(AMU founder Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was born on 17 October 1817 and celebrated at AMU and by it illustrious alumni across the world as Sir Syed Day. Senior AMU faculty Dr. Shakeel Samdani remembers the reformer and his contributions.)
By Dr. Shakeel Samdani,
Late 18th century has witnessed an unprecedented degeneration of the Muslim society in India. The failed mutiny of 1857 shattered the souls and minds of the common and elite Muslims alike. Muslims at the time were educationally most backward, economically shattered and politically defeated. In this gloomy scenario Sir Syed Ahmed Khan decided to take upon himself the challenge of educating Muslims. Sir Syed decided to push ahead his community towards over all development by arming them with most modern scientific education at that time.
Sir Syed was a distinguished son of India who transformed social and intellectual India after the failure of First War of Independence (1857). He had a multifaceted personality. He was a social reformer, an educationist, a political ideologue, a journalist and writer, historian, archaeologist and above all a humanist. He crusaded against orthodoxy and religious dogma. He took upon himself to cement the relations between Hindus and Muslims. By writing “Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind” at a time when it was unimaginable to utter a single word against the British, he proved his nationalistic approach towards problems and controversies prevailing at that time. He was the product of political and social changes resulted from the collapse of 1857 mutiny. Muslims were shattered at that time in every respect. He appeared on that backdrop and decided to make constructive contribution in regenerating and rejuvenating suppressed Muslims instead of making complaints and weeping.
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
Sir Syed believed that only Western education could empower them with the ability to survive with dignity. Hence, he took up the task of setting an institution for the purpose. M.A.O. College was established in 1877 at Aligarh which later on became renowned Aligarh Muslim University. Sir Syed categorically stated the purpose behind the establishment of the MAO College. In a speech, he said that, “I shall feel sorry if anybody thinks that this college has been established so as to show discrimination between Hindus and Muslims. The main reason behind the establishment of this institution was the wretched dependence of the Muslims, which had been debasing their position day after day. Their religious fanaticism did not let them avail the educational facilities provided by the government schools and colleges. It was, therefore, deemed necessary to make some special arrangement for their education”. According to Sir Syed “Suppose, for example, there are two brothers, one of whom is quite hale and hearty but the other is diseased. Thus it is the duty of all the brothers to take care of, their ailing brother. This was the very idea that goaded me to establish the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College. But I am pleased to say that both the brothers get the same education in this College”.1
No doubt, Sir Syed had achieved an impossible goal in a short span of time. But beside education, Sir Syed’s ideas and ideals in some other fields also hold significant position. Often people overlook other aspects of his giant personality. He undertook rational social reforms also. He was die-hard secularist not only in letters but also in spirit. He was a nationalist who refused to surrender before British superiority.
He appears to have been inspired by Tipu Sultan. But at the same time he had imbibed intellect of Raja Ram Mohan Roy who dedicated his life for enhancing education among Hindus and also for eradication of evil customs prevailing in the society. Whole personality of Sir Syed reminds us combination of Tipu, Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Syed Ahmad Shaheed.
Sir Syed’s contribution towards development of secularism is too large to be recounted here. He worked hard to bring Muslims and Christians closer. For this purpose, he wrote commentaries on the Bible. He supported large hearted tolerance between Hindus and Muslims and tried to bridge the gulf between them. It is an open secret that till last he tried to bring unity between Hindus and Muslims whom he described as “the two eyes of a beautiful bride”. Sir Syed was of the view that both Hindus and Muslims should jointly embark upon nation building. He said in a speech that, “we may call ourselves Hindus or Muslims here in India but in foreign countries we are all known as Indian natives. This is why the insult of a Hindu is an insult of the Muslims and the humiliation of a Muslim is a matter of shame for the Hindus”.2 Sir Syed’s efforts for Hindu and Muslim friendship were noticed when Alexander Shakespeare, District Magistrate of Bijnor was approached by the Hindu Chowdharies that when you leave Bijnor, kindly handover the charge of the district to us. He said, I have already handed over it to Mohammed Rahmat Khan and Syed Ahmad Khan. The Hindu Zamindars said that we have full confidence on Rahmat Khan and Syed Ahmad.
