"Molla Nasreddin", the first weekly-illustrated satirical magazine," appeared at the beginning of the 20th century, in the difficult socio-political conditions of Azerbaijan.

"Molla Nasreddin" had a great impact on the development of the democratic press in Azerbaijan and in a very short time became the most widely read publication not only in Azerbaijan, but also in all countries of the Near and Middle East.

On February 21, 1906, Jalil Mammadguluzadeh appealed to the Governor-General of Tiflis (now Tbilisi) requesting permission to publish a weekly satirical-humorous magazine in Azerbaijani called "Molla Nasreddin".

On March 4, 1906, the governor of Tiflis allowed J. Mammadguluzadeh to publish a magazine according to the following program: 1. Conversations, 2. Sharp notes, 3. Feuilletons, 4. Humorous verses, 5. Humorous telegrams, 6. Satirical stories, 7. Anecdotes, 8. Postbox, 9. Humorous announcements, 10. Special announcements, 11. Cartoons and illustrations.

The first issue of the “Molla Nasreddin” magazine was published on April 7, 1906, at the Geyrat printing house in Tiflis. After the first issue of the magazine was printed and distributed in 1000 copies, it became very popular in a short time. The name of the magazine – "Molla Nasreddin" – came from the name of the naive but wise Molla, known throughout the Middle East as the hero of anecdotes.

The cover of the first issue of the magazine depicts Molla Nasreddin, who awakens the "sleeping peoples of the East". It was a skillful caricature, expressing the goal and purpose of the magazine as clear as possible. The picture was drawn by the German cartoonist-artist Oskar Schmerling.

The journal was published in Tiflis in 1906-1917, in Tabriz in 1921, in Baku in 1922-1931. 741 issues of "Molla Nasreddin" magazine were published (370 in Tbilisi, 8 in Tabriz, 363 in Baku). Since 1906, J.Mammadguluzadeh has been the publisher and editor of the magazine for 25 years (with interruptions). In 1910-1911, Mahammadali Sidgizadeh (M. Sidki) was the temporary editor for several months, and A. Najafov (Gamkusar) was the second editor. From February 7, 1925 (No. 6) until the last issue (January 1931, No. 2), the magazine was published under the editorship of "Heyati Tyakhriye” (editorial board). The magazine "Molla Nasreddin" has brought a new style, satirical journalism, new genres of poetry and prose to the literary-social thought of Azerbaijan.

The joint activity of famous poets, writers, journalists of that time, such as O.F.Nemanzade, M.A.Sabir, A. Hagverdiyev, A.Gamkusar, A.Nazmi, M.S.Ordubadi, A.Razi, M.A.Mojuz, B.Abbaszade and such masters of caricature as O.Shmerling, I.Rotter, A.Azimzade under the leadership of J.Mammadguluzade, elevated the magazine "Molla Nasreddin" to the top of the satirical press and brought it to the level of a literary school.

The magazine "Molla Nasreddin" laid the foundations of the revolutionary satirical press not only in Azerbaijan, but also among the Muslims of the Volga region, Central Asia, Iran, and Turkey. Under the influence of this magazine, were published the magazines "Bahlul", "Zanbur", "Mirat", "Kalniyat", "Mazali", "Tuti", "Babai Amir" in Baku, "Leklak" in Erivan; "Garchiga", "Chokuk" in Orenburg; "Yashen", "Yalt-Yult" in Kazan; "Tup" in Astrakhan ; "Azerbaijan" in Tabriz; "Nasimi-Shimal" in Rasht; "Suri Israfil" in Tehran, "Garagoz", "Khoja Nasreddin" and other magazines  in Istanbul.

The magazine existed until the year of 1931. J. Mammadguluzadeh was the editor of the magazine during the Soviet period and actively worked on the introduction of the new Azerbaijani alphabet. But the existence of the magazine “Molla Nasreddin” under Soviet rule did not last long. In the early 1930s, the authorities demanded that J. Mammadguluzadeh change the name of the magazine to Bezbozhnik (Godless) to fit in with the Soviet ideology. Even though the magazine "Molla Nasreddin" became the organ of The League of Militant Atheists (an atheistic and antireligious organization of workers and intelligentsia that developed under influence of the ideological and cultural views and policies of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1925 to 1947), it was not published under the name "Bezbozhnik" (Godless). The indispensable editor of the magazine soon left the post of editor-in-chief, as he did not come to terms with the Bolshevik censorship.  In January 1931, only 2 issues were published, and the magazine closed shortly after.

The foundations of critical realism, satirical journalism and caricature art were laid by the magazine "Molla Nasreddin" in Azerbaijan and in the Middle East. Along with the pinnacle of the Azerbaijani satirical press, the magazine is rightfully considered the national and moral heritage of our realistic written literature.

The release of the magazine "Molla Nasreddin" in 2017-2018 in 10 volumes in Latin is an important literary and cultural event. The celebration of the 50th, 100th and 110th anniversary of the magazine at the state level is an expression of respect to the magazine "Molla Nasreddin".

Recommended literature:

1. Ağayev, İslam Məmməd oğlu. Tarixi yaddaşımızın böyük yadigarı : "Molla Nəsrəddin" satira jurnalının 100 illiyi / İ. M. Ağayev ; red. B. Ə. Nəbiyev. - Bakı : Elm, 2006. - 56 s.
2. Cavanşir, Həmidə xanım. Xatirələrim / H. Cavanşir ; tərt., rus dilində tərc. M. Vəzir, red. Ə. Ş. Tahirzadə. - II nəşri. - Bakı : Apostrof, 2012. - 400 s.
3. Hüseynov, Yusif Hüseyn oğlu. Mollanəsrəddinçilərin dünyagörüşünün sosial-fəlsəfi təhlili: müasir yanaşma : monoqrafiya / Y. H. Hüseynov ; elmi red. İ. Ə. Həbibbəyli ; ön sözün müəl. Q. Allahverdiyev ; Naxçıvan Dövlət Universiteti. - Naxçıvan : Əcəmi NPB, 2017. - 288 s.
4. Namazova, Səba Azad qızı. XX əsr Azərbaycan ədəbiyyatı məsələləri : elmi-nəzəri məqalələr: dərs vəsaiti / S. A. Namazova ; elmi red. A. Məmmədli ; Gəncə Dövlət Universiteti. - Bakı : Elm və təhsil, 2019. - 248 s.
5. Qasımova, Elmira Kamil qızı. Azərbaycan satirik mətbuatında gizli imzalar : 1906-1920: biblioqrafik göstərici / E. K. Qasımova, A. Əliyeva ; elmi red. Ş. Şamıoğlu ; AMEA Nizami adına Ədəbiyyat İnstitutu. - Bakı : Avropa nəşriyyatı, 2019. - 194 s.