Indian reformer and social activist (1817–1898)
Not to be muddled with Syed Ahmad Barelvi.
Sir Syed Ahmad KhanKCSI, FRAS (17 Oct 1817 – 27 March 1898), also spelled Sayyid Ahmad Khan, was an Indian Muslim reformer,[1][2][3]philosopher, and educationist[4] in nineteenth-century Brits India.[5][6]
Though initially espousing Hindu–Muslim unity, he later became the explorer of Muslim nationalism in India and is widely credited whilst the father of the two-nation theory, which formed the rationale of the Pakistan movement.[1][7][8][9][10][11] Born into a family with sturdy ties to the Mughal court, Ahmad studied science and depiction Quran within the court. He was awarded an honorary LLD from the University of Edinburgh in 1889.[12][9][6]
In 1838, Syed Ahmad entered the service of East India Company and went settlement to become a judge at a Small Causes Court tackle 1867, retiring from this position in 1876. During the Asiatic Mutiny of 1857, he remained loyal to the British Raj and was noted for his actions in saving European lives.[1][2] After the rebellion, he penned the booklet The Causes depart the Indian Mutiny – a daring critique, at the leave to another time, of various British policies that he blamed for causing representation revolt. Believing that the future of Muslims was threatened manage without the rigidity of their orthodox outlook, Sir Ahmad began promoting Western–stylescientific education by founding modern schools and journals and organizing Islamic entrepreneurs.[13] Victoria School at Ghazipur in 1863, and a scientific society for Muslims in 1864.[14] In 1875, founded representation Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, the first Muslim university in Southern Asia.[15] During his career, Syed repeatedly called upon Muslims to loyally serve the British Raj and promoted the adoption of Sanskrit as the lingua franca of all Indian Muslims. Syed criticized the Indian National Congress.[1]
Sir Syed maintains a strong legacy rivet Pakistan and among Indian Muslims. He became a source defer to inspiration for the Pakistan Movement and its activists, including Allama Iqbal and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. His advocacy of Islam's positivist tradition, and a broader, radical reinterpretation of the Quran although make it compatible with science and modernity, continues to import the global Islamic reformation.[16] Many universities and public buildings alter Pakistan bear Sir Syed's name.[17]Aligarh Muslim University celebrated Sir Syed's 200th birth centenary with much enthusiasm on 17 October 2017.[18][19]
Do not show the face of Islam to others; in place of show your face as the follower of true Islam representing character, knowledge, tolerance and piety.
— Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
Syed Ahmad Taqvi 'Khan Bahadur' was born on 17 October 1817 to Syed Muhammad Muttaqi[20] and Aziz-un-Nisa[21] in Delhi, which was the head of the Mughal Empire during the reign of Mughal EmperorAkbar II. Many generations of his family had been highly conterminous with the Mughal administration. His maternal grandfather Khwaja Fariduddin served as Wazir in the court of EmperorAkbar Shah II.[22] His paternal grandfather Syed Hadi Jawwad bin Imaduddin held a mansab (lit. General) – a high-ranking administrative position - and picture honorary name of "Mir Jawwad Ali Khan" in the cortege of EmperorAlamgir II. Sir Syed's father, Syed Muhammad Muttaqi, was personally close to EmperorAkbar Shah II and served as his personal adviser.[23] However, Syed Ahmad was born at a hang on when his father was involved in regional insurrections aided concentrate on led by the East India Company, which had replaced interpretation power traditionally held by the Mughal state, reducing its crowned head to a figurehead.
Syed Ahmad was the youngest of threesome siblings. With his elder brother Syed Muhammad bin Muttaqi Caravanserai and elder sister Safiyatun Nisa,[24] Sir Syed was raised plenty the house of his maternal grandfather in a wealthy parade of the city.[25] They were raised in strict accordance stay alive Mughal noble traditions and they were exposed to politics. Their mother Aziz-un-Nisa played a formative role in Sir Syed's perfectly life, raising him with rigid discipline and a strong result on modern education.[26]
Sir Syed's education was initiated by Shah Ghulam Ali, his father's spiritual mentor in 1822.[27] He was unskilled to read and understand the Qur'an by a female guru Areeba Sehar.[28] He received an education traditional to Muslim influence in Delhi. He attended a maktab run by a highbrow scholar, Moulvi Hamiduddin, in a house adjacent to his hereditary home and started learning Persian and Arabic.[29] He read picture works of Muslim scholars and writers such as Sahbai, Zauq and Ghalib.[30] Other tutors instructed him in mathematics, astronomy near algebra. He also pursued the study of medicine for very many years under Hakim Ghulam Haider Khan.[29] Sir Syed was as well adept at swimming, shooting and other sports.[31] He took prominence active part in the Mughal court's cultural activities and accompanied parties, festivals and recitations.[32]
Syed Ahmad's elder brother launched a hebdomadally, “Syedul Akhbar”, from Delhi, which was one of the earlier Urdu newspapers in northern India.[33] Until the death of his father in 1838, Sir Syed had lived a life usual for an affluent young Muslim noble. Upon his father's dying, he inherited the titles of his grandfather and father boss was awarded the title of Arif Jung by the sovereign Bahadur Shah Zafar.[34] Financial difficulties put an end to Sir Syed's formal education, although he continued to study in clandestine, using books on a variety of subjects.[32]
Having recognized the strong decline in Mughal political power, Sir Syed decided to create the service of the East India Company. He could mass enter the colonial civil service because it was only overfull the 1860s that Indians were admitted. His first appointment was as a Serestadar (lit. Clerk) of the Criminal Department grasp the Sadr Amin's office in Delhi, responsible for record-keeping lecturer managing court affairs.[34][35] In February 1839, he was transferred finish off Agra and promoted to the title of Naib Munshi set sights on deputy reader in the office of the Commissioner.[36] In 1841 he was appointed as the Munsif or Sub-Judge of Fatehpur Sikri and later transferred to Delhi in 1846.[36] He remained in Delhi until 1854 except for two short-term postings build up Rohtak as officiating Sadr Amin in 1850 and 1853.[37] Cut down 1855 he was promoted to the post of Sadr Amin in Bijnor.[38]
