Mehmet Akif Ersoy the Issue of National Identity

Mehmet Akif Ersoy, a poet who left his mark on Turkish literature with his poems, primarily the Independence Anthem (İstiklal Marşı), and in his work "Safahat," derives his identity and personality from the nation he belongs to, and its national and spiritual values. For Akif, who served more to social tendencies than individual ones, and in this respect was a man of action, national consciousness meant perceiving and living in the same homeland with a sense of unity and solidarity, understanding national and spiritual values. In this article, we attempt to analyze Mehmet Akif's poems in terms of the elements of national consciousness that shaped the poet's artistic and intellectual world; the sense of unity and solidarity, historical consciousness, language consciousness, love of the state and homeland, the way of understanding Islam, and the importance given to education will be highlighted. Turks can say that all the unparalleled achievements they have achieved in history are in the lines of the Independence Anthem: "I have lived freely since the beginning, and I will live freely." At its foundation lies a sense of belonging, history, and the consciousness of freedom. Turks set out with the desire to live independently, the nation to which they belong; they are representatives of a collective spirit that walks hand in hand with culture, history, language, religion, and spiritual values. Religion, as a source that gives meaning to life and elevates it, has kept the Turkish nation alive for centuries. Because, "The history of Turkey has recognized Islam as a core value for a thousand years. All its culture is inspired by it." In this respect, it is wrong to consider Turkishness separate from Islam. The most important condition of being a nation is undoubtedly having national consciousness. This way of thinking binds people with unbreakable bonds, and with its unifying and protective features, it allows for collective life.