Author's Concept in Understanding the Text
Shuhrat Sirojiddinov
*
and Rashid Zahidov
†
Tashkent State University of Uzbek Language and Literature named after Alisher Navoi, Tashkent Uzbekistan
Keywords:
Concept, Criterion of Scientificity, Concept of Enlightenment, Theoretical Basis, Systematic Approach,
Content of Text (or inside of Text), Scientific Truth, Material Reality.
Abstract: This article analyses the research methods of text hermeneutics, the main factors that determine the quality of
understanding and explanation of the text, and the importance of studying the author's objective and subjective
views on things and events. It is postulated that the criterion of scientificity, which shapes the concept of
Alisher Navoi both as an individual and a writer, is one of the important foundations of the author's views.
The role of the concept of enlightenment in Navoi's conceptual system is revealed through the commentary
on the 201st poem in the book “Gharaib us-sighar” and “Mahbub ul-Qulub” (“Beloved of Hearts”). A step-
by-step approach to classical text analysis is presented systematically. A series of necessary approaches have
been outlined to prevent the problems of the poetic text from becoming phenomena detached from the reality
of the text
1 INTRODUCTION
If we look at the history of studying Alisher Navoi's
literary heritage, it is evident that focus was primarily
placed outside the text. Specifically, the
determination of various dates related to the author's
life and work and the analysis of historical and social
data were carried out using a consistent and
systematic approach, with many results achieved
towards this same goal. However, no matter how
extensively we study the period in which the poet
lived, the historical figures with whom he interacted,
and the social environment, the true essence of
Navoi's work will not be revealed until we delve into
the text through each stanza, verse, and word,
understanding it in both its entirety and fragments.
His words about the creator stand as the ultimate
conclusion. No one knows Navoi's personality better
than Navoi himself. He lives on in the verses and lines
that he wrote. The more we study the text and
understand Navoi's language, the more we know
about Navoi. Our researchers, such as Porso
Shamsiev, Izzat Sultan, Hamid Suleiman, Alibek
Rustami, Aziz Qayumov, Batirkhan Valikhojhaev,
Abdukadir Hayitmetov, Muslihiddin Muhiddinov,
Najmiddin Kamilov, Yakubjon Iskhakov, Anvar
Hajiakhmedov, Matnazar Abdulhakim, Wahab
*
Corresponding author
Rahmonov, Ibrahim Haqqul, Shuhrat Sirojiddinov,
and Nusratulla Jumakhoja, have each taken steps
towards this goal and achieved notable results. They
are among the experts who have carved out their place
and voice in 20th and 21st century Navoi studies.
These scholars indeed hold different aspects in their
attitudes and approaches to the accuracy and
interpretation of the text. However, they share a
common objective of delving into the text and
understanding it. This is why there is a need to
interpret stanzas or poems. The persistence of this
endeavour until the end of the interpretation process
determines the outcome of the study.
2 EXPERIMENT
Scientific Factor in Navoi's Concept. As we discuss
the awareness of the author's concept for a
comprehensive understanding of the text, we refer to
the skill of delving into the text, a skill honed through
experience. Acknowledging the direct influence of
the objective existence and reality outside the text on
the understanding of the text, we assert that the
artistic reality inside the text is of primary
consideration when reading and studying a specific
classical text. The textual reality cannot be conceived
Sirojiddinov, S. and Zahidov, R.
Author’s Concept in Understanding the Text.
DOI: 10.5220/0012490100003792
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 439-444
ISBN: 978-989-758-687-3
Proceedings Copyright © 2024 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda.