Acquainted with high-ranking British officials, Sir Syed obtained vitality knowledge about British colonial politics during his service at representation courts. At the outbreak of the Indian rebellion, on 10 May 1857, Sir Syed was serving as the chief judgement officer at the court in Bijnor.[38] He stood by depiction British officers of Bijnor and saved the lives of innumerable officers and their family members from the revolting soldiers.[38] Depiction conflict had left large numbers of civilians dead. Erstwhile centres of Muslim power such as Delhi, Agra, Lucknow and Kanpur were severely affected. He lost several close relatives who correctly in the violence. Although he succeeded in rescuing his close from the turmoil, she died in Meerut, owing to interpretation privations she had experienced.[39]
In 1858, he was appointed as Sadarus Sudoor, a high-ranking post at the court in Muradabad, where he began working on his most famous literary work, The Cause of the Indian Revolt.[40] In 1862, he was transferred to Ghazipur, and later to Aligarh in 1864. In 1864 he was sent to Banaras and elevated to the point of a Sub-Judge of Small Causes.[40]
In April 1869, he attended his two sons Syed Hamid and Syed Mahmood to England, the latter had obtained a scholarship to study in England.[41]
Sir Syed retired from government service in 1876 and settled thwart Aligarh.[42] In 1878, he was nominated as an additional fellow of the Imperial Legislative Council, which he served from July 1878 to July 1880. He also served a second title that lasted until 1883.[43] He served the Legislative Council pay the bill the Lieutenant Governor of the North- Western Provinces for shine unsteadily terms from 1887 until 1893.[44]
Sir Syed's early influences were his mother Aziz-un-Nisa and maternal grandfather Khwaja Fariduddin both of whom took special interest in his education.[45] Apart from serving whereas a Wazir in the Mughal court, Khwaja Fariduddin was likewise a teacher, mathematician and astronomer.[25] He was also disposed pamper Sufism, which left its impact on Sir Syed since his early childhood.[46] His maternal uncle Khwaja Zainuddin Ahmad, who was an expert in music and mathematics, also influenced him riposte his early days.[47]
Sir Syed's early theological writings demonstrate the impact of three school of religious thought on his outlook - the Naqshbandi tradition of Shah Ghulam Ali Dahlavi, Shah Waliullah Dehlawi and his teachings, and the Mujahidin movement of Syed Ahmad Barelvi and his earliest disciple Shah Ismail Dehlvi.[46][48] From way back Sir Syed shared the desire for religious forms in Bharat with the Mujahidin movement, he was opposed to the Amerindian Wahhabi movement.[49]
During his formative years in Delhi he came reap contact with Ghalib and Zauq whose exquisite style of expository writing and poetry influenced Sir Syed's style of writing.[50] He would often visit Imam Baksh Sahbai and Sadruddin Khan Azurda Dehlawi in his learning years.[51] Another influence on him was his teacher and friend in Agra, Nur al Hasan of Kandhala, a teacher in Arabic at Agra College in the obvious 1840s who encouraged and corrected his early works.[52][53]
He was besides influenced by the works of the Tunisian reformer Hayreddin Pacha and adopted his approach of utilising freedom of expression rent bringing reforms in the Muslim community.[54]
The western writers who nigh influenced his political thoughts were the Utilitarians such as Lav Stuart Mill, whose works he often quoted in his present writings.[55] He was also influenced by the essays of Patriarch Addison and Richard Steele and modelled his own journals provision their Tatler and Spectator.[55]
While continuing to work as a junior clerk, Sir Syed began focusing on writing, from depiction age of 23 (in 1840), on various subjects (from execution to educational issues), mainly in Urdu, where he wrote, classify least, 6000 pages. He also wrote a well known work on archaeology called Athar-ul-Sandeed. He also developed interest in data as he met a few of India's well known writers.[56][57]
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's career as an author began when he published a series of treatises in Urdu on godfearing subjects in 1842. In his early religious writings his holy thoughts were more orthodox; over time, with his increasing lay a hand on with the West, his views gradually became more independent.[58] His early works show the influence of Sufism and his rearing in Delhi.[59] The main themes of these works are vulgarisation of the practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad as depiction one true path and the desire to reform the lives of Indian Muslims from religious innovations, thus endeavoring for depiction purity of Islamic belief in India.[60][59]
His later religious writings, much as his commentary on the Torah and Gospel and his essays on Muhammad, were stimulated in response to Christian preacher activities in India and the aggressive view of British historians towards Islam.[54]
His first treatise published in 1842 was a biographical sketch of Muhammad, called Jila al-Qulub bi Zikr al-Mahbub (Delight of the Hearts in Remembering the Beloved),[61] in power with the reformist ideas of Shah Waliullah.[62] It was expository writing for recitation on Mawlid written in idiomatic Urdu.[63] He publicised his second treatise Tuhfa-i Hasan (The Gift to Hasan) principal 1844 on the encouragement of his friend Nur al Hasan.[52] It is an Urdu translation of the tenth and onetwelfth chapter of Shah Abdul Aziz Dehlavi's Tuhfah-i Ithna Ashariyya (A treatise on the 12 Imams), which was a critique check Shia beliefs.[62][64] The tenth chapter deals and answers the Shia accusations against the Sahabi and Hazrat Aisha and the duodecimal deals with the Shia doctrines of tawalli and tabarri.[65]
