Who is Nuri Pakdil?
Nuri Pakdil, born in 1934 in Kahramanmaraş, was a writer who loved writing, thinking, and guiding people. He viewed his writing as a responsibility and wished to teach people to be good, to think critically, and to view the world with justice. He passed away in 2019 in Ankara.
Nuri Pakdil (Generated by Artificial Intelligence.)
Childhood and Family
From an early age, Nuri Pakdil greatly loved reading and thinking. His mother told him Algerian stories and gifted him a small atlas to help him understand the world. Nuri would sleep with this atlas, dreaming of journeys to distant lands.
His family was deeply committed to religious values and respectful in character. Nuri entered primary school through an entrance examination and received lessons from private tutors. This was a crucial step in learning to think differently.
School Years
He started middle school somewhat late but excelled academically. At Maraş High School, he co-founded a school magazine called Hamle with his friends. This publication demonstrated that even a young student could change the world through ideas.
He later graduated from the Faculty of Law at Istanbul University. There, he met renowned writers such as Necip Fazıl Kısakürek and Sezai Karakoç. These individuals profoundly influenced his intellectual world.
Literary Magazine
In 1969, he founded a magazine named Edebiyat in Ankara. This publication was not merely a platform for publishing writings; it became a meeting point for thoughtful and questioning youth.
The magazine was filled with articles that spoke of the people, labor, justice, and faith. Nuri Pakdil encouraged young people with the message: “Let us preserve our own culture, but also come to know the world.”
Many important writers, including Rasim Özdenören, Erdem Bayazıt, and Akif İnan, emerged from his circle.
His Ideas
For Nuri Pakdil, writing was not merely arranging words side by side. Writing was an act to make the world a better place.
He insisted that people must never forget their own values. He advocated not imitating the West, but becoming modern by drawing strength from our own roots.
He believed every person’s labor was valuable. No one’s effort should go in vain; everyone deserves their due rights.
Love for Jerusalem
Nuri Pakdil deeply loved Jerusalem. To him, Jerusalem was not merely a city but the heart of conscience.
“I carry Jerusalem like a wristwatch,” he said. For him, Jerusalem was a value that must always be remembered.
In his poem titled “Mothers and Jerusalem”, he united the love of mothers with the sanctity of Jerusalem. He called people to goodness and solidarity with the words: “Walk, brother, may the power of Jerusalem strengthen your steps.”
Writing Style
Nuri Pakdil’s writings were sometimes short, sometimes long, but always powerful. Each sentence carried a hidden call to action.
He regarded writing as a form of worship. To write was a way of properly using the intellect and heart granted by God.
Some of His Works
-Notes on the West
-Biat (3 volumes)
-Mothers and Jerusalem
-Hotel Observation Notebooks
-Notes of a Writer
-Attachment
In these books, he shared both his thoughts and emotions.
Later Years
Nuri Pakdil never stopped writing until the end of his life. In 2013, he received the Culture and Art Grand Prize, in 2014 the Necip Fazıl Honor Prize, and in 2019 the Presidential Culture and Art Prize.
He passed away on October 18, 2019, in Ankara and was buried at the Taceddin Dergâhı.
Final Words
Nuri Pakdil teaches us this:
“Thinking, writing, and defending goodness must never cease.”
Every child who reads his books can help build a more just world—with both heart and mind.
