دَورُ التّرجمةِ الأدبيّةِ في ربط التّواصلِ بين الثقافةِ العربيةِ والثقافةِ الأردية قراءةٌ في ترجمة ِشِعرِ العلّامة محمد إقبال إلى اللّغة العربية

The Role of Literary Translation in Enhancing Cultural Communication between Arab and Urdu Cultures: A Study of the Arabic Translations of the Poetry of Allama Muhammad Iqbal

Abstract

This study examined the role of literary translation as a communicative bridge between Arab and Urdu cultures, with particular emphasis on the translation of Pakistani poetry into Arabic. The research aimed to explore how literary translation facilitated cultural interaction, intellectual exchange, and mutual literary understanding between the two linguistic traditions. Special focus was placed on the poetry of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, whose works gained significant recognition in the Arab world through extensive translation and scholarly engagement. To achieve these objectives, the study adopted a historical-survey methodology to trace the development of Arab Pakistani cultural and translational relations and employed an analytical approach to examine selected Arabic translations of Iqbal’s poetry produced by prominent Arab translators. The findings revealed that literary translation played a vital role in strengthening cultural communication between Arab and Urdu societies and contributed to the integration of Urdu poetic models into the Arabic literary and critical sphere. The study further demonstrated that the successful transmission of Iqbal’s poetic thought into Arabic reflected the capacity of translation to create enduring linguistic and cultural connections across diverse communities. It was concluded that the translation of Pakistani poetry, particularly Iqbal’s works, significantly enriched Arab literary discourse and enhanced intercultural understanding. The study recommended encouraging further translation projects, promoting collaborative academic research between Arab and Pakistani institutions, and supporting high-quality literary translations to deepen cultural dialogue and strengthen intellectual exchange between the Arabic and Urdu-speaking worlds. 

Corresponding Author:

allaoua.koussa@cu-barika.dz

Conflict of Interest:

The author(s) declare that there are no competing or potential conflicts of interest regarding the research, authorship, and publication of this article.

Participant Consent:

Not applicable. This study does not involve human participants.

Funding:

This research did not receive any specific grant from public, commercial, or non-profit funding agencies.

Data Fabrication/Falsification Statement:

The author(s) declare that no data have been fabricated, falsified, or manipulated in this study.

Copyright:

Copyright (c) 2026 Professor Dr Allaoua Koussa