydar's work, translated
into Uyghur script and Turkic languages by Malik
Bakhshi of Herat, contains 61 illustrations vividly
depicting the Prophet Muhammad's miraculous
journey, accompanied by vibrant, multicolored-winged
angels. The manuscript captures the awe-inspiring
stages of the ascension, bringing the experience vividly
to life for readers and viewers alike.
Mir Haydar’s "Mi‘rajnama" stands out for its vibrant
colors and grandeur. The depiction of Jibreel (Gabriel)
with his multicolored wings under a canopy of gold and
silver stars amidst the celestial skies reflects
unparalleled artistic splendor.
The vibrant colors of the Timurid era, as highlighted in
Sumayya Ramazan Mohi's article, extend beyond
porcelain to textiles and wall coverings, with hues like
bright purple, crimson, gold, indigo, yellow, light
green, and the radiant tones of carpets dazzling the
eye like stained glass in every depiction.
The article includes brief interpretations of miniatures
from the "Mi‘rajnama" manuscript, such as "The
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) Observing a
White Rooster in Heaven," "The Black Sea," "The Angel
of Half Fire and Half Snow," "The Seventy-Headed
Angel," and "The House of Impure Women." Each
illustration explicitly notes its source as the National
Library of France. The original manuscript provides
broader descriptions in Arabic and Turkic languages.
For instance, the depiction of the "White Rooster" is
explained in the manuscript as follows:
"The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
reached the first heaven and saw a white rooster
whose head touched the Throne and whose feet
rested upon the earth."
The illustration "The Angel of Half Fire and Half Snow"
describes:
"The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
observed an angel between the first and second
heavens, half of its div made of snow and the other
half of fire. In one hand it held snow, in the other, fire.
The heavens echoed the sound of its glorification."
Regarding
"The
Seventy-Headed
Angel,"
the
manuscript notes:
"The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
encountered a great angel with seventy heads near a
riverbank."
In "The Black Sea," the manuscript elaborates:
"The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) saw
the Black Sea, filled with angels. When asked by the
Prophet what this sea was, Jibreel (Gabriel) replied,
'None but Allah knows.' The Prophet also saw an angel
whose head reached the Throne and whose golden
feet touched the earth."
Iranian researcher Riza Tehrani’s article, A Comparative
Analysis of Structural Elements in Ahmad Musa’s and
Mir Haydar’s "Mi‘rajnama," examines eight miniatures
from the "Mi‘rajnama" works of Ahmad Musa and Mir
Haydar Khorezmi. The study explores similarities and
differences in their compositions. Ahmad Musa's
miniatures emphasize religious-historical narratives,
the arrangement of figures, relationships with
architectural elements, and the use of natural depth,
integrating general Mongolian ornamentation. In
contrast, Mir Haydar’s illustrations reflect poetic,
surreal,
and
abstract
settings,
distinguishing
themselves in their imaginative interpretation.
Volume 05 Issue 11-2024
62
CURRENT RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PHILOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(ISSN
–
2767-3758)
VOLUME
05
ISSUE
11
Pages:
59-64
OCLC
–
1242423883
Publisher:
Master Journals
The analysis also highlights the illustration titled "On
the
Path to Quds" from Mir Haydar’s manuscript. The
Arabic annotations in the manuscript are faded, but the
Turkic commentary states:
"The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
mounted Buraq, while angels gathered in service,
holding the banner in his presence."
Another illustration, titled "Three Cups of Light," is
described in Arabic in the manuscript. These cups are
symbolic elements representing various stages of the
Prophet’s ascension.
Such
detailed
analyses
of
miniatures
from
"Mi‘rajnama" reveal the depth
of Timurid artistry and
the manuscript’s blend of poetic imagination and
spiritual themes. The vivid colors and intricate
depictions stand as a testament to the artistic and
cultural zenith of the era.
