Sir syed ahmed khan

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Share on WhatsApp Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Telegram Share on Reddit Share on Email Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (17 October 1817- 27 March 1898) holds significant importance in Indian history- as an educationist, historiographer, journalist, social reformer, and the founder of Mohammadan Anglo Oriental (MAO) College, which became Aligarh Muslim University in 1920. But this does not end here. He was, in real sense a catalyst for reconstruction of his community, an advocate of rationalism, and a pioneer of modern education. Post 1857, his concern was not restricted only to subvert misconceptions related to the role of Muslims or build an educational institution. He genuinely attempted to prepare a roadmap which could help his coreligionists in coping with the challenges they were facing, and serve as a vanguard in future too. His notion of modernity held clear view of progressivism; although it can be contested, but no one can negate the colossal contributions he made. Also, some historians note that Indian society at that time rigorously held traditionalism, but Sir Syed believed that such approach would disturb onrushing of people to development and urged them to embrace modern scientific education. So, a number of times in his speeches, he emphasized the importance of western education and persuaded his coreligionists to abandon their conventional approach, indigenous institutions and adopt new knowledge. For instance, in 1863, while addressing a gathering at Ca...

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, an iconic social reformer and founder of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), which has completed 100 years, was born on October 17, 1817. That was a long time ago, but his thought process is as relevant today as ever before. Integration through education With the new National Education Policy, the role of education in national integration has been rekindled. National integration is a reality today. During colonialism, it was an ideal for Sir Syed. His distinctiveness lay in the way he used education as a tool for national integration. He said in 1883: “It is the... verdict of all the nations and great seers of the world that national progress depends on education and training (of the people). If, therefore, we desire the prosperity and development of our nation, we should strive for a national system of education to educate our people in science and technology.” Some scholars on colonial history have criticised some of Sir Syed’s statements on social order and his perceived closeness with the colonial government. However, to draw a generalised conclusion on Sir Syed’s convictions merely through the lens of some quotes without understanding their context would not be a fair way to assess his legacy. A person’s text should be judged in the context of the time in which they lived. The period of Sir Syed’s life was characterised by rapid transition — Mughal rule yielding to British imperialism. We must not underestimate the challenges posed by the new ord...

Fast Facts Date of Birth: October 17, 1817 Place of Birth: Delhi, Mughal Empire Death: March 27, 1898 Place of Death: Aligarh, British India Organisations: East India Company, Indian Judicial Branch, Government College University, Punjab University, Aligarh Muslim University Movement: Muslim Education, Empowerment and Social Reform Movement Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was an Indian Muslim pragmatist, philosopher, educator and Islamic reformist. He served the East India Company and became a judge at a Small Causes Court. He was a British loyalist but didn’t hesitate to criticise British policies, which he believed spurred the Indian Rebellion of 1857, in his 1859 booklet ‘Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind’ (‘The Causes of the Indian Mutiny’). A progressive thinker, Sir Syed worked diligently towards social and educational upliftment of Muslims and attacked the rigidity and orthodoxy among Muslims. He backed Western–style scientific education and established modern schools and the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in such pursuit. He also advised Indian Muslims to adopt Urdu as the lingua franca. An Indian National Congress critic, he influenced prominent Muslim leaders like Muhammad Ali Jinnah and first named Jinnah’s theory of a separate nation as “Two Nation theory.” He was also a reputed scholar and left an indelible mark with his writings. Image Credit : http://mindsight.pk/top-10-quotes-of-sir-syed-ahmed-khan/ Early Life Syed Ahmad Khan was born on October 17, 1817, in Delhi, Mughal Emp...

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Sir Syed Ahmad Khan: A peek into lesser known facets in the glorious life of Aligarh Muslim University founder Eminent scholar and critic Shafey Kidwai's painstakingly researched and illuminating new book, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan: Reason, Religion and Nation, breaks new ground in the studies around Sir Syed’s life and work, as well as his contributions to the making of modern India. The discourse around Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1817–1898), the founder of Aligarh Muslim University, whose 204th birth anniversary falls on 17 October, often tends to revolve primarily around his educational and social reforms. Sir Syed was deeply invested in the idea of India, and explored new frontiers of rationalism, radicalism, and non-conformism in the wide-ranging corpus of his writings that extend over religion, ethics, polity, education, patriotism, nationalism, human rights, Western civilisation, and modern sciences. This is a fact that gets drowned in the eulogies and encomiums showered on him that invariably hail him as an avant-courier, a visionary, a covenant of amity, and a moderniser of Muslims, who emerged as a beacon of hope amid the darkness of degradation that besieged the Muslims in colonial India, especially after the revolt of 1857. Often, these eulogies end up evoking Sir Syed’s description of Hindus and Muslims as the “two eyes of the beautiful bride that is Hindustan,” and his call that a true Muslim must have "the holy Quran in one hand and the science in the other." Eminent sc...

