Mirza Ali-Akbar Sabir: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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'''Mirza Ali-Akbar Tahirzada''' ({{lang-az|میرزا علی اکبر صابر}}: 30 May 1862 – 12 July 1911), commonly known by his [[pseudonym]] '''Sabir''' ({{lang|az|صابر}}), was a satirist and poet in the [[Russian Empire]], who played a leading role in development of [[Azerbaijani literature]].

He grew up in a religious, middle-class household that opposed modern education. During his adolescence, he became a pupil of the distinguished poet [[Seyid Azim Shirvani]], who established a modern institution where various subjects were taught. With Seyid Azim Shirvani's support, Sabir began translating Persian poetry and writing his own Azerbaijani poetry. Although his father initially wanted him to work in the family grocery store, he eventually accepted Sabir's literary ambitions after the latter's strong opposition, including a failed attempt to flee to [[Mashhad]]. In 1903, Sabir published his debut poem in the [[Tbilisi]] newspaper ''Sharq-e Rus'', and by 1909, he was writing for the satirical magazine ''[[Molla Nasraddin (magazine)|Molla Nasraddin]]''. His works covered a wide range of topics, including political satire and social commentary, often criticizing corrupt officials and religious hypocrisy. Sabir's innovative use of Azerbaijani set his poetry apart from traditional forms. He spent his last years in [[Baku]], where he died in 1911.

== Biography ==

Sabir's birth name was Mirza Ali-Akbar Tahirzada. He was born on 30 May 1862 in the city of [[Shamakhi]],{{sfn|Javadi|2020}} then ruled by the [[Russian Empire]]. At the time, it was the largest city in the [[Shirvan]] region.{{sfn|Bosworth|2020}} Like the majority of Muslims in the [[South Caucasus]],{{sfn|Rezvani|2015|p=154}} Sabir's native tongue was [[Turkic languages|Turkic]]{{sfn|Hodgkin|2023|p=45}} and he was an adherent of [[Shia Islam]]. He grew up in a religious, middle-class household where they did not seem to want to give him a modern education. During the start of his adolescence, he became a pupil of the distinguished poet [[Seyid Azim Shirvani]], who had established a modern institution where [[Arabic]], [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani Turkic]], [[Russian language|Russian]] and other topics were taught. Sabir started translating Persian poetry and writing Azerbaijani poetry with the support of Seyid Azim Shirvani.{{sfn|Javadi|2020}}

Sabir's father wanted him to work in the family's [[grocery store]], thinking that a few years of education would be sufficient. However, he eventually allowed Sabir to continue his literary research, due to the latters strong opposition, including an attempt to flee to [[Mashhad]] by a caravan. In Shirvan's literary circles, Sabir made a lot of acquaintances and composed numerous ''[[ghazal]]s'' in the style of Persian poets, especially [[Nizami Ganjavi]]. In 1885, he travelled to several cities in [[Qajar Iran|Iran]] and [[Central Asia]], thus expanding his intellectual knowledge and later inspired to write about the locals there. Following his return home, he married and became the father of eight daughters and one son.{{sfn|Javadi|2020}}

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Due to his large family, Sabir was forced to work a lot. He made soap for fifteen years, during which time he would joke "I make soap to wash away the external dirt of my countrymen." He attempted to establish a school in the European tradition, but failed. He also received numerous anonymous and hostile letters as a result of his criticism of the conversative factions. It was reportedly the journalist Hasem Beik Vezirov who sent him some of these letters. In the journal ''Sada'', Sabir replied to him: "I am a poet, the mirror of my age/ in me everyone sees his own face/ As it happened yesterday, ‘a person’ looked at me /Seeing none other than himself in the mirror." {{sfn|Javadi|2020}}

[[Image:Sabir in Molla Nasreddin.jpg|thumb|Depiction of Mirza Ali-Akbar Sabir in a issue of the ''[[Molla Nasraddin (magazine)|Molla Nasraddin]]'', with the headline "Our sick poet Sabir. God is angry with him for writing such irreligious words." Dated 29 May 1911]]

In 1903, Sabir's debut poem was published in the [[Tbilisi]] newspaper ''Sharq-e Rus'' ("East of Russia"). He was unknown outside of Shamakhi at the time. In 1909, he became a writer of the ''[[Molla Nasraddin (magazine)|Molla Nasraddin]]'' satirical magazine, which was also based in Tbilisi.{{sfn|Javadi|2020}} During a time where classical Persian poetry was favored by the elite and writers, the ''Molla Nasraddin'' used the everyday language of the Turks of the South Caucasus, a practice which was also taking place in other satirical journals.{{sfn|Hodgkin|2023|pp=42, 45}} SabirWith usedan manyextensive readership spanning the [[pseudonymVolga region]]s, but[[Siberia]], was[[Anatolia]], commonly known as Sabir ("patient")Iran, and Hophop ("[[hoopoeSouth Asia|South]]"). Sabir and theCentral editor of theAsia, ''Molla Nasraddin'', [[Jalilhad Mammadguluzadeh]],the werelargest well-knownaudience proponentsof all the Muslim publications of usingthe Turkic[[Russian inRevolution literatureof 1905]].{{sfn|Hodgkin|2023|p=45}} SabirThis alsowas publishedlargely fordue numerousto otherthe journals,abundance includingof ''Hayat'',political ''Fuyuzat'',cartoons ''Rahbar'',that ''Dabestan'',were ''Olfat'',even ''Ershad'',understandable ''Haqiqat'',to ''Yenithe Haqiqat'' and ''Ma'lumat''uneducated.{{sfn|JavadiHodgkin|20202023|p=44}}

