The Imagology of the Indian, Turkish, and Western Other in the Works of Mahmoud Ahmad Al-Sayyid

Authors
Alaa Abdulhussein Hayif Al-Karaawi
yusuf nazari
shiraz university
Abstract
The present study examines the manifestations of the Indian, Turkish, and Western Other in the works of Mahmoud Ahmad Al-Sayyid, the pioneering Iraqi writer. This study is based on an imagological approach, which analyzes the mental and cultural images that societies construct of one another and focuses on the duality of “Self” and “Other”. The significance of the research lies in revealing the mechanisms of the formation of images of the Other in early Iraqi literature, particularly during a turbulent period in Iraq's history marked by the end of Ottoman rule, the British occupation, and the formation of the modern state. This examination contributes to a better understanding of identity conflicts, colonial influences, and socio-intellectual transformations. The objectives of the research include elucidating the significance of the Self-Other dichotomy in literature, identifying the cultural images of the Other, and analyzing their role in reflecting identity challenges. The research method is socio-historical and focuses on a comprehensive analysis of the collected works of Mahmoud Ahmad Al-Sayyid, including his early stories such as “Fi Sabil al-Zawaj”, “Masir al-Du'afa'”, and “Al-Nakabat”, and works from his second period such as “Jalal Khalid”, “Al-Tala'i'”, and “Fi Sa'ah min al-Zaman”, along with appendices such as “Aqasis” and “Al-Rasa'il”. This analysis includes an examination of characters, events, and narrative discourse. The most significant results indicate that Al-Sayyid portrays the Indian Other as a society that is impoverished and oppressed by class and religious hierarchies, where Hindu beliefs such as “contentment” and “nirvana” have contributed to the acceptance of injustice. The Turkish Other is described as embodying Ottoman despotism, corruption, and detachment from Arab culture, bringing about weak education and moral decay. The Western Other is depicted as deceitful and colonialist, employing the slogans of liberation for economic and cultural domination, and utilizing Western literature and cinema as tools for promoting racial superiority.
Keywords
Arabic Narratology
Mahmoud Ahmed Al-Sayyid
Imagology
Indian Other
Turkish Other
Western Other
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Studies in the Arabic Geosciences
Volume 7, Issue 4 - Serial Number 21
Spring 2026
Pages 239-259