Mehmet Akif and activities addressed to provide solidarity and unity in the war of independence

When the last Turkish-Islamic government, Ottoman Empire which continued its existence thanks to Treaty of Mondros, was in danger, seeing and feeling this danger in advance, General Mustafa Kemal started Turkish war of independence in Samsun on 19 May, 1919. Mehmet Akif, who thought that the only possible way to liberate the country was removing discrimination and providing national solidarity and unity, gave full support to that new formation. With this aim, he went to Anatolia, and in accordance with the demands of General Mustafa Kemal he, with great effort and altruism and by using religious references, sermonized and advised to Turkish nation in some cities in order to make Turkish nation collaborate on war of independence. In a period when Damat Ferit Pasha?s government were agitating Turkish nation against war of independence, and in a time when there were sometimes rebellions, as being a member of spiritual and ethic guide committee Mehmet Akif?s sermons were very effective and played a big role in quashing the rebellions. Besides pulling out all the stops to rescue his country from every kind of occupation and pressure, M.Akif participated in the work of 1st parliamentary as a deputy of Burdur, and in the rest of his time instead of wasting his time, he maintained his support by writing poems and proses in Sebillürreşad newspaper. On the one hand, he was trying to awake Turkish nation in terms of mentality, on the other hand, he struggled to form faithful, intelligent, patriotic, and dynamic powers against the imperialistic powers. Mehmet Akif, the poet of liberation, wrote The Turkish National Anthem in such a hard period and gave it as a gift to Turkish nation.Key words: Mehmet Akif, National Struggle, Mustafa Kemal Pasha, Solidarity and Unity, The Turkish National Anthem