An article about the life and work of Mawlana Lutfi, who wrote in two languages until the second half of the 15th century, and his activities, poems and ghazals, as well as his legacy that has survived to this day.
Keywords: Poems of Mawlana Lutfi, life and creative path, divan and heritage.
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Mawlana Lutfullah Lutfi [1366-1465] was a great Uzbek poet and thinker. He was recognized as the “malik-ul kalomi,” that is, the “king of words,” of his time. He was considered the most famous poet of Uzbek literature until the second half of the 15th century. He served in the Timurid court and was close to Shahrukh Mirza, the ruler of Samarkand. Lutfi is a bilingual writer, that is, he writes simultaneously in both Turkic and Persian.
Main part
The famous Uzbek poet, the “malik ul-kalam” of his time, Lutfi, was born in 1366 in the village of Dehikanor, near the city of Herat. He spent almost his entire life in Herat, in the Timurid court. After the discovery of Sheikh Ahmad Tarazi’s work “Funun ul-balogha,” dedicated to Mirzo Ulugbek, based on the phrase “ul-latoyif” by Lutfi Shoshi, the idea was put forward that Lutfi’s homeland was Tashkent. Lutfi took an early step into secular sciences and literature. The future poet diligently studied not only Turkic-language literature but also Persian and Arabic literature. His interest in the heritage of Hafiz, Kamal Khujandi, and Nasimi was especially great. Like other poets of his time, Lutfi wrote in two languages: Persian and Turkic. Even Kemal Khujandi and Hafiz paid great attention to it. In his youth, he studied secular sciences. Later, he became interested in Sufi teachings and led an ascetic lifestyle. The poems of this poet, accustomed to a simple lifestyle and possessing the humility characteristic of dervishes, were distinguished by the ability to express profound thoughts with simple words in high artistic colors, and his poems in this respect attracted the attention of such patrons of literature as Navoi and Jami. Lutfi in the poetic form of the biography of Amir Timur in the epic “Zafarnama” but the manuscript texts have not been preserved. Hazrat Alisher Navoi
“Majolis un-nafois” testifies to Lutfi’s epic poem called “Zafarnama,” which has not reached us, and writes: “Mavlono’s translation of “Zafarnama” contains more than ten thousand verses of masnavi. Researchers of Lutfi’s work note that the source of the above-mentioned translation of “Zafarnama” is Sharafiddin Ali Yazdi’s “Zafarnama,” written in Persian about the life of Amir Timur. Professor E. E. Bertels says that the poet must have planned this masnavi as a heroic work in the style of Ferdowsi’s “Shahnameh.” But for some reason, the poet did not transcribe it. Navoi also says that he did not gain fame “because he did not write it on paper.” For a long time, it was said that the divan “Gul and Navruz” belonged to Lutfi. According to assumptions, this dastan was written as a response to the epic of the Persian poet Jalal Tabib with the same name, it has a fairytale theme and has a happy ending, and its volume is 595 verses. However, later it was proven that this dastan belonged to Haydar Khorezmi. It should be noted that Lutfi’s work also influenced Alisher Navoi. Even Navoi considers him his mentor and, in his biographical dictionary “Majolis un-nafois,” mentions that at the end of Lutfi’s life, he wrote a ghazal with the radif “Oftob,” that many poets of that time wanted to write like him, but none of them could “touch Lutfi’s hand.” Lutfi created fruitful works throughout his life. The total number of poems belonging to his pen is 2774 bayts, that is, more than 5548 lines. Among them, 2,086 couplets were written in the ghazal genre. The main theme of Lutfi’s divan was love, and the main goal was to describe the lover’s profession. In each of his poems, he approached the theme in a new way, created unique melodies, and used unique artistic devices. In Lutfi’s divan, the art of tashbeh, talmeh, tazod, iyhom, in particular, irsoli masal, is manifested. Lutfi also elevated his rubaiyat, tuyuq, and qit’as to the status of an example of art. The influence of Lutfi’s poetry reached not only Central Asia, but also the countries of the Near and Middle East. According to the famous Turkish scholar M.F.Kuprulyzade, Lutfi’s poems were read not only among Chagatai poets, but also among Ottoman Turkish poets, up to the author of “Harobot” Ziya Pasha. Mawlana Lutfi was a prominent representative of Uzbek classical literature of the 14th-15th centuries and a wordsmith who gained great fame in the East with his works in Uzbek and Persian-Tajik languages. Important notes and reflections on the life and work of the poet are found in the works of his contemporaries Davlatshah Samarkandi, Shamsiddin Sami, Khondamir, Abdulla Kobuli. In particular, the information provided in the works of Hazrat Alisher Navoi, who knew Lutfi closely and was connected with him through the ranks of teacher and student, is extremely valuable. In subsequent centuries, the sphere of influence of the great poet Lutfi’s mastery expanded. Many of Fuzuli’s naziras and several mukhammass are known to Lutfi’s ghazals. Mashrab, using the matla of Lutfi’s ghazal with the radif “whether you believe it or not,” created a whole new ghazal. Mawlana Lutfi held great reverence for the great poet Abdurahman Jami. He also dedicated a qasida to Jami with the radif “Sukhan.” At the end of his life, having managed to write only the first verse, he bequeathed to Abdurahman Jami the completion of the ghazal with the radif “Aftad” and its inclusion in his divan.
