P rominent t ajik f igures of the

Sobirzoda, Abdulhay

Tajik poet Abdulhay Sobirzoda was born in 1869 in the village of

Chahormaghzak in Qarotegin . He received his early education first

from his father, and later, at the schools of Quqand. Most of his life was

spent as a farmer in Qarotegin. His legacy consists of two works: one is

a divan (collection of poems) with 170 ghazals, several mukhammases,

and 74 ruba'is. The other is a Munojotnoma (Book of Incantations). The

theme of his poetry deals with the atrocities of oppressive rulers, praise

for love, and general ethical concerns.

Sobirzoda died in Qarotegin in 1951.

Sodiqov, Ma'ruf

Tajik historian Ma'ruf Sodiqovich Sodiqov was born on December

21, 1908, into a family of poor farmers in the village of Rugund in

Uroteppa. He joined the CPSU in 1929.

Sodiqov graduated from the Central Asian Communist University in

1930 and from the Communist University of Eastern Laborers in Mos-

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