I did not learn Urdu in Pakistan. I learned it in Madinah.

It may sound unlikely, yet it perfectly explains my relationship with Urdu. I grew up in a home where Arabic was the language of everyday life, while Punjabi was the language of our family. Urdu found its way into our home through neither school nor textbooks. It arrived every morning in the form of a Saudi newspaper, Urdu News.

My mother would sit beside me, patiently helping me read one word at a time. Long before Urdu became part of my career in journalism and research, it had already become part of my identity.

Without realizing it, I was discovering one of the most powerful tools of statecraft: respecting people through their language.

- Dr. Talha AlKashmiri  

At the time, I thought my mother was simply teaching me the language of my homeland. Without realizing it, I was discovering one of the most powerful tools of statecraft: respecting people through their language.

Many people see language as little more than a means of communication. Nations that seek lasting influence see it differently: language builds trust, deepens understanding and strengthens relationships between societies. Geography defines borders. Language reaches people.

This is why Saudi Arabia’s commitment to Urdu should not be viewed simply as an initiative for a resident expatriate community. The Kingdom recognized early that speaking to millions of Muslims in their own language is part of its broader mission, as the home of Islam’s Two Holy Mosques carries a responsibility to communicate with the wider Muslim world beyond Arabic, even as........

© Arab News Pakistan