Jami fulfilled this testament of the elderly poet, and the ghazal with the radif “Aftad,” which still lives in Jami’s divan, is valuable as a testament to the creative collaboration of these two great artists of the word. Lutfi left no significant literary legacy. Sources say that the poet wrote more than 200 works, but only one of his divans is known to us (preserved in Konya, Turkey). At the suggestion of Shahrukh Mirza, he made a poetic translation of Sharafiddin Ali Yazdi’s “Zafarnama” (1437). Fitrat, E. Rustamov, E. Fozilov, S. Erkinov, Y. Ishoqov, E. Ahmadxo’jaev, and others studied the poet’s work. Thirty-three copies of the poet’s Turkic divan, transcribed between the 16th and 20th centuries, have survived and are currently preserved in libraries and manuscript collections in Tashkent, Dushanbe, London, Tehran, Istanbul, and Paris. Lutfi’s poems and ghazals were popular among the people and even set to music as songs. One of them is the ghazal with the radif “Whether believe or not.”
You are my beloved, believe it or not. Believe it or not, my dear, my heart bleeds. On the night of separation, the wheel of fate reaches you, oh moon, My morning sighs, believe it or not.
It should be especially noted that Lutfi, as a ghazal writer, skillfully combined the principles and methods of the experience of oral folk art with the literary and aesthetic traditions established in Eastern literature. Therefore, in his ghazals, national feelings are illuminated, and the depiction of human pain, regret, sorrow, and joy acquires a unique expressiveness. The great poet Lutfi, not only in his ghazals but also in poems of other genres such as rubaiyat, tuyuq, qit’a, and fard, expressed a sense of refinement and celebrated the thoughts and feelings of intelligent and life-loving people with high taste and intellect. When reading the poet’s lines like: Sensan sevarim, xoh inon, xoh inonma, Qonur jigarim, xoh inon, xoh inonma, sometimes it’s hard to believe they were written several centuries ago. Because they are so simple, close to oral speech, and far from bookish ornamentation and sincere. Speaking of Shaim’s quatrains, his tuyuqs deserve special attention. It can be said that Lutfi’s poetry vividly expresses the art of creating tuyuq through tajnis (zulma’niayn) words, mostly related to Turkic poetry. The subtle nuances of meaning in many tuyuqs found in his divan introduce the reader to the rich possibilities of the native language, captivating them with imagination and giving them aesthetic pleasure.
From your grasp, O heart, I am your servant,
Oh, when will I reach that beloved,
You made me captive to the unfaithful ones,
You are my sultan, oh heart, I am your servant.
Mawlana Lutfi died in 1465 in Dehikanor, his residence. His Holiness
According to Alisher Navoi, his grave is also there. Streets, schools, and libraries in our republic named after the great poet are immortalizing his memory.
