Mirza Alakbar Sabir

Mirza Alakbar Sabir , born Alakbar Zeynalabdin oglu Tahirzadeh 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 Fuzuli'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.

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.