The genesis of Iskander theme is related to the distant past, and it has a history of twenty centuries even when compared to the period of Alisher Navoi (15th century). The basis of the topic is the life and work of the famous Macedonian ruler Alexander (356-323 BC). Most plot lines, characters, motives, episodes and interpretations are directly or indirectly connected with this core. But a group of experts and researchers who have studied the history of the issue believe that the genesis of the topic was even before the birth of Alexander. They hypothesize that a revelation (dream) in the prophetic book “Daniel” (Doniyor) in the third part of the Torah (Tanach) – “Holy Writings” (Ktuvim) – is the first prophecy about Alexander, in which it was reported that Alexander would lay the foundation for a great empire in the future.

In this article, the fragments considered as the foundations of the subject in the Torah are studied in detail, as well as the information about the history of Alexander recorded in “The First Book of the Maccabees” (2nd century BC) from the non-canonical books of the Torah is analyzed. There were researched the compatibility of the information found in these two sources with the Eastern ones, the tradition of khamsa writing, in particular, the interpretations in “Khamsa” by Alisher Navoi, or how they were changed in the process of transformation, as well as their causes.

Alexander, Iskander theme, transformation

The translation of this and the following quotations from the Bible was taken from the website of the Institute of Bible Translation: URL: http://ibtrussia.org/en/text?m=UZVL&l=Dan.7.1.1&g=0) (02.06.2022). Look again: http://bibliya-online.ru/kniga-proroka-daniila-glava-7/) (02.06.2022)

It is known from history that Alexander the Great (July 20 (21) 356 - June 10, 323) was also very short lived - 33 years and ascended to the throne at the age of 20 and did a lot of great things in a short period (13 years).

Dinovari, Ahmad ibni Dovud. 1361 (h.). Axbor at-tivol. Tarjo‘mayi Sodiq Nishot. – Tehron: Bunyodi farhangi Iran.

Dehlavi, Amir Xusrav. 1988. Oynayi Iskandariy. Matni intiqodiy. Bo tas’hih-u muqaddimayi Jamol Mirsaidof. – Masko‘v: Sho‘bayi adabiyoti Xovar.

Navoi, Alisher. 1991. Farhod va Shirin. MAT. 20 tomlik. T.8. – Toshkent: Fan.

Navoi, Alisher. 2000. Tarixi muluki Ajam. MAT. 20 tomlik. T.16. – Toshkent: Fan.

Navoi, Alisher. 2006. Saddi Iskandariy. Toshkent: G‘.G‘ulom nomidagi NMIU.

Pervaya kniga Makkaveyskaya. URL: http://bibliya-online.ru/pervaya-kniga-makkaveyskaya-glava-6/ (25.04.2021)

The Book of the gests of Alexander of Macedon. Sefer Toledot Alexandros ha-Makdoni. A mediaeval hebrew version of the Alexander romance by Immanuel ben Jacob Bonfils. 1962. Edited and translated with introduction and notes by Israel J. Kazis, Ph.D. – Massachusetts: The mediaeval academy of America.

The Holy Bible. 2000. New international version. – Lutterworth: Gideon.

Tolkovanie Dallasskoy seminarii. URL: https://bible.by/dallas/27/8/ (14.04.2021)