As was the case with many other intellectuals of his period, Tevfik's satirical poetry critical of the conservative sultan Abdul Hamid II resulted in his exile to Egypt in 1903,[3] which he later visited again between 1908 and 1913.

Neyzen Tevfik's fame in popular Turkish culture is mainly due to his virtuosity with the ney.

He therefore is also a symbol of a clash between the orthodox Islamic doctrine, and the Bektashi order that he was in, as illustrated in the following translation of his writing: The disbeliever's book has neither beginning nor end.

Yet, in a scholarly article[2] that takes into account his overall life, including final utterings, shows that he was a genuine believer even though he criticized superficial religiosity: "Hayatında kendisine maddî imkânlar sağlayacak kişilere iltifat etmemiş, bildiği ve inandığı gibi yaşamıştır.

“Felsefemde yok ötem, ben çünki sırr-ı vâhidim / Cem‘-i kesrette yekûnen sıfr-ı mutlak olmuşum / Yokluğumla âşikârım, Ehl-i beyt’e âidim / Secdemin şeklindeki ism-i Muhammed şâhidim” mısraları ve ölümüne çok yakın bir zamanda kendisini ziyarete gelen Cemalettin Server’e söylediği, “Şahit ol Server, ben şuurlu bir müminim” sözü onun dinî inancı hakkında bir kanaat verir.

".Tevfik is featured in the sculptor Gürdal Duyars monument Şairler Sofası together with 6 other poets.