The Function of Certain Theonyms in the Medieval Turkic-language Work “Nahj al-Faradis” by Mahmud al-Bulgari

This article examines how the names’ of Allah functioned in the text of “Nahj al-Faradis” by Mahmud al-Bulgari written in 1358. The aim of the article is to identify the composition of the theonymic lexicon and to describe its structural-semantic, functional-stylistic features which described religious beliefs in the analysed text. Currently, eleven manuscripts of this work are known; the original written in 1358 is mis­sing. The material of the study is a transcribed text published in 2019, edited by I.M. Mirgaleev, based on the Istanbul list of 1360, ‘Nahj al-Faradis’ by Mahmud al-Bulgari. The study reveals that theonyms in the text of the work represent a single system in which each name is in direct connection with the only proper Name of God. Turkic medieval sources provide concrete theonymic material for the cultural and historical study of Islam’s formation during the Golden Horde in the Volga region. Theonyms in Islam belong to the most ancient lexical layers. Despite that, the theonyms-included texts were created over several centuries ago, the principle of naming the God remained unchanging throughout the time. Being based on textual analysis, this article reveals the functioning features of lexical units denoting the names of Allah. The significance of traditions of the Muslim East and regional traditions in the formation of religious thought of Muslims of the Volga region in the Golden Horde period has been revealed, which represents the scientific novelty of the study. Remaining within the traditional Muslim concept framework, Mahmud Bulgari still contributed to the development of theonymic vocabulary characteristic in the Volga region during the Golden Horde.