Two Iranian novels published in Turkish
Two Iranian religious and historical novels have been translated into Turkish, introducing Turkish-speaking readers to stories rooted in Islamic history and Persian fiction.
‘Elena’ by Reza Vahid, translated by Musa Denizjan, and ‘The Thief and the Prince’ by Majid Mollamohammadi, translated by Aykut Pazarbaşı, were published by Turkish publisher Unsöz in Turkey, Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported on Saturday.
‘Elena’ is set in the early years of Islam and the Byzantine Empire (330–1453). It follows Dihya al-Kalbi, an envoy of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) sent to deliver a letter to Byzantine Emperor Heraclius. The novel explores themes of justice and human emotion through the intertwined lives of its characters.
‘The Thief and the Prince,’ published under the Turkish title ‘Hırsız ve Şehzade,’ blends historical fiction with time travel. It follows Zar’ah, a soldier in the army that martyred Imam Hussain (PBUH) 14 centuries ago. Zar’ah suffers from an unending thirst. Seeking a cure, he travels to the present day to abduct a boy named Peyman. The boy’s escape sets off a series of events in Kufa, in present-day Iraq.
The translations extend the reach of Iranian religious and historical fiction to readers in the Turkish-language market.