European International Journal of Philological Sciences
90
https://eipublication.com/index.php/eijps
TYPE
Original Research
PAGE NO.
90-92
DOI
OPEN ACCESS
SUBMITED
25 April 2025
ACCEPTED
21 May 2025
PUBLISHED
30 June 2025
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue 06 2025
COPYRIGHT
© 2025 Original content from this work may be used under the terms
of the creative commons attributes 4.0 License.
The Compositional
Architecture and
Structural Poetics of
“Navādir al
-
Amthāl”
Djurabayev Yusufjon Isroiljanovich
PhD Candidate, 2nd Year Tashkent State University of Uzbek Language
and Literature named after Alisher Navoiy, Uzbekistan
Abstract
: This study analyzes the structural architecture
and stylistic features of Navādir al
-
Amthāl
, authored by
17th-
century scholar Mīrak Muḥammad Naqshbandī
Tāshkandī. The research focuses on the work’s overall
composition
–
introduction, div, and conclusion
–
and
the microstructure of individual entries formed by the
triad: proverb, commentary, and witness verse. It
highlights enriching elements such as historical
narratives, regional expressions, and Turkic equivalents
of Persian proverbs. Special attention is given to the
poetic citations (“witness verses”), which serve to
legitimize proverbs, expand metaphorical meaning, and
build cultural continuity between oral and written
traditions. The paper argues that the composition of
Navādir al
-
Amthāl reflects not only a methodical
structure but also embodies the author’s encyclopedic
and didactic intent. From a modern textological
perspective, the work emerges as a unique scholarly
contribution that bridges lexicography, literature, and
cultural memory.
Keywords:
Navādir al
-
Amthāl, Mīrak Muḥammad
Tāshkandī
, structural poetics, compositional analysis,
microstructure,
witness
verse,
comparative
lexicography, textology, Mawarannahr, 17th century.
Introduction:
In recent years, the re-examination of
classical Uzbek literary texts on a scholarly basis and the
analysis of texts relying on historical sources have
become an integral part of restoring cultural memory
and national identity. In this process, alongside famous
authors, there is a growing need to rediscover the works
of writers who illuminated the artistic and intellectual
environment of their time but have not been sufficiently
European International Journal of Philological Sciences
91
https://eipublication.com/index.php/eijps
European International Journal of Philological Sciences
studied in academic discourse. The 17th-century work
Navādir al
-
Amthāl by Mīrak Muḥammad Tāshkandī is
distinguished by its well-crafted and sophisticated
compositional structure for the lexicography of its era.
Its compositional framework is not merely an external
organizational tool but a holistic system that embodies
the author's clear didactic purposes, scholarly
concepts, and artistic-aesthetic views. The structure of
the work can be analyzed by deeply studying aspects
such as its general compositional architecture, the
internal artistic-logical construction of each entry, and
the functional poetics of the citations within the text.
The General Compositional Architecture of the Work
Navādir al
-
Amthāl is structured in strict accordance
with the traditional compositional models developed
over centuries in classical literature. This indicates that
the author intended his work not merely as a collection
but as a serious scholarly piece. The work, like a
complete architectural monument, consists of three
main parts: the Introduction, the Main Body, and the
Conclusion.
I. The Introduction:
The Ideological-Conceptual
Foundation of the Work. The introduction serves as the
work's conceptual "passport," revealing its entire
essence,
defining
its
scholarly-methodological
direction, and acting as a "permission" to enter. While
the traditional hamd (praise to God) and na't (praise to
the Prophet) present the work as a sacred undertaking
under divine patronage, the sabab-i ta'lif (reason for
writing) section clearly outlines the author's intentions
to leave a "memorial for friends" and to create
something that "may be of use to someone." This
defines the work's dual function as both cultural
heritage and a practical manual. The most crucial
structural element of the introduction is the author's
clear articulation of his methodology. His classification
of proverbs based on a alphabetical-phonetic principle
(alphabetical order, further grouped by vowels:
maftūḥa, maksūra, mażmūma) demonstrates his
intention to bring scholarship, order, and user-
friendliness to his work . Furthermore, listing 43 poets
, including Firdawsī, Niẓāmī, and Ḥāfiẓ, serves as a
"scholarly apparatus" that shows the great literary
tradition upon which the work is based.
II. The Main Body:
The Ordered Ocean of Knowledge.
The main div of the work is a vast ocean of
knowledge, organized according to a strict
alphabetical-phonetic
principle.
This
complex
classification
–
dividing chapters by letters and then
grouping them by vowels
–
expresses the author's
worldview that knowledge is not a random
phenomenon but a system that can be ordered by the
human intellect. This method lends an encyclopedic
quality to the work and allows the reader to quickly find
the necessary information within the vast material.
III. The Conclusion: The Historical Seal and the Author's
Will. If the introduction defines the work's purpose, the
conclusion gives it the status of a historical document
and expresses the author's final will. The explicit
mention in the conclusion that the work was completed
in the month of Muharram, 1020 AH (March-April 1611
CE) in the city of Sarajevo precisely defines its historical-
geographical frame . With this, the timeless wisdom of
the proverbs is connected to a specific historical
moment and place. The author's final prayer and the
concluding poetic verse in Turkic serve as an expression
of his hope that his work will reach future generations,
acting as the dome that completes the work's
architectural structure.
