Muhammadjon Hakimov and the Study of Alisher Navoi’s Mahbub ul-Qulub Manuscripts

Abstract

Manuscript studies play a crucial role in preserving and reconstructing the textual heritage of classical literature, ensuring that works are transmitted with fidelity to their original form. Alisher Navoi’s Mahbub ul-Qulub, written in 1500, is among his most widely copied works, yet earlier editions by Kononov and Shamsiyev relied on a limited number of manuscripts, leading to textual inaccuracies and omissions. Despite the abundance of reliable copies in Uzbekistan’s manuscript collections, no comprehensive comparative analysis had been undertaken to establish an authoritative version of Mahbub ul-Qulub. This study, based on Muhammadjon Hakimov’s research, examines 19 manuscripts from the H. Sulaimanov Institute of Manuscripts to identify the most complete and textually accurate sources for a critical edition. Hakimov’s comparative and codicological analysis classified seven manuscripts as mo‘tabar nusxalar (authoritative copies), including MS 316, 526, 2589, 25–11, 2913–11, 1429–11, and 1530. These copies, dating from the early 19th to the 20th century, preserve the text with minimal errors and demonstrate the wide geographic and temporal dissemination of the work. The study applies rigorous textological and source-critical methods to Uzbek classical literature, introducing a systematic framework for evaluating manuscripts based on completeness, preservation, and fidelity. Hakimov’s findings provide the foundation for preparing a corrected scholarly edition of Mahbub ul-Qulub and contribute to safeguarding Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage, showing how critical manuscript studies strengthen both academic research and the preservation of national literary identity.