maqla

Maqla, or maqāla (Arabic: مقالة), is a term in Arabic that denotes an article, essay, or treatise. In classical Arabic literature, a maqāla is a standalone prose piece that presents an argument, discusses a topic, or offers a scholarly reflection. In modern usage, the term is commonly used to label articles in journals, periodicals, and scholarly collections.

Origin and form: The word maqāla originates in Arabic and refers to a piece of written discourse. As a literary and scholarly term, it denotes a prose composition rather than poetry and is often used in bibliographic or academic contexts to categorize a single essay or article.

Cross-linguistic use: In languages that borrow the term from Arabic, such as Urdu and Persian, مقالة (maqāla) retains the sense of an essay or article and appears in discussions of prose works or in titles. In Turkish, the corresponding term is makale, a near-equivalent used for articles in academic and journalistic contexts, though its etymology is separate from the Arabic term.

Scope and usage: Maqālāt (the plural form) appear in classical encyclopedic and philosophical writings to present individual essays or treatises on particular topics. In contemporary Arabic-language scholarship and journalism, maqāla remains a common label for a single, self-contained article or essay, distinguishing it from poetry, correspondence, or longer treatises.

See also: Article (general), Essay, Treatise, Intellectual discourse.