Results: The Internal Structure and Enriching Elements
Each entry (proverb) in Navādir al
-
Amthāl possesses a
remarkably distinctive, stable, and well-thought-out
internal structure
—
a microstructure
—
that serves as the
foundational framework of the entire work. This
framework is consistently based on the template:
[Proverb → Commentary → Witness]. However, the
author’s true mastery lies in his skill of consistently
expanding this stable template with additional, multi-
layered enriching elements.
This is most evident in his use of historical narratives,
which serve to explain the origins of certain proverbs.
For instance, the commentary on the phrase "shēr
-
gīr
ast" (is a lion-seizer) (Entry 186) includes an entire, vivid
tale from the time of Bahrām Gōr. It narrates the
prohibition of wine, the story of a young man who
vanquishes a lion while intoxicated, and the king's
subsequent decree to "drink enough to seize a lion."
This narrative technique does more than just explain; it
provides the proverb with vitality, cultural context, and
historical depth, making it unforgettable for the reader.
Furthermore, the author meticulously documents the
work's geographical and linguistic scope through
regional emphases. The frequent use of phrases like "in
the language of the Samarkandians," "among the
Khorasanians," and "in the land of Bukhara" illustrates
the regional specificity of the proverbs. This practice
transforms the work from a generic dictionary into a
rare and valuable source that records living linguistic
and cultural phenomena across the vast Persianate
world.
Finally, the author employs a sophisticated comparative
method by providing Turkic equivalents for Persian
proverbs. For example, he equates the Persian proverb
"zīra ba Kirmān mēbarad" (taking cumin to Kerman)
(Entry 160) with
the Turkic expression "bostancıya
tarhun iletdi" (taking tarragon to the greengrocer). This
European International Journal of Philological Sciences
92
https://eipublication.com/index.php/eijps
European International Journal of Philological Sciences
is not merely a translation but a brilliant example of
cross-cultural
analysis,
showcasing
both
the
commonality of thought and the diversity of imagery
between the two great languages and cultures.
Discussion: The Functional Poetics of Citations
In Navādir al
-
Amthāl, citations, particularly the shāhid
(witness) verses, are not mere embellishments; they
are a multi-faceted poetic device that performs several
crucial functions within the work's structure, elevating
the entire text to a higher scholarly and literary plane.
The primary function is Legitimization and Canon-
Formation. By substantiating a common folk proverb
with a verse from a great literary figure like Fi
rdawsī,
Niẓāmī, or Ḥāfiẓ, the author bestows upon the proverb
a high literary status and "legal" authority. The witness
verse acts as a "seal of quality," confirming the
proverb's adherence to the norms of high literature.
For instance, citing a verse from
Shaykh Sa‘dī for the
phrase "sipar andākht" (to throw down the shield)
(Entry 175) confirms that it is not just a simple phrase
but a philosophical maxim worthy of a great master.
Secondly, the witness verses serve to Expand and
Aestheticize Meaning. They often reveal the hidden,
metaphorical, or mystical meanings of a proverb that a
simple commentary cannot fully capture. A poetic
image endows a worldly piece of wisdom with an
artistic-aesthetic spirit and philosophical depth. For
example, citing a verse
from Niẓāmī's Laylī va Majnūn
for the proverb "mār
-
gēzīda az rismān metarsad" (one
bitten by a snake fears even a rope) (Entry 243) infuses
a simple statement about fear with the profound
emotional color of romantic anguish and trauma .
Finally, this method serves as a Cultural Bridge and a
means of Ensuring Tradition. The witness verses create
an organic link between oral folk tradition (proverbs)
and written classical literature (poetry), ensuring the
synthesis of two great cultural layers within the work's
structure. By citing his own teacher, Muḥliṣī
Badakhshānī, alongside the great masters of the past,
the author also presents himself as a successor to this
great, unbroken literary tradition, thereby ensuring its
continuity.
FINAL CONCLUSION
The structural composition of the work reveals the high
scholarly competence, meticulous methodology, and
clear purpose of its author, Mīrak Muḥammad
Tāshkandī. Viewed from the perspective of modern
textology, it is no exaggeration to say that the work's
strict hierarchical composition, the standardized yet
enriched internal structure of each entry, and the
functional significance of its citations transformed it into
a unique, encyclopedic, and scholarly-didactic
monument for its time.
REFERENCES
1.
Mîrek Muhammed-
i Taşkendî. Nevādirü'l
-
Emsāl.
Prepared by Yusuf Öz and Bahattin Kahraman.
Türkiye
Yazma
Eserler
Kurumu
Başkanlığı
[Presidency of the Turkish Manuscripts Institution],
İstanbul, 2024.
2.
Mîrek Muhammed-
i Taşkendî. Şehrî ve Gülî [Shahriy
and Guliy]. Prepared by: Bahattin Kahraman
–
Yusuf
Öz, Akçağ Yayınları, Ankara, 2012.
3.
Şu'ûrî Hasan Efendi. Ferheng
-
i Şuûrî [The Dictionary
of Shu'uri]. Prepared by Ozan Yılmaz. Vols. I
-IV.
Türkiye
Yazma
Eserler
Kurumu
Başkanlığı
[Presidency of the Turkish Manuscripts Institution],
İst
anbul, 2019.
4.
Recāyi, Ahmed 'Ali. “Çeşmārü Çist?” [What is
Cheshmaru?]. Mecelle-
yi Dānişkede
-yi Edebiyat-i
Meşhed
[Journal of the Faculty of Literature of
Mashhad], First Year, Winter Issue, 1965.
Graphical Abstract
Figure 1. A schematic model illustrating the macro- and micro-
structural architecture of Navādir al
-
Amthāl and its
key compositional elements.