439

without the author's personal views. In this respect,
one of the factors defining the concept of Alisher
Navoi as an individual and a writer, who holds a
central place in the history of Eastern spirituality, and
specifically determined the rise of Uzbek literature to
classic status, is scientificity [Ali ibn Muhammad
Sharif Jurjani. (2018)]. Science, by its very nature,
demands precision. If the conclusions presented as
"scientific truth" are devoid of assumptions, the
quality of scientificity will be high. Accordingly, the
methodology of studying Navoi's views cannot exist
separately from his beliefs. Navoi, as a Muslim of the
East, was born, raised, and matured in a religiously
healthy environment. His perspectives on things and
events were shaped on a scientific foundational basis,
i.e., nourished by the Holy Quran. The fact that this
Divine Book has been preserved as it was revealed is
well-documented in historical records connected by a
continuous chain from the time of the Prophet until
today. The authenticity of these historical documents
is corroborated by irrefutable scientific evidence. The
place, time, and reason for the revelation of each ayah
have been studied with great precision through the
hadiths of Muhammad, peace be upon him, in human
history.
The eminent muhaddith (scholar of hadith), Imam
Muhammad ibn Ismail Bukhari, collected 600,000
hadiths. He interacted with ninety thousand people
while gathering these hadiths. Of these, he included
about 7,000 authentic hadiths in the well-known
book, "ﺢﻴﺤﺼﻟﺍ ﻊﻣﺎﺠﻟﺍ" “al-Jame al-Sahih” (“Collection
of Authentic Hadiths”), which took him sixteen years
to write. The question arises: why were only 7,000
hadiths included in the book out of 600,000 hadiths
collected over so many years of work? The reason is
that the hadiths recognised as commentary on the
Quran should be entirely free of any doubts or
speculations. Since solutions to the primary problems
in every field of science are found directly or
indirectly in the Quran and hadiths, scholars involved
with the science of tafsir (the science of explanation
of the Qurān), hadith (a collection of traditions
containing sayings of the prophet Muhammad),
aqeedah (refers to those matters which are believed
in, with certainty and conviction, in one's heart and
soul), fiqh (the theory or philosophy of Islamic law),
methodical fiqh (the methodology of deducing law
about religious actions from its evidence), and syrat
are obliged to approach their topics with
responsibility [Al-Mojamul Awsat]. Hence, research
in all fields of science will be valid only if they are
grounded on a robust scientific foundation that is
completely free of any conjectures and hypotheses.
Because the Quran is such a reliable source, authors
like Navoi, who drew inspiration from it, achieved
unparalleled creative achievements in the literary
world. Thanks to the scientific criterion that emerged
for the world and humanity, the era of great
discoveries continues to this day. The lucidity of
Navoi's thinking, the extreme clarity of his imagery,
and the logical fluency of his meanings are also the
result of the system of the author's views being
formed within the framework of scientific criteria
subject to regular order.
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The Role of the Concept of Enlightenment in Navoi's
Conceptual System. Eastern classical literature, and
in particular Alisher Navoi's literary legacy, cannot be
envisaged without the concept of "enlightenment".
The reason being, enlightenment is the primary factor
that enhances the value of our millenary literary
heritage, an integral part of our national spirituality,
defined by the creative credo of classical writers. The
dictionary definition of the Arabic word
"enlightenment" is to know or to recognise. However,
there is a difference between the knowledge of
science and the knowledge of enlightenment.
Enlightenment implies perceiving the signs
(qualities) of things, whereas knowing through
knowledge signifies perceiving the thing itself
(essence). In other words, gaining knowledge of what
was previously unknown is enlightenment.
Consequently, the adjective 'orif', which is the root of
the word enlightenment, cannot be applied to Allah.
This is because the formation of knowledge following
ignorance is a characteristic of the created, not the
Creator. Navoi articulates this in the first part of
“Hayrat ul-Abror” (“The Amazement of Good
People”):
Who can describe your enlightenment,
You did it with knowledge and enlightenment.