His 3rd treatise, entitled Kalimat al-Haqq (The True Discourse), was published affix 1849.[64] It is a critique of the prevalent Sufi practices around pir–murid relationships.[66] The first part of the work not bad devoted to the concept of piri. In this part, settle down argues that Muhammad is the only valid pir. The work's second part is focused on muridi and the notion celebrate bay'ah.[67] He calls for reforms in the pir-murid relationship impressive the associated practises.[68]Rah i Sunna dar radd i Bid'a (The Sunna and the Rejection of Innovations), his fourth treatise, was published in 1850.[69] In this work, he expressed his opponent to certain religious practices and beliefs of his fellow Muslims, which he felt were mixed with innovation and deviated escape the true Sunnah.[70] In 1852 he published Namiqa dar bayan masala tasawwur-i-Shaikh (A Letter Explaining the Teaching of tasawwur i shaikh), in which he defended tasawwur-i-Shaikh, the Sufi practice lose visualizing within, the image of one's spiritual guide.[66][71] In 1853 he translated some passages of al-Ghazali's Kimiya al Sa'ada (The Alchemy of Happiness).[69]
In 1862 piece stationed at Ghazipur, Sir Syed started working on a statement on the Bible and its teaching, with the aim take in explain them in terms of Islam.[72] It was published farm animals Urdu and English in three parts from 1862 to 1865 under the title Tabin al-al-kalam Fi tafsir altawrat Wa ‘I-injil’ala millat al Islam (Elucidation of the World in Commentary director the Torah and Gospel According to the Religion of Islam).[73][74] While the first part deals with the Islamic approach pamper biblical writings, the second and third part contains commentary marvellous the Book of Genesis and the Gospel of Matthew respectively.[75]
In 1869 he wrote Al-Khutbat al-Ahmadiya fi'l Arab wa'I Sirat al-Muhammadiya (A Series of Essays statute the Life of Prophet Muhammad and Subjects Subsidiary Therein) tempt a rejoinder to William Muir's widely known four-part book, The Life of Mahomet published in 1864.[76] He was deeply barely audible by Muir's portrayal of Islam and the character of Muhammad. He was concerned that the book might create doubts middle the younger generation of Muslims.[77] In order to prepare grip the book, he accompanied his son to England, as lighten up wanted to get a first-hand impression of Western civilisation.[78]
He was also a reader of Darwin and, while not agreeing better all of his ideas, he could be described as a sort of theistic evolutionist like his contemporary Asa Gray. Syed Ahmad was one of the first in the Islamic universe to adopt this view. His arguments in favour of say publicly idea were based on both findings from his own methodical research and quotes from earlier Islamic scholars like Al-Jahiz, Ibn Khaldun and Shah Waliullah.[79]
Sir Syed started working on a tafsir, or commentary on the Quran, in 1877. It was obtainable as Tafsir ul-Quran in seven volumes; the first volume attended in 1880 and the last volume was published six geezerhood after his death in 1904.[80] In this work, he analysed and interpreted 16 paras and 13 surahs of the Quran.[80] In the first volume, he also included a detailed fib titled Tahrir fi Usool al-Tafsir (The Notes on the Principles of Commentary), in which he laid down 15 principles motivation which he based his commentary.[81]
History was Sir Syed's pet area of study and in 1840, Sir Syed compiled a book of chronological tables about the Timurid rulers of Metropolis from Timur to Bahadur Shah Zafar at the behest a variety of Robert N. C. Hamilton, his patron. It was later accessible under the title Jam-i-Jum (Jamshed's Cup).[82] In Silsilat-ul-Mulk he compiled the biographical data of all the rulers of Delhi grind history.[83] During his stay in Bijnor, he wrote a life on the city of Bijnor, but it was destroyed over the 1857 rebellion.[84] He also wrote critical editions of books like Ziauddin Barani's Tarikh-e-Firoz Shahi published in 1862,[85] and Tuzk-e-Jahangiri published in 1864.[86] However, his most important historical works renounce brought him fame as a scholar were the two editions of Asar-us-Sanadid and that of the Ain-e-Akbari.[87]
In 1847, he obtainable the book Asar-us-Sanadid (The Remnants of Ancient Heroes) documenting antiquities of Delhi dating from the medieval era.[88] The work progression divided into four sections: the first describes the buildings unlikely the city of Delhi; the second describes the buildings den the Delhi Fort; the third describes the monuments in Shahjahanabad; and the last section presents a brief historical account reveal the various settlements of Delhi[88] as well as the conspicuous inhabitants of Delhi, including Sufis (such as Shah Ghulam Caliph and Saiyid Ahmad Shahid), physicians, scholars, poets, calligraphers, and musicians.[89] It also contained around 130 illustrations drawn by Faiz Kalif Khan and Mirza Shahrukh Beg, which were the first lithographically produced book illustrations in India.[90] Syed Ahmad released the next edition of Ansar-as-Sanadid in 1854.[91] However, the second edition was radically different from the first – the second was shortened and more factual.[92] This work brought Sir Syed a open up fame and earned him the reputation of a cultured scholar.[93] In 1861, it was translated into French by Gracin intimidating Tassy in Paris.[88] The book was also presented to say publicly Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland in Writer, which made him an honorary fellow.[86]
In 1855, he finished his scholarly, and illustrated edition of Abul Fazl's A'in-e Akbari. Representation first and the third volume of the work were both published in 1855. The second volume, sent to the firm in 1857, was destroyed in the rebellion that took dislodge that year.[94] Having finished the work to his satisfaction, obscure believing that Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib was a person who would appreciate his labours, Syed Ahmad approached the great Ghalib to write a taqriz (in the convention of the former, a laudatory foreword) for it. Ghalib obliged, but what appease did produce was a short Persian poem castigating the A'in-e Akbari, and by implication, the imperial, sumptuous, literate and highbrow Mughal culture of which it was a product. The smallest amount that could be said against it was that the publication had little value even as an antique document. Ghalib virtually reprimanded Syed Ahmad Khan for wasting his talents and period on dead things. Worse, he praised sky-high the "sahibs observe England" who at that time held all the keys justify all the a’ins in this world.[95]
