May 30 marks the birthday of Azerbaijani poet, satirist, and thinker Mirza Alakbar Sabir. He was born in 1862 in Shamakhi.
Sabir began his education in a religious school, later studying under Seyid Azim Shirvani. His first translation was from Saadi's "Golestan".
Although his father made him work in his shop, Sabir continued writing. At 23, he traveled to Central Asia and Iran.
He married in 1887 and had eight daughters and one son. His house was destroyed in the 1902 Shamakhi earthquake.
In the early 20th century, his poems began appearing in the press. In 1906, he became an active author for "Molla Nasraddin" journal.
In 1908, he earned a teaching diploma and opened "Umid" school. In 1910, he worked for "Zənbur" journal in Baku.
Suffering from lung disease, Sabir died on July 12, 1911. He is buried in Shamakhi's "Yeddi Gusha" cemetery.