In other words, I cannot explain your enlightenment
in terms of quality, but you created humanity as a
scholar who engenders that enlightenment. In ancient
sources, particularly in our classical literature, the
concept of familiarity with the Creator is conveyed
through the word enlightenment. Later, the meaning
of the word enlightenment in our language expanded
even more. Adjectives requiring the original began to
be used in place of the original. For example, the term
“enlightened person” does not directly imply the
quality of conscious awareness of God. Today, it has
become the norm to believe that the enlightenment of
a contemporary person consists of being aware of a
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plethora of information, mastering official etiquette,
that is, being educated, cultured, and intellectual.
Enlightenment is the theoretical foundation of
development. Observing the history of human
civilisation, we can see Adam's offspring's continual
quest to find answers to eternal questions such as
"who am I..", "where did I come from...", "where am
I going...", between mortality and eternity, in
different eras. Despite the various errors and
mistakes, everyone eventually arrives at the same
conclusion from different paths, which underpins all
developments. The science of enlightenment, which
unveils the truth, is the theoretical foundation of that
conclusion. In the 16th chapter of “Mahbub ul-
Qulub” (“Beloved of Hearts”), Alisher Navoi
categorises poets and assesses their highest level with
the same theoretical basis: “the highest level of poets
are those who have acquired the treasure of divine
enlightenment (knowledge of the Lord) and have no
need to introduce themselves to the people. Their task
is to gather the gems of meaning from the treasure of
enlightenment and arrange these gems on a line of
poetic weight (basic rhythmic structure of a verse) to
bring them to hand. Since writing poetry is a highly
respectable, honourable, and pleasant activity, a verse
about it has been revealed in the Quran”.
A Practical Presentation of Navoi's Views. Metaphor
is not only a leading element of a literary text but also
a unique manifestation of artistic thinking. The
human mind, by its very nature, struggles to
comprehend existence and eternity, which has neither
a beginning nor an end. Yet, it strives to enliven the
concept of infinity within its imagination, not
necessarily through intellectual logic, but with
emotion. Undoubtedly, metaphor is the sole pathway
to accomplish this. The dictionary definition of the
Arabic word “majoz” is “to pass”, or “to move”. If a
word is used in a different context than its original
meaning, it is referred to as “lafzi majoz” or figurative
metaphor. In such instances, there should be a
connection between the original meaning and the
figurative meaning, along with a reason that prevents
the original meaning of the word used in the
figurative sense from being understood. To make this
definition more comprehensible, we will consider the
rule and the conditions that necessitate it through the
example of a verse in a poem:
Dilnawaz revives every patient with a bit of vagary
I am sick too, but in a hundred ways she flirts with
me.
The stanza begins with the verb “to revive”. It is only
the Creator who gives life and death. However, the
subject of this verb is expressed not by the names and
attributes of Allah that appear in the Quran and
Hadiths, but by the word “Dilnawaz”, a woman's
name that signifies “heart-catching”, “pleasant”, and
“beloved”. 99 beautiful names of Allah are mentioned
in the Hadiths. All these names encompass the
meaning of the Creator's kindness towards His
servants. In particular, the names of Ar-Rahman, Ar-
Rahim, Al-Ghafur, Ar-Rauf, Al-Afuv depict the
boundless mercy of God Almighty towards His
servants. The name Al-Wadud implies the one who
loves righteous servants and is loved by His servants.
Thus, there is a mutual connection between the
meaning of the name Al-Wadud and the meaning of
the word “Dilnawaz”. The original meaning of the
word “Dilnawaz” is not applied to the Creator, but to
creatures, i.e. human beings. However, the verb “to
revive” in the stanza prevents us from understanding
the word “Dilnawaz” in the verse in its original
meaning. As long as a human being is not capable of
resurrecting, the word “Dilnawaz”, which possesses
the verb “revive”, is used metaphorically in place of
Allah's attribute Al-Wadud in the text. In the science
of Balaghat (the science that reveals the secrets of the
Arabic language, showing its subtle and elegant
aspects), this is termed a mental metaphor ( ﺯﺎﺠﻤﻟﺍ
ﺔﻴﻠﻘﻌﻟﺍ). When the actual executor of the verb in the
sentence is left out, and the relation of this action is
attributed to another executor, a mental metaphor
emerges. If we verbalise the meaning of the stanza as:
“He who possesses the quality of Al-Wadud
resurrects”, this would be a literal metaphor ( ﺯﺎﺠﻤﻟﺍ
ﺔﻘﻴﻘﺤﻟﺍ). That is, in this expression, the verb to resurrect
is attached to the One who performs this verb.