When he established M.A.O. College, he kept its doors open for each and every community. He never discriminated on the grounds of religion while appointing the faculties and staff. Thus, he appointed Theodore Beck as Principal of the College despite the fact that he was a Christian. His secularism was perfect, practical and in motion. In fact today’s politicians should learn a lesson from him in this regard.
When Colvin, Governor of his province visited MAO College he was delighted to know that Hindu scholars were equally received by the Mussalmans. Same feeling was expressed by Hindus and Sikhs when Sir Syed visited Punjab.
Another aspect of Sir Syed’s personality should be taken into account. Although democracy at that time of the history was near about unknown but Sir Syed was not only a democrat but also introduced democratic institutions in his College. He established a Student’s Union in the College and perhaps it was the first ever Student’s Union in India. At the time of the establishment it was called Siddon’s Union Club but later on Sir Syed himself wished to change its name to Siddon’s Debating Club as its rules and regulations were all based upon the Oxford Debating Club. Students representatives were duly elected by students except that of first year students for Debating Club. In a routine way, highly intellectual debates on issues concerning Muslims were held there. Prizes were introduced for best speakers. Sir Syed himself was its patron.
He was the first to use the term “Scientific temper” which later on became a pillar of our Constitution. He started Scientific Society in Ghazipur to popularize Western knowledge and to inculcate Scientific and rational temper among the people of the east. Subsequently the Society was transferred from Ghazipur to Aligarh as Sir Syed came to Aligarh. In addition to Oriental Studies, Sir Syed gave more importance to science-oriented education.
He was a large hearted person and his religious views were down to earth rational. He wrote a lengthy commentary on the Holy Quran which is considered as a rational approach to understand and interpret Quran. Although orthodox people objected to certain portions yet he did not succumb to the pressure. At the same time, he was careful not to hurt feelings of others. The syllabus of theology in M.A.O. College did not reflect Sir Syed’s views. He never forced anyone to accept what he believed.
If we take up his political views, they are as rational and practical as his other views. He did not support Indian National Congress but that was not due to any ill-feeling or grudge. Education was his primary concern and he did not want to destabilize it by any action. Hence, he advised, students not to take part in politics and concentrate only on education. Even Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru has pointed out that, “He was deeply committed to the national cause, though education was his first priority and love as far as the Muslims were concerned”. Sir Syed was aware that Muslims can be a party in nation building only if they get quality education at par with Hindus.
The students of MAO College, which was established by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, took active part in the freedom struggle and made tremendous sacrifices in order to liberate the nation from foreign rule. A number of them occupied important offices which included the President-ship, Governorship, Chief minister-ship, and minister-ship of the Indian Union and the States. Thus, they did a lot to build the country in the post Independence period. Some of them opted for Pakistan and left the country after partition and occupied many important posts in Pakistan also. A few leading names are: Maulana Mohd. Ali, Maulana Shaukat Ali, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Dr. Zakir Hussain, Rafi Ahmad Kidwai, Hasrat Mohani, Abdul Majeed Khwaja, Zafar Ali Khan, Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew, Hafiz Mohd. Ibrahim, Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, Sheikh Mohd. Abdullah, Nisar Ahmad Sherwani, Abdul Qayyum Ansari, Qazi Adeel Abbasi, Abdul Aziz Ansari, Thakur Malkhan Singh, Mirza Afzal Beig, etc.