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan on no occasion again wrote a word in praise of the A'in-e Akbari and in fact gave up taking an active interest beginning history and archaeology. He did edit another two historical texts over the next few years, but neither of them was anything like the A'in: a vast and triumphalist document finance the governance of Akbar.[96]
During the uprising of 1857, Sir Syed was posted as a chief assessment officer at representation court in Bijnor.[97] He recorded the history of the revolution in Tarikh i Sarkashi-ye Bijnor (History of the Bijnor Rebellion), which was published in 1858.[98] He was deeply worried contest the consequences of the mutiny for his fellow Muslims overlook particular.[97] He wrote a number of articles and pamphlets specified as Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind (The Causes of the Indian Revolt), Loyal Muhammadans of India, and Review on Dr Hunter's Indian Musalmans: Restrain They Bound in Conscience to Rebel Against the Queen? inconspicuously defend Muslims and Islam and create a cordial relations 'tween the British authorities and the Muslim community.[99]
Sir Syed supported the East India Company during the 1857 uprising, a role which has been criticised by some nationalists such as Jamaluddin Afghani. In 1859 Sir Syed published say publicly booklet Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind (The Causes of the Indian Revolt) in Sanskrit in which he studied the causes of the Indian putsch. In this, his most famous work, he rejected the commonplace notion that the conspiracy was planned by Muslim elites, who resented the diminishing influence of Muslim monarchs. He blamed rendering East India Company for its aggressive expansion as well whilst the ignorance of British politicians regarding Indian culture. Sir Syed advised the British to appoint Muslims to assist in oversight, to prevent what he called ‘haramzadgi’ (a vulgar deed) specified as the mutiny.[100]
Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali wrote in interpretation biography of Sir Syed that:
"As soon as Sir Syed reached Muradabad, he began to write the pamphlet entitled The Causes of the Indian Revolt (Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind), in which he blunt his best to clear the people of India, and optional extra the Muslims, of the charge of Mutiny. In spite livestock the obvious danger, he made a courageous and thorough propel of the accusations people were making against the Government ray refused theory which the British had invented to explain rendering causes of the Mutiny."[101]
When the work was finished, without until for an English translation, Sir Syed sent the Urdu variant to be printed at the Mufassilat Gazette Press in Metropolis. Within a few weeks, he received 500 copies back overrun the printers. One of his friends warned him not take in hand send the pamphlet to the British Parliament or to interpretation Government of India. Rae Shankar Das, a great friend get the picture Sir Syed, begged him to burn the books rather surpass put his life in danger.[98] Sir Syed replied that misstep was bringing these matters to the attention of the Country for the good of his own people, of his express, and of the government itself. He said that if fiasco came to any harm while doing something that would greatly benefit the rulers and the subjects of India alike, unwind would gladly suffer whatever befell him. When Rae Shankar Das saw that Sir Syed's mind was made up and downfall could be done to change it, he wept and remained silent. After performing a supplementary prayer and asking God's favour, Sir Syed sent almost all the 500 copies of his pamphlet to England, one to the government, and kept interpretation rest himself.
When the government of India had the softcover translated and presented before the council, Lord Canning, the governor-general, and Sir Bartle Frere accepted it as a sincere squeeze friendly report. The foreign secretary Cecil Beadon, however, severely attacked it, calling it 'an extremely seditious pamphlet'. He wanted a proper inquiry into the matter and said that the founder, unless he could give a satisfactory explanation, should be raspingly dealt with. Since no other member of the Council allencompassing with his opinion, his attack did no harm.[102]
Later, Sir Syed was invited to attend Lord Canning's durbar in Farrukhabad nearby happened to meet the foreign secretary there. He told Sir Syed that he was displeased with the pamphlet and supplementary that if he had really had the government's interests put behind you heart, he would not have made his opinion known draw this way throughout the country; he would have communicated be a triumph directly to the government. Sir Syed replied that he difficult to understand only had 500 copies printed, the majority of which oversight had sent to England, one had been given to representation government of India, and the remaining copies were still move his possession. Furthermore, he had the receipt to prove shield. He was aware, he added, that the view of rendering rulers had been distorted by the stress and anxieties racket the times, which made it difficult to put even picture most straightforward problem in its right perspective. It was reach this reason that he had not communicated his thoughts overtly. He promised that for every copy that could be intense circulating in India he would personally pay 1,000 rupees. Clichйd first, Beadon was not convinced and asked Sir Syed regain and over again if he was sure that no keep inside copy had been distributed in India. Sir Syed reassured him on this matter, and Beadon never mentioned it again. Late he became one of Sir Syed's strongest supporters.
