DECODING KHUDI: HOW NICHOLSON’S TRANSLATION DEVIATES FROM IQBAL’S KHUDI KA SIRR-E-NIHĀN
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24252/elite.v13i1.65802Keywords:
Cross Cultural Interpretation, Khudi, Persian Poetry, Postcolonial TranslationAbstract
This paper explores how Reynold A. Nicholson’s English translation of Iqbal’s Khudi ka Sirr-e-Nihān changes the original meaning and spirit of Iqbal’s idea of Khudi. In the poem, Iqbal describes Khudi as a hidden force within a person a blend of spiritual strength, self-discipline, and divine potential. His language is rich with symbolism, Qur’anic echoes, and cultural references that carry emotional and spiritual weight. When these ideas are brought into English, however, they do not always survive in their full force. Nicholson, working from a Western scholarly perspective, often selects simpler or more familiar English expressions, which make the poem easier to read but also soften the depth and intensity that Iqbal intended. Through a close, qualitative comparison of the Urdu text and its English rendering, the study shows where and how these shifts occur. Some metaphors lose their sharpness, spiritual concepts become more philosophical than divine, and Iqbal’s passionate tone becomes calm and explanatory. These changes reveal the broader challenges of translating a culturally rooted, mystical text across linguistic and postcolonial boundaries. The findings suggest that while Nicholson’s translation has played a major role in introducing Iqbal to the world, it also shapes a more limited understanding of Khudi. The study concludes that translation is not simply a transfer of words it is a process that can reshape meaning, influence interpretation, and even redirect This pahow a powerful idea like Khudi is understood beyond its original context.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Sumaria Bilal, Arooba ishaq, Maira Khan, Dr. Sahibzada Aurangzeb
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