Abdullah Qadiri and “Bygone Days”

Abstract

Days gone by, Qodiriy’s novel, written during the 1902s. At that
period Uzbek identity was being formed as an ethnicity that would later
underpin the formation of an independent Muslim republic of Uzbek
people. His novel could be viewed as the representation of history of
the Uzbek people. The article provides an overview of Qodiriy’s life and
his novel. Major themes of the novel are elucidated to provide a bridge
between the author’s period and Uzbekistan today. Most notably, Mr. Reese
explores the chapters A Young Man Suitable for the Khan’s Daughter and
Hajji Shakes the Hem of His Robe; in which he renounces Worldly Affairs
to gain an oversight of Qodirriy’s reform agenda as well as the conflicts
surrounding ethnic identity, through an overview of Azizbek’s character.
The final portion of the article provides commentary on the link between
national identity and the novel.