کلامِ غالب پر عربی شعروادب کے اثرات

"INFLUENCE OF ARABIC POETRY AND LITERATURE ON GHALIB'S POETRY"

Abstract

This paper critically explores the influence of Arabic language and literature on the poetry of Mirza Ghalib, one of the greatest classical poets of Urdu. It is well established that Arabic literature deeply impacted Persian, and since Persian served as a linguistic and literary bridge to Urdu, the effects of Arabic became evident in Urdu poetry as well. However, Ghalib’s poetry reflects not just an indirect influence through Persian but also a direct engagement with Arabic imagery, diction, and cultural references.

In Ghalib’s poetry, Arabic allusions, metaphors, and cultural symbols abound. Unlike poets who refer to local rivers such as the Ganges or the Gamna, Ghalib mentions the Tigris and the Euphrates. Instead of referring to regional seas like the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea, he invokes the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea (Qulzum). Similarly, rather than citing indigenous love legends such as Heer-Ranjha, he refers to legendary Arabic romances like Layla-Majnun and Azra-Wa-Ma’mun. These references indicate his literary orientation towards the Arab world and its classical tradition.

Moreover, Ghalib’s use of Arabic symbols, themes, and philosophical concepts creates an ambiance that resonates with the grandeur of Arabic poetry. This reflects not only the inclusion of classical Arabic texts such as Diwan-e-Hamasa, Diwan-e-Mutanabbi, and Sab'a Muallaqat in the curriculum of religious seminaries of his time but also the intellectual company of scholars well-versed in Arabic literature. Thus, Ghalib’s poetic universe reveals a rich intertextual relationship with Arabic literary heritage, both directly and through Persian mediation.