A Practical Presentation of Navoi's Views. Metaphor
is not only a leading element of a literary text but also
a unique manifestation of artistic thinking. The
human mind, by its very nature, struggles to
comprehend existence and eternity, which has neither
a beginning nor an end. Yet, it strives to enliven the
concept of infinity within its imagination, not
necessarily through intellectual logic, but with
emotion. Undoubtedly, metaphor is the sole pathway
to accomplish this. The dictionary definition of the
Arabic word “majoz” is “to pass”, or “to move”. If a
word is used in a different context than its original
meaning, it is referred to as “lafzi majoz” or figurative
metaphor. In such instances, there should be a
connection between the original meaning and the
figurative meaning, along with a reason that prevents
the original meaning of the word used in the
figurative sense from being understood. To make this
definition more comprehensible, we will consider the
rule and the conditions that necessitate it through the
example of a verse in a poem:
Author’s Concept in Understanding the Text
441

Dilnawaz revives every patient with a bit of vagary
I am sick too, but in a hundred ways she flirts with
me.
The stanza begins with the verb “to revive”. It is only
the Creator who gives life and death. However, the
subject of this verb is expressed not by the names and
attributes of Allah that appear in the Quran and
Hadiths, but by the word “Dilnawaz”, a woman's
name that signifies “heart-catching”, “pleasant”, and
“beloved”. 99 beautiful names of Allah are mentioned
in the Hadiths. All these names encompass the
meaning of the Creator's kindness towards His
servants. In particular, the names of Ar-Rahman, Ar-
Rahim, Al-Ghafur, Ar-Rauf, Al-Afuv depict the
boundless mercy of God Almighty towards His
servants. The name Al-Wadud implies the one who
loves righteous servants and is loved by His servants.
Thus, there is a mutual connection between the
meaning of the name Al-Wadud and the meaning of
the word “Dilnawaz”. The original meaning of the
word “Dilnawaz” is not applied to the Creator, but to
creatures, i.e. human beings. However, the verb “to
revive” in the stanza prevents us from understanding
the word “Dilnawaz” in the verse in its original
meaning. As long as a human being is not capable of
resurrecting, the word “Dilnawaz”, which possesses
the verb “revive”, is used metaphorically in place of
Allah's attribute Al-Wadud in the text. In the science
of Balaghat (the science that reveals the secrets of the
Arabic language, showing its subtle and elegant
aspects), this is termed a mental metaphor ( ﺯﺎﺠﻤﻟﺍ
ﺔﻴﻠﻘﻌﻟﺍ). When the actual executor of the verb in the
sentence is left out, and the relation of this action is
attributed to another executor, a mental metaphor
emerges. If we verbalise the meaning of the stanza as:
“He who possesses the quality of Al-Wadud
resurrects”, this would be a literal metaphor ( ﺯﺎﺠﻤﻟﺍ
ﺔﻘﻴﻘﺤﻟﺍ). That is, in this expression, the verb to resurrect
is attached to the One who performs this verb.
"Don't forbid my heart, that in love with that face,
Can Samandar object to her own fire?
One day, that cruel heart will soften from my
yearning,
The beggar of love is on the way, like a blade of grass
that melts steel."
