Mehmet Âkif Ersoy

Mehmet Âkif Ersoy was a Turkish poet and writer whose verse combined social realism with Islamic thought and public-minded concerns. His six-volume poetry collection, Safahat, established his literary reputation, while his authorship of the lyrics of Turkey’s national anthem made him a defining cultural figure of the late Ottoman and early Republican periods. Trained as a veterinarian, he also taught, edited journals, and served as a member of the first Turkish Grand National Assembly.