Opinion Article

“SEDD-İ İSKENDERΔ VE “HIREDNÂME-İ İSKENDERΔ DESTANLARINDA GELENEKÇİLİK VE EDEBÎ ETKİNLİKLERİN ROLÜ

Number: 117 March 15, 2026
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“SEDD-İ İSKENDERΔ VE “HIREDNÂME-İ İSKENDERΔ DESTANLARINDA GELENEKÇİLİK VE EDEBÎ ETKİNLİKLERİN ROLÜ

Abstract

There have been people in world history whose lives have become so intertwined with myths that the real history and the myths have become inseparable. Alexander the Great (bc. 356-323) is one of these figures, who became famous in the East under the names Zulkarnayn and Iskandar. He was a renowned military leader and statesman. Shortly after his death, writers like Callisthenes, Cleitarchus, and Onesicritus wrote about his life and military campaigns. These works, along with historical and biographical accounts by Greek writers like Plutarch, led to the proliferation of myths and legends about Alexander. Works in this category can be divided into two types: First, historical works dedicated to Alexander’s campaigns and his governance. Second, literary works that glorify his positive qualities while sometimes condemning his negative aspects. The image of Alexander in Turkish and Persian literature is not always that of a positive hero; he can also be portrayed as an invader and a tyrannical king. It’s important to note that Alexander’s image did not remain static in either historical or literary works. His persona was enriched by the viewpoints of the people and nations whose languages were used to write about him, regardless of the historical period, cultural environment, or religious doctrine. From the 10th century onwards, this image was perfected as a traditional symbol of epic poetry. The Persian poet Abulqasim Firdausi, in his epic poem Shahnameh, was the first in Eastern literature to elevate the figure of Alexander to the level of a main character. In creating the epic, Firdausi relied mainly on materials from Khudaynamah, various legends and tales, as well as, albeit partially, the novel Pseudo-Callisthenes. The epic focuses on Alexander’s heroic and fantastic adventures, narrating his battle with Darius, his marches to India, China, and Mesopotamia, his journey into darkness, his construction of a fortress to block the path of Gog and Magog, and his battles with various mythical creatures. The first person to write about Alexander as an independent work of art was Nizami Ganjavi. The poet masterfully portrays Alexander, raising him to the level of a just king and a prophet. This young ruler is depicted as not seeking wealth, fame, or territory for himself, but rather waging wars only to protect peoples suffering from oppression. Later, Amir Khusrow Dehlavi, Abdurrahman Jami, and Alisher Navoi all created special epics about Alexander, solidifying his image in fictional literature. In literary criticism, the question of which of the Iskandarnamas by Alisher Navoi and Abdurrahman Jami was written first is a point of contention. Some literary scholars note that the epic poem Khiradnamayi Iskandari was completed first, with Saddi Iskandari being created as a prelude to it. Other literary scholars, however, state that the poem Saddi Iskandari was written and completed before the Khiradnamayi Iskandari. This is primarily because Navoi, in his work Muhakamat al-Lughatain, states that the foundations of Saddi Iskandari were laid by Hazreti Mahdum (Abdurrahman Jami), whom he refers to as the “engineer of memory,” and therefore he sought his guidance and support. Although Navoi completed his epic before his teacher, he stated that he wrote it with Jami’s support out of respect and humility. This article explores the similarities and differences between the epics of these two great poets, their attitudes toward tradition, and their creative originality

Keywords

Project Number

UO‘K 891.709:894.3

Ethical Statement

Bilim adamlarını bir araya getirdiğiniz için teşekkür ederiz

Thanks

Mütevazi araştırma makalelerimizin yayınlanmasına yardımcı olduğunuz için teşekkür ederizTeşekkürler

References

  1. Asadov, M. Soqinoma: history and poetics [Text]: monograph. Tashkent: Tafakkur, 2020.
  2. Azimov, Yunus. Comparative-typological analysis of the epic poem “Khiradnomai Iskandariy” by Abdurahman Jami. Philology. candidate of sciences... dissertation. Samarkand, 1996.
  3. Ismailov, I. The genesis and poetics of Alisher Navoi’s epic poem “Saddi Iskandari”. Monograph. Tashkent: Anorbooks, 2022.
  4. Jami, Abdarrahman. Haft aurang (Tukhfat al-akhrar, Subhat al-abrar, Hiradnama-yi Iskandari), Critical text. Moscow: Nauka, 1984.
  5. Kamilov, Najmiddin. Khizir spring. Tashkent: Ma’naviyat, 2005.
  6. Muhiddinov, M. Wonders of the heart. –Tashkent: Tamaddun, 2021.
  7. Navoi, Alisher. Complete Works, 20 volumes, Vol. 16. Tashkent: Fan, 2000.
  8. Navoi, Alisher. TAT: Ten volumes, J.8. Tashkent: Gʻ.Gʻlom NMIU, 2012.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Alawism Bektashism Studies, Turkish and Islamic Intellectual History

