Akif, Mehmet

Akif, Mehmet 

(pseudonym of Ersoi, also known as Mollan Surat). Born 1873 in Istanbul; died there on Dec. 27, 1936. Turkish poet and publicist.

Akif lived in Cairo from 1925 to 1935 and taught Turkish literature. He was a Pan-Islamist, later a Pan-Turkist. He was the author of the books of verses Frontiers (1911), In the Pulpit of Suleimaniye (1912), The Voice of God (1913), In the Pulpit of Fatih (1914), Remembrances (1917), Asim (1919), and Shadows (1933); lyrical-epic and lyrical-didactic verses predominate in these works, written in aruz style. Akif devoted much attention to social problems and called for social and economic progress. He is the author of the Turkish national anthem, “Hymn of Independence” (1921).

REFERENCES

Necatigil, B. Edebiyatimizda isimler sözlüǧū . Istanbul, 1967.
Kocatürk, V. M. Türk edebiyati tarihi. Ankara, 1964.
Uraz, M. şair ve ediplerin hayati. Istanbul, 1963.
Timurtaş, F. Mehmet Akif ve cemiyetimiz. Istanbul, 1962.

G. A. GORBATKINA