Conclusion
Lutfi was considered one of the creators who deeply mastered both external secular and religious Sufi sciences, was able to look at his time and era with an open eye, and was devoted to truth and enlightenment. In Navoi’s words, he was an outstanding poet in Persian and Turkic. Although Lutfi became famous for his poems written in his native Turkic language, he also managed to acknowledge many people for his poetic talent and skill in Persian.
References
1. S. Erkinov. Lutfi. Life and work. T:1965
2. Selected Works [2-edition], T., 1968; You are my beloved. – T., 1987.
3. Taken from the book “Stars of Spirituality” (publishing house of folk heritage named after Abdulla Kadiri, Tashkent, 1999).
Choriyeva Oynur was born in Muborak district of the Republic of Uzbekistan. She is a student at the Faculty of English Philology of the Uzbekistan State World Languages University.
A collaboration between myself and internationally renowned poet Sourav Sarkar of India. The book presents us both as “2 Poets of the Common Era Literature Period” (a term Sarkar claims to have coined himself on Oct. 24, 2021 and is celebrated worldwide on its founding date yearly) and allows the reader an opportunity to “sample” our poetic styles and substance. It is at times a supple staccato or eroticism, at times mesmerizingly musical of humanism, at times visceral to its soul core but eventually reaches a crescendo to volcanic eruption of literary passion, hope and inspiration for our seemingly crumbling humanity. Here is a sample of one of MY poems from the book. Hope you check it out on Amazon. Merci beaucoup!
This month’s issue focuses on what’s going on inside of all of us, and how that shapes who we are. We’re going Beneath the Surface.
Image c/o Stella Kwon
Stella Kwon’s paintings explore dreams, childhood, fantasy, and the interiority needed for a creative life. Jacques Fleury’s sample poem from his new book Immortal Lines of Poetry looks into dreams and internal inspiration. Debabrata Maji’s poem traces his heart’s inner journey. Damon Hubbs tracks the odds and ends running through his mind while watching competitive tennis. Annabel Kim’s artwork explores and celebrates human and natural creativity. Ma Yongbo evokes the change of seasons, nature, and mortality.
Mark Young renders maps and nature into works of art in his ‘geographies.’ J.K. Durick speaks to intellectual experiences – the news, books, museums – and how we communicate ourselves to ourselves. Jasmina Saidova honors an inspirational teacher as Abdirashidova Ozoda explores possibilities for digital technology in early childhood education. Eshmamatova Shabbona traces the history and evolution of Uzbek literature and Munira Xolmirzayeva traces the history of Russian writing.
Eva Petropoulou Lianou praises the delicate elegance of Lily Swarn’s new poetry collection A Drop of Cosmos. Uralova Gulmira highlights themes of personal experience and motherhood in the patriotic writings of Uzbek poet Saida Zunnunova. Sayani Mukherjee reflects on being driven towards poetry in a full and changing world. Dr. Rasmiyya Sabir writes of romantic love, poetic inspiration, and the irrepressible drive to be heard.
Jakhongir Nomozov interviews poet Rustam Bekhrudi, who intends to capture and convey the resilient Turkish spirit in his writing. Mesfakus Salahin speaks to human psychology and the drive to live amid the allure of death. Mahbub Alam describes a night of discomfort due to mosquitoes, which he endures by thinking of people who have it much worse. Abdisattorova Hurshida’s short story highlights the dignity and self-determination and patience of the hardworking rural poor in Uzbekistan, even when facing death.
Hanen Marouani probes our internal emotional life with tenderness. Bill Tope uncovers the veil of a past sixth grade classroom where the students and teacher are full of inner and outer turmoil. Alan Catlin continues his surreal examination of the physical manifestations of work anxiety as Elbekova Nilufar warns of the danger to our eyes and psyches posed by Internet addiction. Emeniano Somoza Jr. reflects on what we lose by lessening the ups and downs of our emotional nature. Donia Sahab’s poetry probes the psychological torment and confusion Dr. Alaa Basheer alludes to in his painting. J.J. Campbell navigates loneliness with his trademark wit and cynicism.
Joana L.J. Milovanovic’s words bear witness to the psychological and physical damage domestic abusers inflict. Mykyta Ryzhykh’s characters find themselves subsumed by the crushing violence of a metaphorical “leviathan.” Alex S. Johnson reflects on his friendship with Runaways band member and visionary Kari Lee Krome and how the music industry elevates and chews people up.
