Tradition and Individuality in Huvaydo’s Rohati Dil

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between inherited didactic conventions and literary individuality in Khojanazar Huvaydo’s Rohati dil. A qualitative close reading of selected passages from the 1994 edition considers masnavi form, the poet’s address to Turkic-speaking readers, his account of transforming prose into verse, regional lexical features, and ethical narratives. The analysis finds that the poem adapts a recognized religious and moral tradition to a readership explicitly associated with Chimyon. Persian and Arabic headings coexist with Turkic exposition, while exemplary narratives connect religious knowledge with social responsibilities, including the rights of neighbors. A problematic personal name in the printed text highlights the need for manuscript comparison. The poem’s individuality is located in its audience-conscious use of language and narrative form. Its educational relevance is discussed as an interpretive possibility rather than a measured effect.