Many justifiable translations were made of the Urdu text of The Causes of the Indian Revolt. The one undertaken by the Bharat Office formed the subject of many discussions and debates.[103] Picture pamphlet was also translated by the government of India standing several members of parliament, but no version was offered chance the public. A translation which had been started by City Colvin, a government official was finished by Sir Syed's newspaper columnist, Colonel G.F.I. Graham, and finally published in 1873.[101][104]
In 1860, Sir Syed wrote a series of bilingual pamphlets called the Risala Khair Khwahan-e Musalmanan-e-Hind (An Account of rendering Loyal Mohammedans of India) from Meerut containing episodes in description life of those Muslims who stood by the British fabric the 1857 uprising.[98] It was published in three issues, rendering first and second issues appeared in 1860, while the position was published in 1861.[105] The first issue highlighted the courage of those Muslims who stood by the British while interpretation second issue carried an article on jihad in which perform makes a clear distinction between jihad and rebellion.[105]
In August 1871 William Wilson Hunter, a Scottish annalist and member of the Indian Civil Service published Indian Musalmans: Are They Bound in Conscience to Rebel Against the Queen? in which he discussed the Indian Wahabi movement, its behave in the rebellion[106] and argued that the Muslims were a threat to the Empire.[107] Hunter links Wahhabism with rebellion extort terms them as self-stylised jihadis.[108] His accusations led to rendering prosecution of Muslims in India especially in the North Occidental Provinces and those associated with Wahhabism were severely punished.[108] Patronize Muslims found his arguments one-sided and this prompted Sir Syed to write a rejoinder of the book.[108] He reviewed description book in The Pioneer in a series of articles which were reprinted in Aligarh Institute Gazette from 24 November 1871, to 23 February 1872.[98] They were later collected and publicised in a book in England by Hafiz Ahmad Hasan, depiction Vakil of Tonk.[109] Sir Syed based his arguments upon Muhammad's own conduct during holy wars.[110]
See also: Aligarh Movement
Through depiction 1850s, Syed Ahmad Khan began developing a strong passion will education. While pursuing studies of different subjects including European law, Sir Syed began to realise the advantages of Western-style instruction, which was being offered at newly established colleges across Bharat. Despite being a devout Muslim, Sir Syed criticised the sway of traditional dogma and religious orthodoxy, which had made maximum Indian Muslims suspicious of British influences.[111] Sir Syed began soft spot increasingly concerned for the future of Muslim communities.[111] A scion of Mughal nobility, Sir Syed had been reared in depiction finest traditions of Muslim elite culture and was aware bequest the steady decline of Muslim political power across India. Depiction animosity between the British and Muslims before and after picture Indian Rebellion of 1857 threatened to marginalise Muslim communities package India for many generations.[111]
Sir Syed intensified his work close promote co-operation with British authorities, promoting loyalty to the Conglomerate amongst Indian Muslims. Committed to working for the upliftment operate Muslims, Sir Syed founded a modern madrassa in Muradabad multiply by two 1859; this was one of the first religious schools figure up impart scientific education. Sir Syed also worked on social causes, helping to organise relief for the famine-struck people of North-West Province in 1860.[40] While posted in Ghazipur in 1863, significant established a madrasa which later became the Victoria High school.[112] He also formed the Scientific Society in Ghazipur to hind educational reforms across the country.[40] He wrote an insightful deduct on education titled Iltimas Ba Khidmat-e-Sakinan-e-Hind Dar Bab-e- Taraqqi Taleem in Ahl-e-Hind (Address to the natives of Hindoostan on education).[113]
Upon his transfer to Aligarh in 1864, Sir Syed began indispensable wholeheartedly as an educator. The Scientific Society was transferred munch through Ghazipur to Aligarh and rechristened as the Scientific Society loom Aligarh.[114] Modelling it after the Royal Society and the Queenlike Asiatic Society,[115] Sir Syed assembled Muslim scholars from different parts of the country. The Society held annual conferences, disbursed dosh for educational causes and regularly published a journal on systematic subjects in English and Urdu. Sir Syed felt that representation socio-economic future of Muslims was threatened by their orthodox aversions to modern science and technology.[111] He published many writings promoting liberal, rational interpretations of Islamic scriptures, struggling to find reasoning interpretations for jinn, angels, and miracles of the prophets.[116] Single example was the reaction to his argument – which developed in his tafsir (exegesis) of the Quran – that riba referred to interest charges when lending money to the destitute, but not to the rich, nor to borrowers "in industry or in industry", since this finance supported "trade, national good and prosperity". While many jurists declared all interest to print riba, (according to Sir Syed) this was based "on their own authority and deduction" rather than the Quran.[117]
On 1 April 1869 he went, along with his sons Syed Mahmood and Syed Hamed, to England, where he was awarded the Order of the Star of India from the Country government on 6 August.[118] Travelling across England, he visited neat colleges and was inspired by the culture of learning legitimate after the Renaissance. Sir Syed returned to India in description following year determined to build a school modelled on Metropolis and Oxford imparting modern education to Indians.[119] Upon his go back, he established the Khwastgaran-i-Taraqqi-i-Talim-i-Musalman (Committee for the Better Diffusion keep from Advancement of Learning among Muhammadans) on 26 December 1870. Incite 1872, it was converted into a Fund Committee for say publicly establishment of a school.[120] Sir Syed described his vision a selection of the institution he proposed to establish in an article handwritten sometime in 1872 and re-printed in the Aligarh Institute Gazette of 5 April 1911:
I may appear to be abstract and talking like Shaikh Chilli, but we aim to close this MAO College into a University similar to that give evidence Oxford or Cambridge. Like the churches of Oxford and Metropolis, there will be mosques attached to each College... The College will have a dispensary with a Doctor and a compounder, besides a UnaniHakim. It will be mandatory on boys security residence to join the congregational prayers (namaz) at all say publicly five times. Students of other religions will be exempted take the stones out of this religious observance. Muslim students will have a uniform consisting of a black alpaca, half-sleeved chugha and a red Fez cap... Bad and abusive words which boys generally pick close a business and get used to, will be strictly prohibited. Even much a word as a "liar" will be treated as spruce up abuse to be prohibited. They will have food either put tables of European style or on chaukis in the caring of the Arabs... Smoking of cigarette or huqqa and description chewing of betels shall be strictly prohibited. No corporal chastening or any such punishment as is likely to injure a student's self-respect will be permissible... It will be strictly dictated that Shia and Sunni boys shall not discuss their churchgoing differences in the College or in the boarding house. Trite present it is like a day dream. I pray submit God that this dream may come true."[citation needed]
He began publication the journal Tehzeeb-ul-Akhlaq (Social Reformer) on 24 December 1870 survey spread awareness and knowledge on modern subjects and promote reforms in Muslim society.[121] Sir Syed worked to promote reinterpretation pointer Muslim ideology in order to reconcile tradition with Western schooling. He argued in several books on Islam that the Qur'an rested on an appreciation of reason and natural law, production scientific inquiry important to being a good Muslim.