In this poem, Navoi boldly declares that despite all
the efforts of the ascetics, they cannot comprehend
the secret of love. He even dares to say, "Don't bar my
heart, which has immolated itself in the fire of love,
from the source of light in that face!" The
impossibility of this feat is conveyed through the
mythical samandar bird, which emerges from fire,
lives in it, and cannot be saved from it. The
compulsion expressed in the ghazal transforms into a
humble "request" in the following stanza. This is
because the petitioner has started to favour the
grantor. Initially, the desolate beggar accused the
recipient of affection as being 'unloving', but
eventually recognises that any hardened heart can be
softened. To achieve this, the seeker of mercy has to
perpetually ready himself for a relationship with
Allah, sighing like a fire that melts steel. However, he
lacks the patience for this. The servant is impatient
and is hasty in his judgements:
"O my Lord, how can I cope with him?
If I complain, he will only intensify his oppression.
I have no desire to be privy to the secret letter of the
heavens,
Because the predecessors did not object to this letter
either."
He complains to God about the relentless trials of
fate, stating, "If I complain about his oppression, he
will intensify it, and if I protest, he will become
enraged." Then, a voice from the unseen declares,
"Do not wish to be privy to the secret of the azure
letter of the heavens. Because even those who were
the custodians of secrets before you did not discuss
the content of this letter." The blue letter of fate is the
sky. The sky's surface is akin to an open page of a
book, filled with various strange letters. Those who
are deemed worthy to know the secret of this letter are
the prophets. They were deemed worthy to be
confidants, but the privilege of possessing secret
knowledge belonged to the owner of the secret. They
understood this; they did not seek more than what was
disclosed and accepted their fate.
"Oh, Navoi, you are 'oludadoman', aren't you?
They say that 'Pakbaz' with love is pure."
As per tradition, Navoi initiates the ghazal by
denouncing his own desires, accusing himself with
the derogatory phrase 'oludadoman', meaning 'dirty
skirt'. If interpreted metaphorically, it could be
translated as: "You started out to be impartial in love,
keeping your gaze and actions pure, so why did you
surrender halfway to worldly temptations, immersing
yourself in transient desires, and trading your fidelity
for worthless garb?" There may be slight
exaggeration in these comments, but the poet's
deliberate use of 'oludadoman' incites such
conjecture. The term 'magar' at the end of the verse
suggests two distinct interpretations of this stanza. If
it is perceived to replace the conjunction 'although' in
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a conditional sense, then the entire verse concludes
with self-reproach: "Oh Navoi, even though you
engaged with pure love and earned the reputation of
an 'honest player', let it be known that your skirt is
stained with worldly love...!" It is logical for the poem
to culminate in an admission of servitude and
humility, a resolution befitting Navoi's beliefs.
However, in classical texts, 'magar' is usually
employed as a contradictory conjunction, establishing
an opposition between the preceding and following
sentences. The meaning before 'magar' was the poet's
self-chastisement, an admission of his shortcomings.
Logically, the stanza should end with this sentiment,
but another hallmark of Navoi's style is that thought
exceeds the constraints of logic; rather, it expands the
boundary of extraordinary reasoning. The same
situation is observed here. Navoi dares to unveil the
hidden implication from stanza to stanza using the
word 'magar': "Oh Navoi, you failed to uphold your
reputation as a righteous individual, you surrendered
to the world, you missed the opportunity... Yet, you
possess one thing - you are a lover who has entered
the game of love, and the object of your affection in
this game is a pure soul who has earned respect with
his honest play. Thus, what is so bad in the shadow of
this grand act of your 'Oludadoman'? An insignificant
stain is hardly noticeable." If desired, interpret this
conclusion as a servant's hope for God's boundless
mercy, an emphasis on the importance of spiritual
connection between a teacher and a student, or as an
assessment of the impartiality between a lover and a
beloved. All these conclusions demonstrate the depth
of the thinker who knows Allah, and the vast scope of
his universal coverage.
As for the arguments centred around the verse, the
former interpretation possesses simplicity and clarity.
The latter appears a bit more complex but aligns with
the overall spirit of the poem. Simplicity and clarity
stem from the content's integrity, while the
complexity arises from the sense of stylistic harmony,
crafting which is a nuanced, labour-intensive task.
