Imagery of Hindus in Ahzan ul-Sandbad by Taleb Imran

Comparative studies are referred to as one of the modern and influential science types that own distinctive approaches. Iconology is addressed as one of the approaches which examines the face of oneself or others in literature. Taleb Imran, the Syrian writer who studied in India, has indicated that Ahzan Al-Sandbad's novel describes various aspects of Indian people's life via possessing a deep and meticulous view. The present research has attempted to deal with the iconography of Hindus in this novel by using the descriptive-analytical method. The primary results of this research indicate that various aspects of religion, culture and belief, politics and economy, alongside the social aspect and the description of the food of the people of India, are among the most prominent topics raised in the novel. Furthermore, the social aspect is the most tangible feature in the novel, which mostly revolves around the issue of poverty and the status of women. The detailed description of the foods of the Indian people is another thing that has been done with special care. Studies show that the author had a neutral and in some cases positive view of the Indian people and overall, he described their image well. 
Introduction:
In almost all fields of intrellectual, cultural, and political life, especially in various forms of literature (e.g. novels. poems, stories, or plays), studies and researches related to the subject of "the other" has been taken into consideration. By focusing on the framework of what is known as the "dialogue of civilizations", it has built a cultural bridge between me and the other to create certain images in line with my understanding being eager to discover myself and drawing an alien one that helps understanding the manifestations of life based on "imagery" studies that has been fasible within the framework of comparative literary and critical studies. As Mohammad Ghanimi Hilal declares in this respect, "This is the newest field of research in comparative literature. Although it is not more than thirty years since the oldest research in this regard, it is full of research that promises to become one of the most extensive and pioneering fields of comparative literature in the future. Imagery has emerged in France in the 19^th century being influenced by the theories of thinkers such as Madame Dostal and Hippolyte Ton. In this relatively new approach, the image of foreign countries and personalities is studied in the works of an author or a time period and school. The science of imagery appeared in the French school with Jean-Marie Carré, after which Francois Guyard, one of the poles of comparative literature in France, took this theory and defended it in Comparative Literature (the book) in 1951. After that, this type of study began to develop rapidly. This approach is included in the French school of comparative literature due to the fact that the French school gives credit to issues such as the influence of an author on the literature of other nations, tourism literature and travelogues, and in general, the position of one country towards the literature of another country.
Method:
Taleb Imran, a Syrian writer, has spent a part of his education at Aligarh University in India. In Ahzan Al-Sandabad's novel, which may be a part of his life or a part of science-fiction literature, he has described his adventures in India and his love for a girl, Nilam. In this novel, he has attempted to present an accurate and unbiased picture of an Indian society. The purpose of this research is to investigate examples that reflect other Indian images by using the descriptive-analytical method and relying on the French school of comparative literature. The choice of this novel and this topic is precisely because the novel has examples that place the reader in the atmosphere of Hindu life and depicts the lives of the characters without specifying a specific point of view and provides the reader with useful information about the life of Indians. This novel was translated by Masoud Bhavanpuri and Seyyedah Samira Mansouri (1401) under the name "Sinbad's Sorrows" and this translation is used in this research.
Results and Discussion:
Taleb Imran has pointed out the existence of religion and the adherence of Hindus to these matters without favoring a particular religion. While introducing the city of Indore and its distance from Aligarh, he talks about the existence of Hindus and Sikhs together, which indicates the peacefulness of life in India. Also, the author has mentioned the existence of Christian churches in this city. Another topic reflected in the novel is the cultural and religious matters that the narrator has mentioned in different parts of his story. He spoke about the kindness of Indian people and considered them to be well-behaved towards foreigners. Another aspect raised in Taleb Imran's novel is social issues and affairs, which may be the most prominent part of this article. Rakesh, Neelam's brother, is an intellectual and opposes the strict laws governing his country. He has described the democracy ruling the Indian society as false and introduced ignorance, illiteracy and poverty as the cause of conflict between the people, which can somehow be the author's personal point of view.
Conclusion:
Followed by reading the addressed novel, it is entirely observant that Talib Imran, with full knowledge of the different aspects of Indian people's life, painted their picture for the Arabic-speaking reader, and with special care, he tried to explain each and every one of their habits and customs to the Arab people who have not visited India. Also, various social aspects of India and the situation of women in this country and the prevailing poverty that has caused conflict among people and prostitution of young women and girls has been investigated in this novel. Religion and religious freedom existing in India, along with some intellectual conflicts between Muslims and Hindus and the pressure on Muslims from some ruling political groups, covers another part of this novel. The existence of some political conflicts as well as the existence of groups against the presence of foreigners in India is another aspect raised in the novel. In addition to these cases, the author has mentioned the kindness of Indian people and their good treatment of strangers, as well as their attention to the ancient monuments of their country as part of their social characteristics. The foods and the detailed and almost complete mention of their contents is another thing that helps the Arab reader to understand the situation in India.