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REPRESENTATION OF NUMBERS IN THE CLASSICAL POETRY OF ALISHER
NAVOIY AND MUHAMMAD RIZA OGAHIY
Matluba Sadullaeva Akhrorovna
PhD. History and philology department
Asia International University.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15251126
Abstract.
This thesis explores the symbolic and structural use of numbers in the classical
poetry of two prominent Central Asian poets: Alisher Navoi and Muhammad Riza Ogahiy. By
analyzing their rubaiyat (quatrains) and other poetic forms, the study examines how numerical
elements contribute to thematic depth, aesthetic harmony, and philosophical discourse in their
works.
Key words:
sacred seven (7), the forty (40), symbolic and spiritual meaning, mystical
traditions, islamic cosmology, sufi symbolism, khamsa (the quintet), sab’ai sayyor (the seven
travelers), metaphysical and moral connotations, poetic numerology, philosophical poetry,
number-based frameworks, temporal relativity, symbolic use of numbers.
ПРЕДСТАВЛЕНИЕ ЧИСЕЛ В КЛАССИЧЕСКОЙ ПОЭЗИИ АЛИШЕРА НАВОИ И
МУХАММАДА РИЗЫ ОГАХИ
Аннотация.
В этой диссертации исследуется символическое и структурное
использование чисел в классической поэзии двух выдающихся поэтов Центральной Азии:
Алишера Навои и Мухаммада Ризы Огахи. Анализируя их рубаи (четверостишия) и другие
поэтические формы, исследование изучает, как числовые элементы способствуют
тематической глубине, эстетической гармонии и философскому дискурсу в их
произведениях.
Ключевые слова:
священная семерка (7), сорок (40), символическое и духовное
значение, мистические традиции, исламская космология, суфийский символизм, хамса
(квинтет), саб’аи сайёр (семь путников), метафизические и моральные коннотации,
поэтическая нумерология, философская поэзия, основанные на числах рамки, временная
относительность, символическое использование чисел.
Introduction.
In classical Eastern literature, numbers often transcend their literal
meanings, emdiving symbolic and mystical significance. Alisher Navoi and Muhammad Riza
Ogahiy, two luminaries of 15th-century Central Asian poetry, adeptly utilized numerical
symbolism to enrich their works. This article delves into how both poets employed numbers to
convey profound philosophical and spiritual themes, enhancing the depth and resonance of their
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poetry.
As an important element of human intelligence, thought, and imagination, numbers have
a special place in fiction. Interestingly, numbers are also given symbolic meaning, which
requires high skill from the creator. For example, Muhammad Riza Ogahiy cites the following
system of numbers in his rubais:
Ten minds, nine shields, and eight heavens,
The seven moons are all six aspects,
There are five senses and four elements and three birth,
Both worlds serve you for months.
(O‘n aql, to‘qqiz sipehr-u sakkiz jannat,
Ham yetti muniri axtar-u ham olti jihat,
Ham besh his-u to‘rt unsur-u uch mavlad,
Ham ikki jahon bir senga aylar xizmat.)
This verse by Muhammad Riza Ogahiy is a poetic way of showing how the entire
universe, from the highest heavens to the smallest human senses, is beautifully ordered and
connected. The numbers represent different levels of creation and existence — from spiritual
knowledge and the sky, to human nature and the physical world.Ogahiy uses this list of symbolic
numbers to say that everything in the world and beyond — the heavens, the stars, the senses, the
elements — all work together.In the final line, he says that both this world and the next are in
service to "you" — possibly referring to a beloved person, a wise soul, or even God.
If we look at the experiences of classical poerts from the perspective of the use of
numbers, we can see that they used numbers as a way to emphasize a particular theme, a certain
concept and a true meaning.