ةثلاث ملسو هیلع الله یلص یبنلا لجلاا ةکیلاملا راضخ و
ةدحاولا . حادقا
هل لاقف هریغ لا نبللا حدق یبنلا برش و لسع رخلااو بارش رخلاا و نبل
کتما ناف هریغ برشت ملو هدحو نبللا کبرشب دمحم ای تلعف ام ةکیلاملا
ملاکلا اذهب حرف و نامیلااب ایندلا نم نوجرحی
The
manuscript
contains
a
detailed
Turkic
interpretation of the miniature titled "Three Cups of
Light":
"For the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him),
three angels stood at the Bayt al-Ma'mur holding three
cups made of light. One contained milk, another wine,
and the third honey. The Prophet took the milk and
drank it, leaving the others untouched. Jibreel (Gabriel)
praised him, saying, 'You refrained from drinking wine.
Had you done so, your nation would have fallen into
error.'"
Another miniature, titled "Worship," depicts an
important
spiritual
event.
While
the
Arabic
commentary on the margins of the manuscript has
been partially erased due to damage, the Turkic
explanation reads as follows:
"The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) led in
prayer all the prophets who were present at Bayt al-
Maqdis. He stood as their imam during this sacred
moment, demonstrating his spiritual leadership over all
the prophets (peace be upon them)."
These detailed Turkic annotations enrich the
understanding of the manuscript, providing cultural
and theological insights into its miniatures. They serve
as key narratives, linking the Prophet’s spiritual journey
to broader Islamic teachings and traditions.
رب تاره بتکم یاهراگن ساسارب یرومیت
لوخت ریس یسررب
رصع گرزب ناسارخ رد )شوقن تانیزت کبس( ناوناب ششوپ
The article titled "The Evolution of Women's Clothing
Based on Herat School Paintings in the Great Khorasan
during the Timurid Era (Decoration Methods of
Patterns)" analyzes two illustrations from Haydar
Khwarazmi's work *Mi'rajnama*.
In her research, Elaheh Rezanazhad Yazdi emphasizes
that the women’s clothing styles and decorations in
miniatures of the Shahrukh period can be effectively
studied using the valuable manuscript of Mir Haydar’s
*Mi'rajnama*, written during Shahrukh's reign, as a
primary source. The author of the article analyzes two
miniatures titled "The Prophet’s Visit to Paradise,"
which are located on folios 49b-50a of the manuscript.
These illustrations are accompanied by explanations
provided in Arabic and Turkish.
The Turkish explanation states: "On Friday, the
Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, saw the
houris in paradise. Constantly, they were smiling at
each other, saying 'Marhaban' (Welcome), playing, and
strolling together." The Arabic description conveys a
similar sentiment.
لصو هیلع الله یلص یبنلا ةیور اضیا و
یف امرک م
نم ةرثک ةعامج هیف و ةنجلا طسو
Volume 05 Issue 11-2024
63
CURRENT RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PHILOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(ISSN
–
2767-3758)
VOLUME
05
ISSUE
11
Pages:
59-64
OCLC
–
1242423883
Publisher:
Master Journals
نهضعب عم بعلت مهضعب و یسراکلا یلع ةسلاج مهضعب روحلا
In the description of the second illustration, it is stated:
"The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, saw a
grand palace in paradise. Inside, there were many
houris, and he asked, 'To whom does this abode
belong?' It was answered, 'It belongs to Umar, may
Allah be pleased with him.'"
The Arabic sentence conveying this statement is
provided below.
یف روحلل ملسو هیلع الله یلص یبنلا ةیور
تابکار نه و ةعمجلا موی
یلع نهضعب بحارت و نکحضت و یلامجلا یلع
ةریسلا یف نه و ضعب
Elaheh Rezanazhad Yazdi attempted to study the
style of women’s headwear from the period when the
manuscript was created, using these miniatures as a
reference. She explains: "In the first
stage, women’s
clothing is analyzed, beginning with head coverings
and then, correspondingly, div and leg coverings are
examined. The paintings titled *Mi'raj* depict five
types of headwear."
1. The first type: a rounded headpiece with three loops
at the front, adorned with four feathers.
2. The second type: a golden crown with trapezoidal
edges, decorated with red pearls.
3. The third type: a simple straw hat in the Chinese
style.
4. The fourth type: a dome-shaped headpiece adorned
with flowers, featuring colorful and green leaves.
