Mirza Alakbar Sabir
| Alakbar Zeynalabdin oglu Tahirzadeh | |
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| Born | 30 May Shamakhy, Azerbaijan |
| Died | 12 July (aged 49) Shamakhy, Azerbaijan |
| Pen name | Mirat, Sabir, Hop-Hop, Fasil |
| Nationality | Azerbaijani |
| Period | 1903-1911 |
| Genre | Lyric poetry, Satire, Literary realism |
Mirza Alakbar Sabir (Azerbaijani: Mirzə Ələkbər Sabir), born Alakbar Zeynalabdin oglu Tahirzadeh (30 May 1862, Shamakhy – 12 July 1911, Shamakhy) was an Azerbaijani satirical poet, public figure, philosopher and teacher. He set up a new attitude to classical traditions, rejecting well-trodden ways in poetry.
The artistic thought of the Azerbaijani people found expression in Fuzûlî's works. They have been examples of the lyric to this day, and the satirical trend in Azerbaijani literature, and especially in poetry.
Sabir was brought up in a patriarchal-religious atmosphere. When he was twelve years old, Alakbar entered the school of Seyid Azim Shirvani, a poet and teacher. Personal contacts with this man greatly influenced formation of Sabir as a poet. Encouraged by Seyid Azim, Sabir began translating Persian poetry and wrote poems in Azeri.
Throughout all his life poverty impacted Sabir. He was bound to take care of his family’s welfare, barely earning a living for himself and his household. No time was left for literary activity, the more so as the spectre of poverty took a more and more distinct shape. Sabir tried to become a merchant, but did not succeed. Instead, he traveled a lot about Central Asia and the Middle East.
The Russian Revolution of 1905 had a powerful effect on Sabir’s writing, infusing it with a revolutionary spirit. This revolution, which was followed by the spreading of democratic trends throughout the Russian Empire, marked the beginning of a new era in Sabir’s literary activity. The shock waves of upheaval brought about a host of satirical publications. The most prominent of them was the Molla Nasraddin magazine, which was popular all over the Caucasus, Middle East and Central Asia, its publisher being Jalil Mammadguluzadeh. Sabir’s best, most creative mature years are associated with this publication. His pen did not miss a single political event, a single problem typical for the still the feudal-patriarchal Azerbaijani society and he embodied his ideas in stirring, thought-provoking images. Sabir wrote about the arbitrariness of Tsarist officials, landowners and beys ignorant to their people, the backwardness of the clergy, the down-trodden status of women and the social situation of the working people. Sabir’s poetry won him the people’s respect and popularity, at the same time, placing him in a very risky and dangerous position. He was exposed to persecution, attacks and insults of the officials, mullahs and qochus (bouncers), who threatened him with reprisals. That’s why Sabir (this pen-name means patience) had more than fifty pen-names. But even this could not help him escape from persecution.
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