I made epics, saying that the people of our time were unfaithful,
Navoi: if you find loyalty in a person, question him,
(Zamon ahlin vafosiz debki, qildim dostonlar sabt,
Navoiy bir kishida gar vafo topsang, so‘roq o‘rtay)
In
this verse, the disloyalty of the people of our time , the fact that one one has the virtue
of keeping their promises, is expressed though the number “one”. Navoi often used numbers
with layered meanings, aligning with Islamic mystical traditions and Sufi symbolism. In “
Sabbai
Sayyor”
(The Seven Travelers), each of the seven stories corresponds with a day of the week and
a planetary div, echoing cosmological and metaphysical ideas from Islamic and Persian
thought:
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Seven days my heart wandered like a caravan,
Each day, a star became my companion.
(“
Haft kun sarobad yuragi yo'ldoshim bo‘ldi,
Har kun bir yulduz menga do‘st bo‘ldi.
”)
Here, "seven" implies a complete cycle of experience—material and spiritual—drawing
from Islamic concepts of the heavens. The number forty holds deep resonance in Islamic
tradition (the Prophet’s age at revelation, 40 days of retreat). Navoi uses it in metaphorical
language to express purification or transition:
The heart that endures for forty days shall find solace,
Behind each suffering lies a trace of delight.
(Qirq kun sabr qilgan dilga sabo esar oxir,
Har ranj orqasida bordir bir lazzat asar.)
Ogahiy’s poetry employs numbers more subtly, often as metaphors for natural or
temporal cycles, fate, or emotional states.
Spring dressed my memory in the colors of four seasons,
Yet why did only sorrow come in the year?
Like a flower I bloomed for a moment, then withered—
A whole life passed, but why am I forgotten?
(To‘rt fasl ayladi gulgun bahor xotiram,
Yil ichra nechun keldi faqat hasratim?
Bir lahza guldek yashnab, so‘lib ketdim,
Bu bir umr o‘tdi, ammo nechun bexatram?)
Four seasons
imply the completeness of the life cycle.
One moment
(bir lahza) versus
one life
(bir umr) reflects temporal relativity—Ogahiy’s
existential numerology.
Both Navoi and Ogahiy demonstrate that numbers in classical poetry are more than mere
quantities—they are conceptual frameworks through which abstract ideas, spiritual insights, and
moral reflections are conveyed. Their use of numbers follows both Islamic cosmology and
Persianate literary traditions, in which numerals carry symbolic, esoteric, and universal meanings.
The structure of their poetry frequently mirrors these number-based philosophies, often
found in the khamsa genre, quatrains (rubaiyat), and didactic poetry. In Navoi's famous
“Khamsa”, the use of symbolic numbers helps to scaffold narrative structures and spiritual
messages. The number five (khamsa) not only refers to the five works of the collection but also
mirrors Islamic theological concepts—like the Five Pillars of Islam, suggesting a deliberate
alignment of form and faith.
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Ogahiy’s poetry, although less overtly mystical, reflects a more experiential and
introspective use of numbers, often blending personal reflection with universal truths. His
references to time, fate, seasons, and life stages suggest a subtle numerological awareness rooted
in temporal rhythm and existential thought.
Conclusion.
Alisher Navoi and Muhammad Riza Ogahiy masterfully employed numbers
in their poetry as vehicles of metaphysical, moral, and emotional meaning. These numbers serve
as bridges between the material and spiritual realms, forming a symbolic lexicon that deepens
our understanding of their poetic universe. While Navoi leans more heavily on mystical
traditions and Sufi cosmology, Ogahiy utilizes numbers in a more personal and reflective
manner, expressing the cycles of nature, the fragility of life, and the transience of joy and sorrow.
Their poetic numerology reflects not only their intellectual depth but also their sensitivity
to the symbolic order of the cosmos. By weaving numbers into their verses, they participate in a
broader classical tradition in which numerals are not abstract but embodied truths, resonating
with spiritual insight, philosophical rigor, and aesthetic elegance. Through this, numbers become
not just tools of measurement, but poetic elements that reveal the unseen harmony of existence.
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