Jakhongir Nomozov’s speaker reasserts himself after intense seasons of emotional pain and rejection. Soumen Roy highlights the importance of respect and patience in true love. Munisa Rustamova expresses gratitude for her mother’s constant love in a harsh world full of fake people. Alex S. Johnson and Kandy Fontaine assert their confidence in their way of living and loving and show how power is expressed through service and care, not abuse. Liderqiz demonstrates this ethic of service through a profile of Uzbek Information Service leader Dilbar Ashilbayeva.
Andela Bunos speaks of the universal human grief of lost love. Kristy Raines’ poetry expresses commitment to a romantic relationship despite being separated. Lola Ijbrater outlines the rise and fall of a romance through a series of flowers. Ken Gosse describes heartbreak through clever poems with increasing numbers of lines. Eva Petropoulou’s lines address intimate love and the beauty of forgiveness. Annamurodov Umarbek reflects on coming of age after losing his father.
Taylor Dibbert reflects on the impression Americans make while traveling abroad. Doug Hawley and Bill Tope present a humorous tale of unintended interplanetary cooperation. Duane Vorhees’ poetry deals with our humanity, the roles we play in life and who we choose to become to each other.
Abdel Iatif Moubarak’s words express solitude and the hopes and dreams of individuals and communities in an uncertain world. Abigail George reviews Nadine AuCoin’s horror novel Tucked Inn, a tale of survival and good overcoming evil. Justin Faisal, a Rohingya refugee from Myanmar and advocate for his fellow refugees, writes of his inner journey of perseverance and finding beauty in life. Sharifova Saidaxon reflects on similar sentiments, finding forgiveness and acceptance through her faith.
We hope this issue inspires you to dig into your inner psyche and uncover strength and reach for your hopes and dreams.
The same fire called Love burned us both. My sorrow-sister – you, firewood. You blazed like a tree, I burned like a man. Our smoke became one spirit, (somewhere, fire made peace with water) From you – a fist of ash remained, From me – a fist of earth. Tell me… which of us burned more beautifully, firewood?
YOU AND I
I sought the truth- but you came to me as a gentle lie.
I sought the dawn of hope- but you came as a trembling “perhaps.”
I sought the joy that sings- but you came as a quiet consolation.
I sought forever- but you came as a fleeting lifetime.
And on this wide earth, I searched for the self I had once lost in the wind… and it was you who stood before me.
POEM WOMAN
Seeing your delicacy, they compared you to a flower…
Seeing your mischief, they compared you to the wind…
Seeing the tears in your eyes, they compared you to the sea…
Seeing your boundless loyalty, they compared you to the earth…
But you, woman, are a poem created by God. And I compare you to a poem that soothes my soul. Your name is Poetry…
You were born like a poem. Verse by verse, you live. Syllable by syllable, you weep. Line by line, you laugh. With your laughter, you wipe away the world’s sorrow.
Sometimes you are joyful like a poem. Sometimes sorrowful like a poem… Yet, woman, you are eternal like a poem! Your name is Poetry…
Prof. Phd. Rasmiyya Sabir’s nine books have been published in Azerbaijan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Iraq. She is one of the members of the Union of Writers of Azerbaijan and Chuvashistan. At the same time, she is a co-founder of the Union of the World’s Young Turkish Writers. More than 130 poems have been composed by the composers. Her first CD and cassette with the music from her poems was recorded in 2002. Her poems have been translated into many foreign languages, including Turkish, Russian, English, Georgian, Persian, and published in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Sweden, Germany, Bulgaria, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and elsewhere. She has been awarded many prizes. The first prize was given to her in the year 2000 in a competition dedicated to Fuzuli. She has been chosen “The person of the literature of the year” by the International Organizations called KIBATEK and VEKTOR. She has translated Modern Azerbaijani poems into Turkish and modern Kazakh and Uzbek poems into the Azerbaijani language. She has been represented in different poetry festivals in Azerbaijan. She has gained the benefit of the President’s Fund of the Azerbaijan Republic.