Sabir used many [[pseudonym]]s, but was commonly known as Sabir ("patient") and Hophop ("[[hoopoe]]"). Sabir and the editor of ''Molla Nasraddin'', [[Jalil Mammadguluzadeh]], were well-known proponents of using Turkic in literature.{{sfn|Hodgkin|2023|p=45}} Sabir also published for numerous other journals, including ''Hayat'', ''Fuyuzat'', ''Rahbar'', ''Dabestan'', ''Olfat'', ''Ershad'', ''Haqiqat'', ''Yeni Haqiqat'' and ''Ma'lumat''.{{sfn|Javadi|2020}} Due to his work, Sabir made countless enemies both at home and overseas. Both he and the ''Molla Nasreddin'' were labeled as heretical by some of the conversative mullahs in [[Tabriz]]. As the opposition against Sabir escalated, he defended his beliefs in a poem dedicated to the inhabitants of Shirvan:{{sfn|Javadi|2020}}

{{quote|I am a Shi'ite, but not in the ways you desire<br>I am a Sunni, but not like the examples you like. I am a Sufi, but not like the ones you describe. I am a lover of truth, O people of Shirvan.}}

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His use of Persian grammatical forms ("ta kim") and classical tropes ("the fragrant herbs of perfection") characterize his [[Persianate]] phrasing in this passage. Sabir had no difficulty in writing in a elegant and complex style, but for sarcastic lyrics, he favored a different approach. Such a skill was common among journalists and activists who were not recognized for their Persianate poetry.{{sfn|Hodgkin|2023|p=46}}

== Legacy and assessment ==

[[Image:Mirzə Ələkbər Sabirin qəbri (1).jpg|thumb|The grave of Mirza Ali-Akbar Sabir]]

According to the modern Iranian historian Hasan Javadi; "In the art of poetic satire ṢāberSabir surpasses all others in Azerbaijani literature." As noted by Sabirs friend and writer [[Abbas Sahhat]], a literary literature in Azerbaijani literature was sparked by Sabir. After him, very few people desired to return to the traditional form of Azerbaijani poetry because of the stark contrast he made between that and its modern variant. In addition to using new themes and topics, Sabir also used new, poetic language that worked together with the topics he wrote about. His vocabulary was very different from the formal language of the previous poets in that it was informal, witty, and energetic. The distinguished Iranian lexicographer and satirist [[Ali-Akbar Dehkhoda]] wrote that "ṢāberSabir was a great innovator in Azerbaijani literature. He was a child of one night who traveled the way of one hundred years, and surpassed the thoughts and the writers of his age by centuries. He was incomparable in depicting political and social problems."{{sfn|Javadi|2020}}

During the [[Persian Constitutional Revolution|Iranian Constitutional Revolution of 1905–1911]], in the defensive lines of Tabriz, the Constitutionalists chanted Sabir's political satire. Sabir's writings were openly translated or modified by the Iranian poet and journalist [[SeyedAshraf Ashrafedin HosseiniGilani]] for his newspaper ''[[Nasim-e-Shomal]]''.{{sfn|Javadi|2020}} ComparedIn toa letter dated 17 June 1954, the EuropeanIranian-[[Soviet Union|Soviet]] poet ''[[avant-gardeAbolqasem Lahouti]] wrote to Sabir''s biographer Mir Ahmadov the following: "Sabir’s poetry is so simple, fluent, intelligent, brave and itswell-liked smallby circlepeople and so imbued with a courageous spirit that it leaves a great impression on the minds of Turco-Persianpeople followers,desiring Sabir'sfreedom." poetryLahouti continued by saying that Sabir hadwas a biggermajor influence on poeticnot innovationjust acrosshim thebut Muslimalso communitiesthe majority of Souththis Caucasus,generation Iran,of andIranian Central Asiasatirists.{{sfn|HodgkinJavadi|2023|p=452020}}

Compared to the European ''[[avant-garde]]'' and its small circle of Turco-Persian followers, Sabir's poetry had a bigger influence on poetic innovation across the Muslim communities of South Caucasus, Iran, and Central Asia.{{sfn|Hodgkin|2023|p=45}}

== References ==