Research Information System
Osmanli Medeniyeti Arastirmalari Dergisi, vol.2025, no.24, pp.114-146, 2025 (Scopus, TRDizin)
Although known primarily as a poet, Mehmet Akif was also a versatile intellectual with advanced Arabic, Persian, and French knowledge. He scrutinized his time's social, political, cultural, and economic issues. The primary phenomenon influencing his perspectives was the era that brought depression to his nation and all Muslims. This depression seemed to stem from external factors: on the one hand, Muslim societies were collapsing globally and coming under the dominance of European states; on the other hand, the Ottoman Empire was rapidly heading towards a similar fate. Undoubtedly, this marked the final phase of Europe's victories over other civilizations throughout the 19th century. Like nearly every Ottoman intellectual and politician, Akif sought a means to avert the collapse and chaos faced by the Ottomans and the Muslim world. However, Akif focused on internal rather than external factors and appearances contributing to the collapse of Muslim societies. At this juncture, he characterized the situation of all Muslims with the term “deceased nation.” This descriptive yet poignant term captured the marginal decline of Muslim societies at the onset of the 20th century. Moreover, in our view, this term represents one of the most significant concepts he used to articulate his thoughts about Muslims. In this article, the situation of Islamic societies from Akif's perspective will be discussed within the concept of the deceased nation/ deceased ummah.