Educational Life
When Mehmet Akif was four years old, he was sent to Emir Buhari neighborhood school (home) in Fatih and started his education life. To be here for two years and then to primary school for three years, middle school for three years and civil school (high school) for three years, then two years (as a daytime worker) in Ahırkapı and two years (semi-partly) in Halkalı. He attended Veterinary School (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine) for four years. In 1893, he received a diploma as the first graduate of the school and the first. Apart from his official education, Mehmet Akif constantly studied and educated himself from many scholars, especially his father, who was a very knowledgeable and conscious person. Since he had a special talent for language, he learned Arabic, Persian and French well enough to follow their literature and make translations by studying constantly. After taking a break for a while, he completed his hafiz studies, which he started as a child, by himself when he was twenty years old, and memorized the Qur’an. He spent his last years in Egypt busy with the translation of the Qur’an.
sportsmanship
Mehmet Akif, who was always first in his classes throughout his education life, was also busy with various sports, doing them in the best way without hindering his studies. When he was fourteen, he started oil wrestling, which has been the most popular and widespread sport in Ottoman society for centuries. He participated in the wrestling at village weddings when he was 16-18 years old. He walks long distances tirelessly; On weekends, he used to walk from Fatih to Halkalı on his way to school, and sometimes from Halkalı to the villages of Çatalca to wrestle. He could also shoot shot put, ride horses and swim very well. He also swam across the Bosphorus. It is understood that Akif, who has always lived in a spiritual and intellectual struggle throughout his life, considers being present to make physical jihad one day and in case of need as a form of worship and strives for this.
He is the author of the national anthem.