Sezai Karakoç (Ahmet Sezai Karakoç; b. 22 January 1933, Ergani, Diyarbakır – d. 16 November 2021, Istanbul) was one of the leading figures of Turkish poetry in the Republican era, as well as a thinker, writer, and politician. Through his poetry, which emphasized metaphysical themes, Karakoç advocated for the reconstruction of Turkish-Islamic civilization and established a literary and intellectual movement under the name “Diriliş.” He authored numerous works on literature, philosophy, history, politics, and civilization, and is regarded as one of the pioneers of the Islamist and cultural conservative current in modern Turkish thought.

Life

Family and Childhood Years

Ahmet Sezai Karakoç was born on 22 January 1933 in the district of Ergani, Diyarbakır. His father, Yasin Bey, was a merchant who was captured by Russian forces on the Caucasian Front during the First World War; his mother was Emine Hanım. The family’s nickname was “Leventoğulları,” and after the Surname Law, they adopted the surname “Karakoç.”

His childhood was spent in the towns of Ergani, Maden, and Piran (present-day Dicle). He completed primary school in Ergani in 1944, Maraş Middle School in 1947, and Gaziantep High School in 1950. From an early age, he developed a strong habit of reading. In primary school, he read classic religious texts such as the stories of Battal Gazi and Muhammediye; in middle school, he became familiar with the works of Namık Kemal, Ziya Paşa, Tevfik Fikret, and Ziya Gökalp.

Educational and Civil Service Career

In 1950, he enrolled in the Finance Department of the Faculty of Political Sciences at Ankara University and graduated in 1955. In the same year, he began working at the Ministry of Finance; in 1956 he became an assistant inspector, and in 1959 he was appointed Controller of Revenues in Istanbul. In 1965, he resigned from his position to focus on literary pursuits; he briefly returned to public service in 1971 and left government service entirely in 1973.

Beginning of Literary and Intellectual Life

During his university years, he became closely associated with Islamic thought under the influence of the journal Büyük Doğu, published by Necip Fazıl Kısakürek, and after meeting Kısakürek, he joined his circle. His earliest writings were published in Büyük Doğu in the 1950s. Later, his poems and essays appeared in journals such as Yeni İstanbul, Hisar, Hilâl, Soyut, Pazar Postası, Türk Dili, Türk Yurdu, and Şiir Sanatı.

Diriliş Journal and Publishing Activities

In 1960, Karakoç began publishing the journal Diriliş, which continued intermittently until 1992. The journal served both as a literary and artistic publication and as a theoretical platform for Islamic thought. Karakoç’s decision not to publish his writings elsewhere demonstrated that all his literary and intellectual activities were centered around the Diriliş movement.

Political Activities

In 1990, Karakoç founded the Diriliş Party to translate his “Diriliş” idea into the political sphere and served as its general chairman until 1997. The party was dissolved because it did not participate in two consecutive elections. In 2007, he established the Yüce Diriliş Partisi along the same ideological lines.

Death

Karakoç died in Istanbul on 16 November 2021 at the age of 88 and was buried in the cemetery of Şehzadebaşı Camii.

Literary Identity

Poetic Vision and Poetics

Sezai Karakoç is regarded as a poet within the İkinci Yeni movement, yet one who preserved tradition in his poetry. While most İkinci Yeni poets advocated a break from tradition, Karakoç sustained tradition both formally and thematically, reworking the imagery of classical Ottoman and Sufi poetry in a modern language.

His poetic thought is shaped around the concept of “poetic logic.” His “new logic” transcends classical logic and carries the idea of rebirth tied to the “Diriliş” philosophy. Each poem exists by its own internal logic; this is expressed in his line, “My logic is above logic.”

Imagery and Metaphysical Elements in His Poetry

Karakoç’s poetry is grounded in a metaphysical dimension. The imagery in his poems carries a distinct consciousness within the abstract world of İkinci Yeni; these images are poetic projections of the concept of “civilization of truth.” Symbols such as death, rebirth, truth, light, city, mother, and civilization acquire both worldly and otherworldly meanings in his poetic language.

Literary Essays and Poetic Texts

In his works Edebiyat Yazıları I-II, he systematically articulated his understanding of poetry. For him, poetry is an aesthetic instrument that enables the comprehension of existence and being; its meaning is grasped through intuition and metaphysical experience rather than through logical proof.

Thought World and Conception of Civilization

The Idea of Diriliş

The concept of “Diriliş” lies at the center of Karakoç’s thought system. Diriliş signifies the rebirth of the soul, Islam, and humanity. The rebirth of the soul refers to the individual’s metaphysical awareness; the rebirth of Islam denotes the reconstruction of Muslim societies; and the rebirth of humanity means the attainment of all humankind by the civilization of truth.

Conception of Civilization

Karakoç rejects a Western-centric understanding of civilization and instead views it as a pluralistic structure. He defines Islamic civilization as the “civilization of truth” and presents it as an alternative to Western civilization, which he sees as alienating humanity and severed from metaphysics.

Political and Social Views

Sezai Karakoç’s political thought aligns with Islamist ideology. He envisions an Islamic civilization progressing from the individual to society and from society to the state. He imagines the state as a “Muslim confederation” based on the concept of the ummah. He regards Islam as an ontological source of security for the individual and as the fundamental norm of order for society.

Psychological and Religious Personality

In Karakoç’s personality, religion is the fundamental force guiding all aspects of life. Religion shaped his art, politics, and understanding of humanity. Karakoç explains the crisis of the modern age as a departure from authentic Islam and presents Islam as the remedy for humanity’s salvation.

Works

Karakoç’s complete works span a wide range of genres including poetry, thought, criticism, theater, and biography.

Poetry Books

• Körfez (1959)
• Şahdamar (1962)
• Sesler (1968)
• Zamana Adanmış Sözler (1970)
• Gün Doğmadan (1982, collected poems)

Thought and Essay Works

• Diriliş Neslinin Amentüsü
• İslam’ın Dirilişi
• Ruhun Dirilişi
• İnsanlığın Dirilişi
• Çağ ve İlham series
• Edebiyat Yazıları I-II-III
• Yapıtaşları ve Kaderimizin Çağrısı

Biographical and Monographic Works

Karakoç’s works Yunus Emre (1965), Mehmed Âkif (1968), Mevlânâ (1988), and Yitik Cennet (1974) are biographical and monographic in nature. In these works, he explores the ideal model of humanity and the aesthetic foundations of Islamic civilization through historical figures.

Intellectual Legacy and Influence

Sezai Karakoç is regarded as a figure who bridged modern Turkish poetry and tradition. His “Diriliş” idea shaped the cultural and aesthetic dimensions of Islamist thought in Turkey during the late twentieth century. Close associates emphasized that there was no contradiction between his writings, poetry, and life, as he consistently upheld the same ethical principles in all his actions.