SAYYID AHMED KHAN AND THE ALIGARH MOVEMENT After 1857 the Muslims in India significantly responded to the cultural thrust of the West. Sir Sayyid Ahmed Khan (1817–1898) first grasped the challenge of modernization that British rule had brought to India. His intellectual legacy is abiding, though his political tactics are no longer relevant. Born 17 October 1817 into a prominent family of the later Mughal nobility, Sayyid received a traditional Muslim education, which ended when he was eighteen years old. Subsequently, on his own initiative, he acquired a profound knowledge of Islam. The death of his father and elder brother required him to take a modest job as sarishtadar (recorder) in Delhi's criminal court. In 1841 Sayyid was appointed munsif (subjudge); the last Mughal king, Bahadur Shah II, granted him the ancestral titles of Jawad ad-Daulah and Araf Jang (Supporter of the State and Wise Strategic Thinker). From 1846 to 1854, he remained in Delhi, writing six books on traditional religious themes. In 1847 he published an archaeological survey of Delhi, Athar Al-Sanadid, in recognition of which the Royal Asiatic Society of Britain made him an honorary fellow in 1864. In 1855 Sayyid was transferred to Bijnore, where he witnessed the tragic upheavals of 1857. Sayyid remained loyal to the British government, for which he was rewarded with promotion to the rank of Principal Sadr Amin. However, he had emerged from the ordeal of 1857 as a Muslim nationalist as well. He comple...

Fast Facts Date of Birth: October 17, 1817 Place of Birth: Delhi, Mughal Empire Death: March 27, 1898 Place of Death: Aligarh, British India Organisations: East India Company, Indian Judicial Branch, Government College University, Punjab University, Aligarh Muslim University Movement: Muslim Education, Empowerment and Social Reform Movement Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was an Indian Muslim pragmatist, philosopher, educator and Islamic reformist. He served the East India Company and became a judge at a Small Causes Court. He was a British loyalist but didn’t hesitate to criticise British policies, which he believed spurred the Indian Rebellion of 1857, in his 1859 booklet ‘Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind’ (‘The Causes of the Indian Mutiny’). A progressive thinker, Sir Syed worked diligently towards social and educational upliftment of Muslims and attacked the rigidity and orthodoxy among Muslims. He backed Western–style scientific education and established modern schools and the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in such pursuit. He also advised Indian Muslims to adopt Urdu as the lingua franca. An Indian National Congress critic, he influenced prominent Muslim leaders like Muhammad Ali Jinnah and first named Jinnah’s theory of a separate nation as “Two Nation theory.” He was also a reputed scholar and left an indelible mark with his writings. Image Credit : http://mindsight.pk/top-10-quotes-of-sir-syed-ahmed-khan/ Early Life Syed Ahmad Khan was born on October 17, 1817, in Delhi, Mughal Emp...

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, an iconic social reformer and founder of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), which has completed 100 years, was born on October 17, 1817. That was a long time ago, but his thought process is as relevant today as ever before. Integration through education With the new National Education Policy, the role of education in national integration has been rekindled. National integration is a reality today. During colonialism, it was an ideal for Sir Syed. His distinctiveness lay in the way he used education as a tool for national integration. He said in 1883: “It is the... verdict of all the nations and great seers of the world that national progress depends on education and training (of the people). If, therefore, we desire the prosperity and development of our nation, we should strive for a national system of education to educate our people in science and technology.” Some scholars on colonial history have criticised some of Sir Syed’s statements on social order and his perceived closeness with the colonial government. However, to draw a generalised conclusion on Sir Syed’s convictions merely through the lens of some quotes without understanding their context would not be a fair way to assess his legacy. A person’s text should be judged in the context of the time in which they lived. The period of Sir Syed’s life was characterised by rapid transition — Mughal rule yielding to British imperialism. We must not underestimate the challenges posed by the new ord...

Share on WhatsApp Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Telegram Share on Reddit Share on Email Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (17 October 1817- 27 March 1898) holds significant importance in Indian history- as an educationist, historiographer, journalist, social reformer, and the founder of Mohammadan Anglo Oriental (MAO) College, which became Aligarh Muslim University in 1920. But this does not end here. He was, in real sense a catalyst for reconstruction of his community, an advocate of rationalism, and a pioneer of modern education. Post 1857, his concern was not restricted only to subvert misconceptions related to the role of Muslims or build an educational institution. He genuinely attempted to prepare a roadmap which could help his coreligionists in coping with the challenges they were facing, and serve as a vanguard in future too. His notion of modernity held clear view of progressivism; although it can be contested, but no one can negate the colossal contributions he made. Also, some historians note that Indian society at that time rigorously held traditionalism, but Sir Syed believed that such approach would disturb onrushing of people to development and urged them to embrace modern scientific education. So, a number of times in his speeches, he emphasized the importance of western education and persuaded his coreligionists to abandon their conventional approach, indigenous institutions and adopt new knowledge. For instance, in 1863, while addressing a gathering at Ca...