The newspaper was established in 1949 by Kemal Ilıcak, Sadettin Çulcu, and Ünal Sakman. With a nationalist and conservative editorial line, Tercüman was known for its stance against new Turkish words, which it described as “made-up language,” its editorial policy of uniting right-wing views, and its high-circulation serialized stories.
The newspaper's early writers included names such as Yakup Kadri Karaosmanoğlu, Necip Fazıl Kısakürek, Ahmet Kabaklı, Tarık Buğra, Rauf Tamer, Nazlı Ilıcak, Güneri Cıvaoğlu, and Mehmet Barlas. In 1986, Taha Akyol became Editor-in-Chief. Following the death of its founder Kemal Ilıcak in 1993, the newspaper faced financial difficulties and closed in 1995.
Mehmed Safayhi served as director of the Süleymaniye Manuscript Library from 1937 until November 30, 1970, and was appointed as a classification clerk in 1940. According to a document sent by the Ministry of National Education on June 23, 1961, at the request of Süleymaniye Library Director Halit Dener, Mehmed Safayhi completed his higher education by obtaining a madrasa certificate from teacher Gürdolusu Emin Efendi on 8 Cemaziyelevvel 1332 (April 4, 1914). He retired on November 30, 1970, due to age.
Mehmed Safayhi, who passed away on October 7, 1977, is buried in the Beşiktaş Yahya Efendi Dergâhı Haziresi, next to Abdülhay Öztoprak, the last sheikh of the dergâh and also his father-in-law.