Uluslararası Anadolu Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi

Öz

The “Westernization” policy formalized by the Ottoman Empire through the Tanzimat Decree (Tanzimat Fermanı) had various reflections among the era's intellectuals. These reflections, mostly of a critical nature, were often directed towards the “othering” attitude of the West towards the East. However, since they couldn’t be transformed into a systematic and planned action plan, they failed to achieve the desired impact. Mehmet Âkif’s distinctiveness among his contemporaries lies in his ability to not only grasp the problem comprehensively but also provide solutions instead of merely criticizing. Mehmet Âkif, the poet of the “National Anthem” not only identifies the issue in his poems, articles, and sermons but also presents his recommendations, thereby warning the public. Mehmet Âkif was well aware of why the objections made by intellectuals before him remained ineffective. Furthermore, he went beyond this awareness and comprehensively understood the Western policy towards the East, which Edward Said later coined as “Orientalism”. He explained his perspectives on how to confront this policy. From this standpoint, when considering the subdued yet influential role he played in the country’s independence, writing the “National Anthem” gains an additional layer of meaning. This study delves into how Mehmet Âkif accurately pinpointed the impact of Europe's Eastern policy on the Ottoman Empire in his poems, articles, and sermons, preceding Edward Said’s work on Orientalism.