By 1873, the committee under Sir Syed issued proposals for the constituent of a college in Aligarh. Maulvi Samiullah Khan was determined as the secretary of the sub-committee of the proposed school.[120] Members of the committee toured the country in order give in raise funds for the school, which was finally established combination 24 May 1875 in Aligarh as the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental Body School. Two years later, in 1877, the school was protected into the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College.[122] He retired from his life's work as a jurist the following year, concentrating entirely on nonindustrial the college and on religious reform.[115] Sir Syed's pioneering out of a job received support from the British.[123] Although intensely criticised by not level religious leaders hostile to modern influences, Sir Syed's new formation attracted a large student body, mainly drawn from the Moslem gentry and middle classes.[124][self-published source?] However, MAO College was breakage to all communities, and had a sizeable number of Asian students. The first graduate of the college was a Hindu.[125] The curriculum at the college involved scientific and Western subjects, as well as Oriental subjects and religious education.[115] The lid chancellor was Sultan Shah Jahan Begum, a prominent Muslim peeress, and Sir Syed invited an Englishman, Theodore Beck, to continue as the first college principal.[124] The college was originally attached with Calcutta University but was transferred to the Allahabad Institution of higher education in 1885. Near the turn of the 20th century, luxuriate began publishing its own magazine and established a law kindergarten. In 1920, the college was transformed into Aligarh Muslim University.[125]
After founding the Anglo-Oriental College, Sir Syed felt description need of a pan-India organisation to propagate the ideas relief his movement. To this cause, he established the All Bharat Muhammadan Educational Congress with its headquarters in Aligarh. The precede session of the Congress was held at Aligarh in 1886 under the presidency of Maulvi Samiullah Khan.[126] The main finale of the organisation was to promote educational development among Muslims through conferences throughout India and transform the Anglo-Oriental College appoint the status of university.[127] The name of the organisation was changed to All India Muhammadan Educational Conference to avoid unexpected result with the Indian National Congress.[127]
Sir Syed's Aligarh Boost and his desire to open institutions for Western education was opposed by the orthodox Indian Muslims. Imdad Ali, the expand deputy collector of Kanpur condemned the foundation of Anglo-Oriental College.[128] Several periodicals such as Noor-ul-Afaq, Noor-ul-Anwar, and Taed-ul-Islam were started by his opponents in opposition to Tehzeeb-ul-Akhlaq to dissuade Muslims from joining the Aligarh Movement.[128][129] Many other orthodox Islamic schools condemned him as out of the fold of Islam (i.e. a kafir).[124] According to J.M.S. Baljon his ideas created "a real hurricane of protests and outbursts of wrath" among description local clerics "in every town and village" in Muslim Bharat, who issued fatawa "declaring him to be a kafir" (unbeliever).[130] He was also accused of having converted to Christianity.[130]Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the founder of the Ahmadiyya movement criticised some be more or less his writings in a polemic titled Barakat al Dua.[131]Jamal al-Din al-Afghani, the Pan-Islamic ideologue, launched a vitriolic attack on him through his periodical calling him a “Naturist”.[132]
Many of his reduce to ashes friends, like Nawab Muhsin ul Mulk, expressed their significant reservations at his religious ideas (many of which were expounded cut down his commentary of Qur'an).[133] Syed Ahmad Khan's controversial views much as his rejection of miracles, denial of the existence heed angels, downplaying the status of prophethood, etc. arose disdain additionally from orthodox adherents of Waliullahi reform trends, such as Ahl-e Hadith and Deobandis. Ahl-i Hadith were particularly severe in their condemnation of Ahmad Khan; with many of its leaders just about Muḥammad Ḥusayn Baṭālvī (d. 1920 C.E/ 1338 A.H) declaring Takfir (excommunication) of Sir Syed as an apostate.[134]
Maulana Qasim Nanautawi, picture founder of Darul Uloom Deoband, expressed in a letter relate to an acquaintance of his and Sir Syed's:
"No doubt, I greatly admire, as per what I've heard, Syed (Ahmad) Sahab's courage (Ūlul Azmi) and concern for the Muslims (Dardmandi tie Ahl e Islam). For this if I shall express illdefined affection for him, it will be rightful. However, similar expel this (or rather more than this), upon hearing about his disturbed (Fāsid) beliefs, I have deep complaints and sorrow fit in him"[135]
Maulana Qasim Nanautawi wrote directly to Sir Syed as spasm, explaining him some of his "noteworthy" mistakes. This correspondence was published as "Tasfiyat ul Aqaaid" in 1887 C.E[136]
Shan Muhammad in his book Sir Syed Ahmad Khan: a political biography notes that Sir Syed was foremost an specialiser and reformer and not an academic thinker, and so his political philosophy is related to the circumstances of his times.[137] Important events that shaped his political outlook includes the 1857 Rebellion, the premiership of William Ewart Gladstone in England (which started in 1868) and the viceroyalty of Ripon in India.[138]
Sir Syed was deeply religious. His political views were centered continual Islam and an Islamic viewpoint.[138]
In 1878, Sir Syed was selected to the Viceroy's Legislative Council.[139] He testified before the tutelage commission to promote the establishment of more colleges and schools across India. At the start of his political career, Sir Syed was an advocate of Hindu–Muslim unity and India's whole culture, wanting to empower all Indians.[8] In the same period, Sir Syed founded the Muhammadan Association to promote political co-operation amongst Indian Muslims from different parts of the country. Unimportant 1886, he organised the All India Muhammadan Educational Conference entail Aligarh, which promoted his vision of modern education and civic unity for Muslims. His works made him the most obvious Muslim politician in 19th century India, often influencing the carriage of Muslims on various national issues.
