Untitled - Azam Abidov - poet and translator

who have tasted of God’s glory and know that He is greater than
anything in this world. When people acknowledge such divine
glory, they have reason to work for betterment of society.
One of the best inspirational poets I have found is a Central
Asian from the 15 th century named Alisher Navoi. His name
Navo’i literally means ‘the owner of singing’. He lived from 1441
to 1501 mostly in Herat, Afghanistan and is one of the greatest
poets of the Great Silk Road. “World-class status was attained by
the Tajik, Uzbek and Turkmen literatures, in the works of ‘Abd
ar-Rahman Jami, Alisher Navai, and Makhtumquli, respectively.” 1
When his foster brother Husain Baykaro became the Emir, Navoi
became the prime minister. He was also a good steward of his high
position and helped establish many needed institutions. “Nawai is
reputed to have founded, restored and endowed no fewer than 370
mosques, schools, libraries, hospitals and other pious and charitable
institutions in Khurasan alone.” 2
His numerous writings, endowments, and his life example have
had lasting influence in Central Asia. Today, in the modern country
of Uzbekistan, he is revered above all other poets. The name of
Alisher Navoi is visible throughout the country. Major streets,
theatres, museums, parks and even a province and city are named
after him. His proverbs are on the tongues of Uzbeks, Turkmen and
Tajiks. He is considered the father of the Uzbek language and one
of the greatest poets of Central Asia. In his six epic poems and 100
000 plus lines of poetry he wrote passionately for truth and love and
vehemently against oppression.
One of the greatest sources for all who seek the richness of human
life and activity are those rare poets like Navoi who passionately
live out what they so eloquently share with the rest of us in words.
Navoi dedicated his whole life to finding and creatively revealing
life’s meaning and beauty not only with words but with his life. A
garden is pronounced good or bad by the fruit it produces. We can
1
Nazarov, Bakhtiyor and Denis Sinor. eds. Essays of Uzbek: History, Culture
and Language.
Bloomington, IN; Indiana University Press, 1993, p. 51.
2
Devereux, Robert. Muslim World 54 1964, p 270 –287.
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