Palestine's lament in Pakistani Urdu poetry

Abstract

This study examines the historical, cultural, and political dimensions of the Palestine issue and its profound representation in Pakistani Urdu poetry. Beginning with the sacred status of Palestine in Islamic tradition—highlighting its association with prophets, the first qibla, and the event of Miʿrāj—the article traces the region’s historical evolution from the Abrahamic era through Persian, Hellenistic, Roman, and early Islamic periods. The research further explores how the Palestinian tragedy, shaped by colonial interventions and Zionist expansion, emerged as a central theme in Urdu resistance literature. Major poets such as Muhammad Iqbal, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Habib Jalib, Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi, and Amjad Islam Amjad are analyzed for their poetic responses to Palestinian suffering, resistance, and human dignity. Their works transform Palestine from a geopolitical conflict into a universal symbol of oppression, resilience, and moral consciousness. The study concludes that Pakistani Urdu poetry has consistently upheld Palestine as a metaphor for global justice, human rights, and collective resistance, thereby preserving its memory across generations.

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