Tariq Saeedi
So far, we have highlighted the role of Magtymguly in shaping the Turkmen language and literature, his highly powerful message for the unity and freedom, and his holistic perspective – everything is connected with everything else.
Now we would like to take this idea to the next level.
For this, there is the need to extract the message of Magtymguly from his work.
We are quoting here some passages from an article. We don’t even know the full name of the author. The website we found it on is also not in existence any more. We found it through the wayback machine.
The name of the author is Dr. Mikail but his last name is garbled because of the coding compatibility issues. The website address of the article was http://www.turkmenstudents.com/En/maghtoum.html
Nevertheless, we are quoting from this article because it gives valuable insight:
If we try to analyse Magtymguly’s divan, it becomes clear that the poet manages to depict the best prototype of the Turkmen of his time which practically covers the basic features of the nation up to this day.
The educational philosophy of Magtymguly is based on ‘wisdom’, ‘eyes’ (ability to see or perceive the world by one’s soul), ‘fate’ (events inevitably predetermined) and ‘iman’ (faith).
These four concepts are the essential features to be found in an adult. If these pillars are ignored in the upbringing process it would be hard to separate the good from the evil, the brave from the craven, highlights the poet in his poem ‘What’s ailment?’:
Deprived of these four pillars:
Wisdom, soul, fate and iman,
One has a bad lot. It makes
No difference: brave or craven.
One can’t help agreeing with this since along with body one has also soul. Actually, soul, spirit and conscience formulate the body. Figuratively speaking, the soul has four blood supplying and four blood-consuming vessels. The blood suppliers being:
- a) wisdom (maryfetullah recognizing Allah) major goal of creation;
- b) will (ybadat will to serve Allah) – a major goal of creation;
- c) love (feeling) a major goal of creation;
- d) ability to acknowledge great deeds and beatiful features of Allah
The blood consuming vessels represent the cellules of ability, strength, attaching something or someone to yourself and being attached by someone or something.
The role of wisdom cannot be overestimated and it is thanks to wisdom that human-beings are superior to the other beings ever created by Allah. Wisdom is the most important concept and the first reality created by Allah.
A question about the interrelation of wisdom and faith arises in this connection. Mention should be made that wisdom fulfils two very important functions:
1) Wisdom serves as a barrier for doubts and hesitations blocking them from penetrating the soul.
2) Wisdom sends information and evidences to soul, reinforcing the faith.
The idea of a good man in Magtymguly’s divan is closely connected with concepts of courage and brevity. The brave young man in his philosophy of upbringing is a courageous man that can cope with difficulties, can be a support for other people, just, capable of keeping secret, loving the Lord and despite of having all these features, modest and kind-hearted.
About two-thirds of his divan is permeated with the idea of goodness.
Magtymguly proceeds from worldwide recognized human values taken by all nations for standards of good behaviour and conduct. The young man should develop such virtues as kindness, readiness to render support to others, love for the Motherland and dignity. Good-naturedness in its turn includes such virtues as justice, mercifulness, dignity and beauty. Besides all these Magtymguly is also aware of the role of noblness in training a kind man:
The brave is born to the family of the brave,
And the coward shall never turn to brave.
The wolf has the sparkle in the eye,
Neither the jackal nor the fox, neigh! (why)?
Brave men should fall
For his Motherland and faith,
For his nation and dignity.
The people who have the above-mentioned virtues are supposed to be happy, they have good fortune.
Magtymguly advocates unification of the Turkmen tribes and their efforts for the Motherland. This he considers as the first condition for sovereignty, because the latter requires power and unity. Unity is the heritage that the Turkmen people should benefit from it by all means. History and cultural heritage of the nation should serve a resource for further development of the country. All these ideas should also serve as the topical goal for the educational and upbringing process. Here is what he says:
If Turkmens would only tighten the Belt of Determination
They could drink the Red Sea in their strength.
So let the tribes of Teke, Yomut, Gokleng, Yazir and Alili
Arsary, Saryk and Salyr unite into one proud nation.
Send warriors to the steppes, where habitable,
Make our homeland structures robust,
Cool the heads of our brave youth.
Above all, let our food all be served on the table.
* * *
The extracts from this article show that Magtymguly uses the mantle of spirituality as the stimulant for promoting virtues in the individual. It is a holistic approach to prepare the individuals as building blocks for a nation.
It is also the path to strengthen the togetherness of the people and the land. /// nCa, 25 June 2024 [to be continued]