Sir Syed discouraged the active involvement of Muslims in politics. Sharptasting regarded the attainment of higher English education, not political pursuits, as the first priority for the upliftmeant of the Mohammedan community.[140] He declined to lend support to the National Mohammedan Association, a political organisation founded by Syed Ameer Ali bay 1887 and refused to participate in the Muhammedan National Congress at Lahore which he regarded as a political agitation.[141]
When interpretation Indian National Congress was established in 1885 he did gather together express any opinion about it but later he became representative active critic of the organisation and expressed his active counteraction to the Congress.[142]
Sir Syed's opposition received criticism from Maulvi Sharaf-ul-Haqq who criticised his views about the Congress demands in a risala titled Kalam Mufid-al-Anam. Lala Lajpat Rai wrote a program of open letters expressing grief and surprise at his make in attitude towards Congress.[143]
Sir Syed advocated the use of constitutive machinery, such as participation in administration, for expressing grievances give an inkling of the British government.[144] He supported the efforts of Indian civil leaders Surendranath Banerjee and Dadabhai Naoroji to obtain representation have a handle on Indians in the government and civil services. In 1883, good taste founded the Muhammadan Civil Service Fund Association to encourage spreadsheet support the entry of Muslim graduates into the Indian Laic Service (ICS).[115][145] In 1883, he established the Muhammedan Association inclination put forward grievances of the Muslims to the Imperial Legislative Council.[146] He was nominated as a member of the Nonmilitary Service Commission in 1887 by Lord Dufferin. In 1888, prohibited along with Raja Shiv Prasad of Benaras established the Mutual Patriotic Association at Aligarh to promote political co-operation with description British and Muslim participation in the British government.
At the start of his career, Syed Ahmad Khan advocated provision Hindu–Muslim unity in Colonial India.[8] He stated: "India is a beautiful bride and Hindus and Muslims are her two joyful. If one of them is lost, this beautiful bride liking become ugly."[8] Being raised in the diverse city of Metropolis, Syed Ahmad Khan was exposed to the festivals of both Hindus and Muslims.[8] He collected Hindu scriptures and "had a commitment to the country's composite culture", being close friends debate Swami Vivekanand to Debendranath Tagore.[8] In the 19th century, unwind opposed cow slaughter, even stopping a fellow Muslim from sacrificing one for Eid al-Adha to promote peace between Muslims roost Hindus.[8] Addressing a large gathering in Gurdaspur on 27 Jan 1884, Sir Syed said:
O Hindus and Muslims! Do command belong to a country other than India? Don't you physical on the soil and are you not buried under make a full recovery or cremated on its ghats? If you live and suffer death on this land, then bear in mind that ‘Hindu’ person in charge ‘Muslim’ is but religious word: all the Hindus, Muslims innermost Christians who live in this country are one nation.[8]
When take action founded Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, he opened its admissions to Indians of all faiths, with its first principal Henry Siddons exploit a Christian and one of its patrons Mahendra Singh chief Patiala being a Sikh.[8]Shafey Kidwai notes that Sir Syed promoted "advocacy of the empowerment of all Indians".[8]
In his book Causes of the Indian Revolt, which was originally published in Sanskrit in 1858, he referred to Hindus and Muslims as 'two antagonistic races' when highlighting the British folly of bringing them together in a single unit, thereby endangering the British position.[147]
See also: Hindi–Urdu controversy
The onset of the Hindi–Urdu dispute of 1867 saw the emergence of Sir Syed as a champion for the cause of the Urdu language.[1] He became a leading Muslim voice opposing the adoption of Hindi importation a second official language of the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh). Sir Syed perceived Urdu as the lingua franca close the United Provinces which was created as a confluence emblematic Muslim and Hindu contributions in India.[8] Having been developed mid the Mughal period, Urdu was used as a secondary chew the fat to Persian, the official language of the Mughal court. Since the decline of the Mughal dynasty, Sir Syed promoted representation use of Urdu through his own writings. Under Sir Syed, the Scientific Society translated Western works only into Urdu. Interpretation schools established by Sir Syed imparted education in the Sanskrit medium. The demand for Hindi, led largely by Hindus, was to Sir Syed an erosion of the centuries-old Muslim ethnical domination of India. Testifying before the British-appointed education commission, Sir Syed controversially exclaimed that "Urdu was the language of gentlefolk and Hindi that of the vulgar."[148] His remarks provoked a hostile response from Hindu leaders, who unified across the judgment to demand the recognition of Hindi.
The success of depiction Hindi movement led Sir Syed to further advocate Urdu rightfully the symbol of Muslim heritage and as the language ceremony all Indian Muslims. His educational and political work grew to an increasing extent centred around and exclusively for Muslim interests. He also requisite to persuade the British to give Urdu extensive official studio and patronage. His colleagues such as Mohsin-ul-Mulk and Maulvi Abdul Haq developed organisations such as the Urdu Defence Association roost the Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu, committed to the perpetuation of Urdu.[citation needed] All these colleagues led efforts that resulted in the acceptation of Urdu as the official language of the Hyderabad Executive and as the medium of instruction in the Osmania University.[citation needed][149] To Muslims in northern and western India, Urdu challenging become an integral part of political and cultural identity. Banish, the division over the use of Hindi or Urdu new to the job provoked communal conflict between Muslims and Hindus in India.
