Jamil Hasanli – August 18, 2014
Today marks the third anniversary of the passing of the great scholar and thinker, Dr. Javad Heyat. Many years ago, the great poet Bakhtiyar Vahabzadeh introduced me to this unparalleled intellectual, and this acquaintance left a deep impression on my life.
When talking about Dr. Heyat, it is essential to mention some of his intellectual and moral friends in Baku, including Bakhtiyar Vahabzadeh, Nureddin bey, Professor Suleyman Aliyarli, and other well-known figures. Fate led me to participate in some of the meetings, discussions, and debates of these prominent individuals when Dr. Heyat came to Baku, and frankly, I learned a great deal from these discussions.
Back in the mid-1990s, Bakhtiyar Vahabzadeh, Shirmemməd bey (Doctor Shirmemmed Huseynov, Baku State University), and I published an article on Rasulzade, which Dr. Heyat had read. In one of our subsequent meetings, he brought up this article. He provided fascinating insights into Rasulzade’s activities in Iran, his relationship with Seyed Hassan Taghizadeh, and their joint newspaper publication. His life spanned across three countries.
Professor Javad Heyat was born in Tabriz, received his medical education at Istanbul University in Turkey, laid the foundation of heart surgery in Iran, and passed away in Baku.
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| The farewell ceremony for Dr. Javad Heyat in Baku, Azerbaijan. |
In fact, God had given him such a life because of his thoughts and ideals, and he considered all three countries his homeland. Though Dr. Heyat was a medical doctor and professor, he was also the honorary president of the Turkish Language Institution. This important position was entrusted to him because Javad Bey was the author of a seven-volume work on Turkology. I have attended several international Turkology conferences in Turkey, where I observed the profound respect that distinguished linguists held for his insightful opinions and views. His scientific research and publications on the Turkish language, particularly on the language of Iranian Turks, and his comparative analysis of Turkish and Persian languages, hold profound academic value.
Dr. Heyat was also a brilliant connoisseur of literature. He was especially passionate about medieval Persian and Azerbaijani literature and 20th-century Turkish literature. His mental archive held beautiful examples from Firdowsi, Nizami, Hafez, Saadi, and Shams of Tabriz, and he knew by heart the works of Yahya Kemal and Tofiq Fikrati, but in poetry, he followed the example of Shahriyar.
Dr. Heyat was a historian. His work "A View of the History and Culture of the Turks (from pre-Islamic times to the beginning of the Islamic period and up to the 16th century)" is a perfect historical study, and any professional historian would envy this work.
Javad Heyat was a man of action. His establishment of the "Varlıq" journal stemmed from his practical nature. By gathering figures such as Hamid Notghi, Mehemmed Ali Ferzane, Hasan Savalan, Kerim Sonmezi, Khamenei Manzuri, Samed Serdariniya, Ghulam Hossein Begdeli, and others around "Varlıq," Dr. Heyat was able to preserve the existence of the Turkish language in Iran. This was his great service to his people. Finally, Professor Javad Heyat was a symbol, an example, a model of dedication to his profession, and a model of loyalty to his principles. His personality was larger than life, and despite being nearly ninety, he managed to maintain his stature as he did his character. He was a bright soul.
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| Dr. Javad Heyat, along with the founders of the bilingual Turkish-Persian journal Varlıq, in 1979. |
Such individuals are rare in our time. He left behind a significant legacy, enriching our national spiritual heritage and refreshing our collective memory. I can confidently say that Professor Javad Heyat’s spiritual life will outlast his long physical life, as he lived a life full of purpose and service to the vitality of the nation. It is customary to express condolences to the family and loved ones at memorial gatherings. However, Dr. Heyat’s loss extends far beyond the family circle. The magnitude of this loss is immense, and for this reason, I extend my condolences to all the people of Azerbaijan and the nations of Iran.
May God rest his soul, and may his grave be filled with light.
Link to the original article in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Cavad Heyət - təkrarsız fikir adamı [Cəmil Həsənlinin məqaləsi]