Mehmet Akif Ersoy Mosque, Istanbul

Mehmet Akif Ersoy, whose real name was Mehmet Ragif was born in Istanbul, in 1873. He was born to a conservative family at a time when all institutions of the state were in decline, and major crises and regime changes were underway.

Mehmet Akif Ersoy is best known for his work entitled Safahat. This volume is a collection of 44 poems of various lengths by Mehmet Akif Ersoy. The earliest work that appears in this book is dated 1904, but this is unattested, and it is highly likely that the poet, who was 32 on that particular date, composed poems prior to that date. He was the foremost representative of Islamism, which was one of the movements that followed the declaration of constitutional monarchy.

Mehmet Akif Ersoy is an important national figure in the history of modern Turkey and has left an immortal trace in its history.



Park on the Historical Peninsula, named by Turkish national poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy, with Blue Mosque in the background.

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