Islam Ahmad oghlu Safarli was born on February 12, 1923, in the village of Shakarabad, Babek district, Nakhchivan ASSR. From 1930 to 1937, he attended a seven-year school in Shakarabad village, and from 1938 to 1941, he continued his education at Nakhchivan City Secondary School No. 1. When the Great Patriotic War began in 1941, he volunteered to go to the front. He was a scout in the 416th Azerbaijani Taganrog Division. In 1945, an order was issued for his discharge from the army.

From 1945 to 1946, he was a copyreader at the “Şərq qapısı” newspaper, an employee of the Nakhchivan Radio Committee, and a special correspondent for the "Azərbaycan gəncləri" newspaper. He studied at the Philology Faculty of Baku State University from 1946 to 1951 and married in 1948. In 1951-1952, he worked as the head of the art department at the "Ədəbiyyat" newspaper. In 1953-1959, he served as a correspondent and head of the literary drama department at the Azerbaijan Radio Department. On March 21, 1973, by the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR, he was awarded the title of "Honored Art Worker".

The poems he wrote during the war years, “Ordumuza ithaf”, “Ədəbi gənclik”, “Onüçlər”, “Əmin ol ata!”, “Qoşa söyüd”, as well as “Təzə çiçəklər” , “Üçüncü hərb istəmirik” etc., dedicated to the cherished memory of twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Major General Hazi Aslanov, were influenced by the deep imprints the war left in his memory. The theme of war was also reflected in the young poet’s long poems, such as “Sınaq gecəsi”, “Çex qızının məhəbbəti”, “Yaralı nəğmə”, “Qığılcım”, “Fırtınalar adası”, “Dəfinə”, “Ələsgər”, “Birinci katib”, “İnsan ləpiri”, “İki bacı”, “Qeyrət qapısı”, “Abşeron yatağı”, which stood out as captivating and memorable.

Islam Safarli was also a successful playwright. “Göz həkimi”, “Ana ürəyi”, “Yol ayrıcı”, “Xeyir və Şər”, “Dədəgünəş əfsanəsi”, and other plays were staged at different times and in various regions, winning audience's sympathy. Islam Safarli also authored essays, short stories, librettos, film scripts, and articles. His ballet libretto “İki könül bir olanda” (1947), essays “İki qardaş” (1950), “Badamlı kəndinin qızı” (1955), film scripts “Şərqin qalibləri” (1960), “Bir stəkan çay” (1971), short stories “Təzə qəsəbədə gülüş”, “Məzhəkli itki” (1973) and numerous articles are very significant for capturing the pulse of the time. Islam Safarli was also engaged in translation activities. He made successful translations from eminent literary figures such as A.S. Pushkin, M.A. Svetlov, S. Marshak, M. Karim, M. Tursunzoda, K. Kaladze, Y. Dolmatovsky, and others.

The poems of Islam Safarli have inspired countless songs, including “Bakı, sabahın xeyir”, “Zərif gülüşlüm”, “Bir könül sındırmışam”, “Qonaq gəl bizə”, “Bakılı qız”, “Nə vaxta qaldı”, “Ana”, “Ay qaşı, gözü qara qız”, “Ağ xalatlı həkimlər”, “Gəncliyimi gəzirəm”, “Aylı gecələr”  and many others. These songs have become timeless classics that are still cherished and enjoyed today.

To immortalize Islam Safarli's name, one of the ships sailing in the Caspian Sea was named "Islam Safarli", one of the central streets of Baku is named after the poet, and a bas-relief - a memorial plaque - was placed on the building where he lived in Baku (Hasan Seyidbeyli, 30).

Islam Safarli has published 18 books.

Poet Islam Safarli died on November 6, 1974, after a long illness and was buried in the Alley of Honor.

Recommended literature:

1. Səfərli, İslam Əhməd oğlu. Bakı, sabahın xeyir!: Seçilmiş əsərləri /İslam Səfərli; Şerləri toplayan tərtib edən: Hidayət Səfərli; Red.: Sevda Mikayılqızı. - Bakı: Ziya-Nurlan, 2004. - 347 s.
2. Səfərli, Əli Əsgər oğlu. Poeziyamızın İslam Səfərli zirvəsi /Ə. Ə. Səfərli, A. Ağaqızı ; ön sözün müəl. C. Vəzirov ; red. N. Məmmədli. - Bakı: Nurlan, 2006. - 165 s.
3. Səfərli, İslam Əhməd oğlu. Seçilmiş əsərləri /İ. Səfərli ; tərt. ed. H. Səfərli ; ön sözün müəl. V. Yusifli; [buraxıl. məsul Ə. Güləliyev ; tərtibatçı-rəssam N. Əliyeva]. - Bakı: Lider nəşriyyat, 2005. - 224 s.