Growing Turkish Interest in Translating Arabic Poetry: An Ascendant Cultural Phenomenon

Ankara, 8 Dec 2025 (ONA) ---Türkiye has witnessed a notable surge in interest in Arabic poetry and its translation into Turkish over the past two decades, driven by cultural, historical and literary motivations.

Arabic literature was a fundamental cultural source for poets in Anatolia during the Ottoman era, particularly within religious and Sufi domains. Many eminent Turkish poets such as Yunus Emre and the Mevlevis were influenced by Arabic literature and the Arabic language. However, with the establishment of the Republic of Türkiye in 1923 and the adoption of modern Turkish, official interest in Arabic literature diminished for decades.

İbrahim Bazan, a professor of Ottoman History at Istanbul University, stated in a comment to the Oman News Agency (ONA): "Since the beginning of the new millennium, interest in Arabic literature, especially poetry, has re-emerged to claim a new space in Türkiye. Turkish universities have begun teaching Arabic literature more extensively."

He clarified that poems by poets such as Nizar Qabbani and Mahmoud Darwish have become among the most translated and best-selling works in Turkish bookstores and are widely circulated on social media platforms, particularly among the youth. Concurrently, Turks have grown more interested in Ottoman history and relations with the Middle East, which has directly reflected on the literary translation movement; Turkish cultural pages now witness high engagement with translated Arabic quotations.

It is noted that the Turkish embrace of translating Arabic poetry is no longer merely an academic phenomenon. It has evolved into a growing cultural hallmark reflecting a societal desire for rapprochement with the Arab world and a re-examination of the shared heritage between Anatolia and the Arab world.

--- Ends/Khalid