Imadaddin Nasimi, Azerbaijani poet and thinker with real name of Sayyid Ali Sayyid Muhammad (oglu) was born in 1369 in the city of Shamakhi and killed in 1417 in Aleppo. Being one of the pioneers of native – language poetry, Nasimi got his education in Shamakhi, studied the sciences of his time, history of religion, logic, mathematics and astronomy in this city. After the gibbet of Mansur Al-Hallac Huseyni in Baghdad in 10 th century, whose sufi views were preached by Nasimi, he wrote his first poems under the pseudonym of “Husseini”. He got in touch with the adherents of Hurufism, widely spread religious movement at the end of 14 th century, adopted the views of Fazlullah Naimi, the founder of Hurufism and began to write poems personifying the ideas of this trend. Since that time accepted the pseudonym of “Nasimi”, which is in coincidence with Naimi. The major idea of Hurufism is the conception of creation of human by God as a possessor of great potential opportunities and with ability to perfect his passion and to reach divinity by abstaining animal instincts. The word of “huruf” is derived from Arabic and the literal meaning is “letters”. Naimi could write his “Testament” and send to his adherents before he was killed by Miranshah. He recommended them to scatter in different countries and disseminate Hurufism. Following his “Testament”, Nasimi left Baku, the center of Hurufism immediately after his execution in 1394. First he headed to Tabriz, then to Anatolia. He was imprisoned several times for dissemination of Hurufism. As the Ottoman Sultan Murad I persecuted the adherents, he left Anatolia for Syria and lived in Aleppo for a while. The great poet spent the last years of this life in Aleppo. He was imprisoned there in 1417, declared “pagan” and “heathen” and skinned alive by the order of sultan of Egypt and clerical judgment. Nasimi had a complicated path of creativity. He was lyrical poet, started his literary activity with amorous poems, and later wrote in the theme of the politics and ethics. He is considered the founder of philosophical ghazal in native language in the history of Azerbaijani literature. Nasimi curtained the prohibited critical thoughts about public life in his amorous or landscape descriptive lines. His creative activity is considered a significant stage in the development of Azerbaijan poetry and literary language. His literary activity has a particular importance, especially, in terms of historical development of Azerbaijani Turkish. He tried to harmonize the verses of Arud with Azerbaijani language. Nasimi is the first poet who wrote mustazads, murabbes, tarcibands in native language in Azerbaijani literature. His rubais and tuyugs have specific content. The rubais narrate the Hurufism provisions, own philosophical views and thoughts about life and universe in compact and logical style. He wrote exquisite samples both in Arabic and Persian, besides Turkish and composed divan (collection of lyrical poems) both in native and Persian languages. Nasimi’s works are evaluated mainly from two aspects: superior poetic skills and dissemination of humanistic ideas. Nasimi is the great lyrical poet glorifying human beauty and humanistic love. The main subject of his lyrics is love. Unveiling his poems from the Sufizm and Hurufizm, we can see sincere and pure glorification of human feelings. He wrote only in Arud verse and lyrical style. Although he skillfully composed in masnavi (double-rhymed verse), gasidah (ode), ghazal, tuyug, mustazad, tarciband, mulamma genres, ghazals dominate in his creativity. Nasimi’s works made fame in Azerbaijan, Near East, Iraq, Asia Minor, Syria, as well as in Middle Asia and among uyghurs still he was alive. Native language poems had a powerful impact on the improvement of Azerbaijani poetry and creativity of great literary masters such as Shah Ismail Khatai, Fuzuli and Vagif. Jahanshah Hagigi of 15 th century wrote a lot of nazirahs (imitative poem) to his poetry. Nasimi’s poetry had significantly influenced all Turkish literature (Turkish, Turkmen and Uzbek) since 15 th century. The manuscripts of the poet are widely spread. These samples are preserved at the important libraries of the world. His works have been published over and over, became the theme of scientific researches. 600 th anniversary of his birthday was celebrated worldwide by the order of UNESCO. The representatives of many countries participated in the anniversary ceremonies in Azerbaijan and Moscow. One of the Baku districts and metro stations were named after Nasimi. A novel (I. Muganna “Doomsday”), a poem (Gabil “Nasimi”) were written, a cantata (J. Jahangirov), a symphonic poem (A. Rzayev), a ballet of “Nasimi Epos” (F. Amirov) were composed, a feature film (“Nasimi”), two documentaries were shot about him; his poems were composed in music and romances. His monument was built up in Baku. The Institute of Linguistics of ANAS is named after Nasimi.
Nasimi metro station in Baku
The Monument of Imadaddin Nasimi
Ministry of Culture and Tourism Republic of Azerbaijan