RELATIONSHIPS OF MIRZA FATALI AKHUNDZADA WITH HIS CONTEMPORARIES IN THE FIELD OF STRUGGLE FOR NEW ALPHABET

Abstract

The article investigates the new idea of alphabet of M.F.Akhundzada and the social-scientific relationships with his contemporaries in the field of realizing this idea. İt is noted that the idea of new alphabet constitutes the basis of the concept of enlightenment. According to the rich scientific and epistolary heritage of writer-thinker, he put forward the issue of the necessity of alphapet reform giving ground that it causes to the massive illiteracy and non-compliance with Arabic alphabet used in Azerbaijan to the phonetic nature of Azerbaijan language as the result of social-historical processes and making special difficulties in teaching process. However M.F.Akhundzada doesn’t consider his mission to be completed with putting forward an idea, he made a new alphabet and sent it to the official counties of the Ottoman Empire and Iran, as well as the scientific centers of the important five countries of Europe for discussing it. The article has investigated the visit of M.F.Akhundzada to İstanbul and its results, as well as the correspondences with the official counties of Iran and consultations with his contemporariesfor discussing new alphabet project. The article as involved to the study of letters he sent to his contemporaries, his relevant writings kept in the archive of  M.A.Akhundzada, and appreciated the idea and considerations of other researchers about the problem. The Article clarifies the reasons of not realizing the idea of new alphabet of  M.F.Akhundzada, and showed historical-culturological importance of this idea. It is noted that new alphabet idea collected supporters during little time, the issue of changing Arabic alphabet became social requirement in society and after Azerbaijan regained its state independence, the country started to Latin graphics alphabet