Nevertheless, these interpretations highlight Navoi's
expansive and profound thinking on one hand and
underscore the reader's limited capacity to
comprehend this depth on the other.
4 CONCLUSION
As an exemplification of the research conducted
while exploring the texts of Navoi's literary heritage,
and considering the author's concept, we can
reference several works related to the prose narratives
of the epics "Khamsa", prepared by Gafur Ghulam,
Amin Umari, Shakir Husainzoda, and Inoyat
Makhsum. Among the studies related to the poem
commentary, noteworthy works by Alibeg Rustamiy,
Abdugadir Hayitmetov, Najmiddin Komilov, Ibrahim
Haqqul, and Nusratulla Jumahoja can also be
mentioned. In this context, the research undertaken by
Azamkhan Kazikhojaev, Manzar Abdulkhairov, and
Akrom Malikar in later periods also merits attention.
However, the methodical frameworks presented by
our scientists for the analysis of Navoi's poems often
prove too narrow for comprehensive scholarly
commentary.
Scholarly interpretations expand continuously
without deviating from the reality of the text. This
constant expansion reaches such a degree that one
ghazal, one stanza commentary encompasses an
infinite universe within the text, with the text's reality
embodying the entire cosmos. The commentator will
be able to observe the reality of the ghazal, inclusive
of all times and places. He hears the voices emanating
from the hidden meanings behind the words and
sentences in the verses, identifies the sources of these
voices individually, and names them. The scenarios
in the imagined reality are individualised, in the
collective composed of the lyrical hero, an unknown
person, and the author, the commentator's
participation can be sensed, and the connection
between verses is revived. A. Kazikhozhaev
elucidates the significant facets of this process in his
article “Baloghat in Navoi's poem”: “Poetic metre,
rhyme, artistic embellishments are external
adornments of the poem and in a certain sense pave
the way to its essence. But the ghazal will not disclose
its secrets to us if we confine ourselves to the study of
poetic metre, rhyme, and artistic embellishments. Our
ancestors did not adhere to a certain pattern for
thousands of years. They deciphered the poem's codes
with ease and understood and savoured it. In life, the
word 'alive' signifies viability. And the living word
exists in an engaging dialogue, not in a dry
monologue, one-sided speech. The threads of live
communication are connected to every member of the
society, and through this to the broader time”.
As the analysis process incrementally delves into the
text, the researcher approaches the text to the meaning
composed of each word in the stanzas, the situation
conveyed by the words, and the scenarios. As the
research system is built on the same foundation, the
comprehensive study of poetic elements such as
genre, composition, plot, and image, targeted in the
Author’s Concept in Understanding the Text
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research, does not become a phenomenon
disconnected from the reality of the text, as often
happens in most theoretical works. The text expands
and takes root, and straightforward, clear theoretical
conclusions grow from the analysis and
interpretations. An isolated issue emerges outside the
text when interpretation becomes detached from the
text. Other problems encountered in dealing with this
issue are not necessarily related to the text. This
process, which is grounded in the text, is suitably
termed “theorising”. Sometimes such "theorisations"
are noticeable in instances where attempts to explain
classical literary texts with the principles of Sufism
fall short. If someone who lacks expertise in certain
field attempts to elucidate that field, it will merely
confuse and lead the listener or reader to follow his
path and arrive at a dead end.
From the above, it becomes clear that to comprehend
Navoi, one of the primary prerequisites is to be aware
of what Navoi himself knew and to approach as
closely as possible the reasons that unveil the
meaning of the text. Only then will we have a vivid
and holistic image of Navoi, who exemplified perfect
faith in every action.
REFERENCES
Ali ibn Muhammad Sharif Jurjani. (2018) "Kitabut
Tarifot", Beirut, "Darun Nafois",, -B.133
Tabarani quoted this hadith on the authority of Jabir ibn
Abdullah in his book Al-Mojamul Awsat.
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