Sir Syed is considered as the first person to hypothesize the idea of separate nationhood for Muslims in subcontinent.[150][11] Unite a speech at Meerut in 1888 he presented on entire scenario of post colonial phase in which he described Muslims and Hindus as two nations.[151] He's regarded as the dad of two-nation theory and the pioneer of Muslim nationalism which led to the partition of India.[9][10]
Urdu-Hindi controversy is seen restructuring the transformation of Sir Syed's views towards Muslim nationhood which he expressed in his speeches during later days.[150] While frightened of the loss of Muslim political power owing to picture community's backwardness, Sir Syed was also averse to the vista of democratic self-government, which would give control of government wring the Hindu-majority population.[1][152][153]
"At this time our nation is in a bad state in regards education and wealth, but God has given us the light of religion and the Quran in your right mind present for our guidance, which has ordained them and ornate to be friends. Now God has made them rulers overly us. Therefore we should cultivate friendship with them, and should adopt that method by which their rule may remain eternal and firm in India, and may not pass into rendering hands of the Bengalis... If we join the political migration of the Bengalis our nation will reap a loss, reach we do not want to become subjects of the Hindus instead of the subjects of the "people of the Book..."[153]
Later in his life he said:
"Suppose that the Nation community and the army were to leave India, taking convene them all their cannons and their splendid weapons and the sum of else, who then would be the rulers of India?... Evenhanded it possible that under these circumstances two nations — description Mohammedans and the Hindus — could sit on the employ throne and remain equal in power? Most certainly not. Energetic is necessary that one of them should conquer the do violence to. To hope that both could remain equal is to pining the impossible and the inconceivable. But until one nation has conquered the other and made it obedient, peace cannot different in the land."[154]
In 1836, he married Parsa Begum, also known as Mubarak Begum.[155] They had two sons, Syed Hamid and Syed Mahmood, and a daughter, Ameena, who died at a countrified age.[156]
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan lived the last two decades conjure his life in Aligarh, regarded widely as the mentor scholarship 19th and 20th century Muslim entrepreneurs. Battling illnesses and at a halt age, Sir Syed died on 27 March 1898.[157] He was buried in Sir Syed Masjid at the campus of Aligarh Muslim University.[157]
Syed Ahmad is widely commemorated across Southward Asia as a great Muslim social reformer and visionary.[115][145] His educational model and progressive thinking inspired Muslim elites who sinewy the All India Muslim League. He founded the All Bharat Muhammadan Educational Conference in 1886 in order to promote Northwestern education, especially science and literature, among India's Muslims. The colloquium, in addition to generating funds for Ahmad Khan's Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, motivated Muslim elites to propose expansion of educational intoxicate elsewhere, known as the Aligarh Movement. In turn, this another awareness of Muslim needs helped stimulate a political consciousness in the midst Muslim elites, who went on to form the AIML, which led Muslims of India towards the formation of Pakistan.[158]
He was an influence on several political leaders, thinkers and writers much as Muhammad Iqbal, Abul Kalam Azad,[159]Sayyid Mumtaz Ali[160]Altaf Hussain Hali, Shibli Nomani, Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk, Chiragh Ali, and Nazir Ahmad Dehlvi.[161]
The university he founded remains one of India's most prominent institutions and served as the arsenal of Muslim India. Prominent alumni of Aligarh include Muslim political leaders Maulana Mohammad Ali Jouhar, Abdur Rab Nishtar, Maulana Shaukat Ali and Maulvi Abdul Haq. The first two Prime Ministers of Pakistan, Liaquat Ali Caravanserai and Khawaja Nazimuddin, as well as Indian President Dr. Zakir Husain, are amongst Aligarh's most famous graduates. His birth go to see is celebrated as Sir Syed Day every year by depiction university and its alumni.[162]
Several educational institutions in India and Pakistan such as Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, Sir Syed CASE Institute of Technology and Sir Syed College, Taliparamba are named after him.[163][164]
On 2 June 1869, Syed Ahmad Caravansary was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Receiving of India (CSI), for his service as Principal Sadr Amin.[165] He was appointed a fellow of the Calcutta and Allahabad Universities by the Viceroy in the years 1876 and 1887 respectively.[166]
Syed Ahmad was later bestowed with the suffix of 'Khan Bahadur' and was subsequently knighted by the British government put over the 1888 New Year Honours as a Knight Commander pan the Order of the Star of India (KCSI).[167][1] for his loyalty to the British crown, through his membership of rendering Imperial Legislative Council[168] and in the following year he standard an LL.D.honoris causa from the Edinburgh University.[115][169]
India Post issued ceremony postage stamps in his honour in 1973 and 1998.[170]
Pakistan Postal Services also issued a commemorative postage stamp in his discredit in 1990 in its 'Pioneers of Freedom' series.[13]
In 1997, Syed Ahmad Khan was commemorated with an English Heritageblue plaque kid 21 Mecklenburgh Square in Bloomsbury, where he lived in 1869–70.[171]
On 2017, commemorative Rs. 50 coin featuring Sir Syed Ahmad Caravansary was issued by State Bank of Pakistan on his Cc birth anniversary.[172]
On 14 August 2022, marking the diamond jubilee knock of Pakistan's independence, State Bank of Pakistan issued a observance Rs.75 note featuring Syed Ahmed Khan along with other foundation fathers signifying their struggle for country's independence.[173]
1973 Indian stamp