Today is the birthday of Seyid Azim Shirvani

Today is the birthday of the outstanding Azerbaijani poet, educator and enlightener of the 19th century Seid Azim Shirvani.

BAKU.WS reminds that Shirvani was born on July 9, 1835 in the Galabazar quarter in Shamakhy, in the family of the famous religious figure Seid Muhammad.

The boy was not even seven years old when he lost his father. His maternal grandfather, Molla Hussein, who lived in the village of Yakhsay in Dagestan, took his daughter and grandson to his home. He personally took charge of the upbringing and education of his grandson. Over 11 years, Seid Azim perfectly studied Arabic and Persian languages and fully mastered the Quran. In 1853, at the age of 18, he returned to Shamakhy with his mother. Three years later, the 21-year-old young man went to Iraq, first to Najaf and Baghdad, and then to the city of Sham in Syria to receive spiritual education.

In 1857, he visited Mecca, Medina, Egypt and Syria and returned to his homeland at the end of the 1850s. However, young Seid Azim, who showed great interest in secular sciences, changed his attitude toward religion. He renounced the spiritual title of akhund that he had received in Damascus and became a school teacher.

The poet, who joyfully welcomed the publication of the newspaper "Ekinchi," published some of his poems in it. After the closure of the publication, he collaborated with the newspapers "Ziya" and "Ziyayi-Gafgaziyya."

In 1877, Seid Azim began teaching the Azerbaijani language and Sharia at the Shamakhy school, where he worked with short breaks until the end of his life. In 1878, he completed his book "Rabiul-atfal" ("Spring of Children").

By the end of the 19th century, Seid Azim opened a new school in Shamakhy called "Majlis." In this educational institution, unlike the old mollakhana (school at the mosque - ed.), students were taught Azerbaijani, Russian and Persian languages, as well as basic knowledge of modern sciences.

Prominent satirical poet Mirza Alekber Sabir, writer-enlightener, playwright Sultan Majid Ganizade, and a number of other writers studied at his school.

The poet's creative heritage consists of two major collections in Azerbaijani and Persian languages. Most of his work consists of ghazals, rubais, qasidas, marsiyas, as well as poetic stories, fables, parables, epistles reflecting beautiful and noble deeds such as honesty, bravery, strength of spirit, helping the oppressed, etc., and literary works. An important place in Shirvani's work is also occupied by satirical works of social orientation. His satires "The Mad Devil," "Mekri-zenan," "Complaint to the Heavens," "Scholar Without Science" and others made him famous as a great realist poet of his time.

In 1887, he was awarded the medal "For Diligence" for his services in the field of education. Living in poverty, the poet received the medal just 10 days before his death, in May 1888. The poet, who died on May 20, was buried in the Shahandan cemetery in Shamakhy according to his will.