Journal Section

Opinion Article

Publication Date

March 15, 2026

Submission Date

March 14, 2025

Acceptance Date

November 3, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: 117

APA
Otayarova, U. (2026). “SEDD-İ İSKENDERΔ VE “HIREDNÂME-İ İSKENDERΔ DESTANLARINDA GELENEKÇİLİK VE EDEBÎ ETKİNLİKLERİN ROLÜ. Türk Kültürü Ve Hacı Bektaş Veli Araştırma Dergisi, 117, 617-635. https://doi.org/10.60163/tkhcbva.1657774
AMA
1.Otayarova U. “SEDD-İ İSKENDERΔ VE “HIREDNÂME-İ İSKENDERΔ DESTANLARINDA GELENEKÇİLİK VE EDEBÎ ETKİNLİKLERİN ROLÜ. Türk Kültürü ve Hacı Bektaş Veli Araştırma Dergisi. 2026;(117):617-635. doi:10.60163/tkhcbva.1657774
Chicago
Otayarova, Umida. 2026. ““SEDD-İ İSKENDERΔ VE ‘HIREDNÂME-İ İSKENDERÎ’ DESTANLARINDA GELENEKÇİLİK VE EDEBÎ ETKİNLİKLERİN ROLÜ”. Türk Kültürü Ve Hacı Bektaş Veli Araştırma Dergisi, nos. 117: 617-35. https://doi.org/10.60163/tkhcbva.1657774.
EndNote
Otayarova U (March 1, 2026) “SEDD-İ İSKENDERΔ VE “HIREDNÂME-İ İSKENDERΔ DESTANLARINDA GELENEKÇİLİK VE EDEBÎ ETKİNLİKLERİN ROLÜ. Türk Kültürü ve Hacı Bektaş Veli Araştırma Dergisi 117 617–635.
IEEE
[1]U. Otayarova, ““SEDD-İ İSKENDERΔ VE ‘HIREDNÂME-İ İSKENDERÎ’ DESTANLARINDA GELENEKÇİLİK VE EDEBÎ ETKİNLİKLERİN ROLÜ”, Türk Kültürü ve Hacı Bektaş Veli Araştırma Dergisi, no. 117, pp. 617–635, Mar. 2026, doi: 10.60163/tkhcbva.1657774.
ISNAD
Otayarova, Umida. ““SEDD-İ İSKENDERΔ VE ‘HIREDNÂME-İ İSKENDERÎ’ DESTANLARINDA GELENEKÇİLİK VE EDEBÎ ETKİNLİKLERİN ROLÜ”. Türk Kültürü ve Hacı Bektaş Veli Araştırma Dergisi. 117 (March 1, 2026): 617-635. https://doi.org/10.60163/tkhcbva.1657774.
JAMA
1.Otayarova U. “SEDD-İ İSKENDERΔ VE “HIREDNÂME-İ İSKENDERΔ DESTANLARINDA GELENEKÇİLİK VE EDEBÎ ETKİNLİKLERİN ROLÜ. Türk Kültürü ve Hacı Bektaş Veli Araştırma Dergisi. 2026;:617–635.
MLA
Otayarova, Umida. ““SEDD-İ İSKENDERΔ VE ‘HIREDNÂME-İ İSKENDERÎ’ DESTANLARINDA GELENEKÇİLİK VE EDEBÎ ETKİNLİKLERİN ROLÜ”. Türk Kültürü Ve Hacı Bektaş Veli Araştırma Dergisi, no. 117, Mar. 2026, pp. 617-35, doi:10.60163/tkhcbva.1657774.
Vancouver
1.Umida Otayarova. “SEDD-İ İSKENDERΔ VE “HIREDNÂME-İ İSKENDERΔ DESTANLARINDA GELENEKÇİLİK VE EDEBÎ ETKİNLİKLERİN ROLÜ. Türk Kültürü ve Hacı Bektaş Veli Araştırma Dergisi. 2026 Mar. 1;(117):617-35. doi:10.60163/tkhcbva.1657774

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