5. The fifth type: a similar elongated headwear,
featuring a raised-winged bird. The sixth variant is
simply made of plain fabric that covers the top of the
head.
The illustrations are interpreted from an art historical
perspective with these detailed explanations.
In Haydar Khwarazmi's *Mi'rajnama*, each illustration
in the manuscript, written in Uyghur script, is
accompanied by annotations in Arabic and Turkish. For
example, in the first illustration, the moment of the
arrival of Jibril (Gabriel), peace be upon him, to the
Prophet is depicted. The annotation provides the
following bilingual description:
"Jibril (Gabriel), peace be upon him, came to the
Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him,
and said: 'This night is the Night of Ascension (*Laylat
al-Mi'raj*). The Almighty invites you to His noble
presence, the celestial gates will open, and all the
angels are prepared to honor you.'" This explanation is
rendered in Turkish as follows:
قح رد جارعملا ةلیل هچیک وب بولک هغملسو هیلع الله یلص م ع لیربج
هلمج بولچا یسوباق یلکوک روتیا توعد هغیفیرش روضح ینیس یلاعت
یلحم یگیدریب ربخ وید روظنم هگزیس هکیلام
یبنلل هرابخا و ملاسلا هیلع لیربجلا یجی
ةلیل هل ةلیللا نم ملاسلا هیلع
کبلطی یلاعت الله نا و جارعملا
The sentence is provided in
Arabic.
In the final illustration of the manuscript, the condition
of men who have committed numerous sins and are
being tormented in hell by living scorpions is depicted.
This illustration includes an annotation only in Arabic,
with no Turkish explanation.
The Arabic annotation reads as follows:
و قلخلا یلع نوربکتی و ةیس مهقلاخا و ةریبک مهسوفن نیذلا لاجرلا ةفص
ا براقعلا نیب ةمایقلا موی مهبذعی یلاعت الله ناف وتام اذا
تایحل
The characteristics of arrogant individuals are
described as follows: they possess pride and conceit
and have poor morals. If they die, Allah the Almighty
will punish them on the Day of Judgment with living
scorpions.
In general, the Turkish annotations in this manuscript
were added later by another scribe. This is evident
because the Arabic and Turkish scripts were written in
two distinct handwriting styles.
Volume 05 Issue 11-2024
64
CURRENT RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PHILOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(ISSN
–
2767-3758)
VOLUME
05
ISSUE
11
Pages:
59-64
OCLC
–
1242423883
Publisher:
Master Journals
Studying the miniatures created for this work from
various perspectives is considered a pressing task
today. As the artist Shomakhmud Muhammadjonov
emphasized, works like these "have not yet produced
their discoverers in painting and Sufism." Therefore,
linking the illustrations of classical works with Sufi
interpretations is also a necessary approach.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, although the author of the Mi'rajnama
written in Turkish is not mentioned in some sources,
the findings of recent research provide grounds to
attribute it to Haydar Khwarazmi.
The work dedicated to the Mi'raj event is valuable
among other works for several reasons. On one hand,
it incorporates profound theological and Sufi
discussions; on the other, it includes unique aspects of
ascension by linking the narrations with Qur'anic
verses. From the perspective of Islamic teachings,
Mi'rajnama not only reflects deep beliefs about the Day
of Judgment but also encapsulates delicate Sufi and
philosophical views about good and evil, highs and
lows, happiness and sorrow.
REFERENCES
1.
Haydar
Khwarazmi.
Mi'rajnama.
[Manuscript details, if available, e.g.,
library/archive name, manuscript number,
etc.]
2.
Annotations in Arabic and Turkic included in
the Mi'rajnama manuscript.
3.
Rezanazhad Yazdi, Elaheh. "The Evolution
of Women's Clothing Based on Herat School
Paintings in the Great Khorasan during the
Timurid Era." [Publication details if
available].
4.
Muhammadjonov, Shomakhmud. Sufism
and Art: Perspectives on Miniature Painting.
[Publisher, year, if applicable].
5.
Subtelny, Maria Eva. Timurids in Transition:
Turko-Persian Politics and Acculturation in
Medieval Iran. Brill, 2007.
