HISTORICAL AND MYTHOLOGY IN “KHAVARNAMEI-TURKI”

Abstract

Countless poems, stories, legends, narratives, and epics have been compo­sed about Imam Ali (a), who is renowned for his unparalleled services in the spread of Islam and remembered for his bravery and heroism throughout history. One such example is the epic "Khavarnama," which recounts his battles alongside his companions in the cause of spreading Islam.

Five manuscript copies and one lithograph edition of this epic are preserved in the Manuscripts Institute. The first information about this epic was provided by the late manuscript scholar, Prof. Shamil Jamshidov. However, the oldest manus­cript copy, cataloged under the code B-6117/7742, was transphonoliterated and introduced to the academic world by PhD in Philology, Associate Professor Aybaniz Rahimova. The scholar conducted in-depth research on the manuscript, carried out comprehensive comparisons between different versions, and wrote a 47-page research-based introduction to the published book, which also includes a glossary for readers.

The lithograph version of the “Hazā Kitābi-Khavarnamayi-Turki”, which we are currently preparing for publication, cataloged under code VI-407/2288, stands out among other versions in the archive both in terms of its cast of charac­ters and the development of events. Translated from Persian into Azerbaijani in 1910 by Mirza Sadiq Fani, we hope that the studies conducted on this epic will be beneficial for our literary scholarship.