He was a champion of Women’s rights. He pointed out evils of widowhood. He said, “the women is in need of gentle treatment at the hands of man because of her delicate nature and especially the widow deserves all human sympathies.3 At that time widow -remarriage was a taboo in Indian Society. He appealed to the Muslims “to encourage Widow-remarriage and earn the blessings both in this world and the next for their virtuous deeds”.4 He pleaded for organized charity to fight the cause of widows. Often it is claimed that he was against female education but the reality is otherwise. He was fully in favor of educating girls. But he was of the opinion that first the task of educating boys should be taken on priority basis.
Dr. Shakeel Samdani
A very notable feature of Sir Syed’s personality was that he was in government service but did not deter in pointing out flaws in government policies. He wrote “Asbab-e-baghawat-e-Hind” (Causes of Indian Revolt) to highlight that the policies of the British Government were responsible for the mutiny. Sir Syed’s fearlessness and straight forwardness is an example for our present bureaucracy which toe the line of the government on most occasions.
As has been earlier pointed out that Sir Syed had a multifaceted personality but basically he was an educationist and social reformer. It will be appropriate to evaluate his educational and social aspect in detail.
For taking a glimpse of Sir Syed’s educational philosophy, let me to quote him on College boarders. He wrote a short pamphlet entitled, “College life or New Life” for the resident students. Therein he says, “First and foremost of all, mutual love and amicable conduct towards one and another is the fountainhead of all bliss and blessings here. All the students, lying as they are on the lap of this Alma Mater, no matter whether they hail from Hindustan or the Punjab, East or West or South, are your brothers first and last. If you did not treat and love them like brothers it would mean that you infringed the first principle of being the sons of one and the same “wise mother”.5 This was the concept of Sir Syed in respect of brotherhood on the campus and certainly it was the base of what today we call “Aligarianship”.
His dream of the residential life may be understood from what he himself said about it. He said, “Just as the students of Oxford and Cambridge have to visit the church and attend the prayers regularly, so also the residents of this institution would be duty bound to visit the mosques and offer prayers. The students would be provided with black half-sleeved gowns and red Turkish cap. They would not be allowed to enter the institution without these gowns and caps. Students would be strictly forbidden against uttering bad or abusive words”.6
Sir Syed also paid attention to such minor points which are often ignored even today. He was against flattery on which he said that, “of all the ailments of heart, the most injurious is fondness for flattery”.7 He was against sitting or wandering without any purpose. He said, “Idleness is a word whose meaning are not rightly comprehended by people. The real idleness is the idleness of heart and mind”.8 He gave importance to right attitudes. He advised students that, “a man should be upright, truthful and righteous even in dealing with his enemy”.9 He pointed out that for the development, one should earmark his own weaknesses. In this connection, he said that, “there are two indications of a nation’s will to progress: first, they should realize that they have fallen deep into ignominy and backwardness and second, that they should struggle to make up leeway”.10 Sir Syed opined that the education is the vehicle for political rights also. In a speech, he said that, “if the government has not conceded some of our rights to us as yet, for which we may have grudge, higher education is such a thing that it will secure those rights for us”.11
Sir Syed’s education philosophy was to develop a person in all respect for the good of the society, as well as nation. On the purpose of the education he said that, “by acquiring knowledge he may become more refined in his manners, may earn his livelihood in a better way and may give his thought to life hereafter”.12
He was in favor of following a healthy life style and giving up conventional, unhygienic, unscientific traditions and customs. He emphasized clean clothing, nutritious food and a hygienic mannerism. Common men of his times had a general apathy towards western culture and lifestyle. Sir Syed always condemned this unjustified attitude of his peer group. He said, “If we hate the culture and lifestyle of different societies, however pristine they may be because of sheer prejudice or because of age old traditions, then what vision and hope do we have for our own development and progress?” 13
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was in strong denial of superstitions particularly miracles, magic and mystic. He has said, “There is nothing more damaging than a belief on superstitions like miracles and magic for the human mind and for the very existence of humanity.” 14
He denied any contradiction between religion and science. He said, “Religion is the word of God and our surroundings are the work of God. And explanation of the existence of work of God is science. No contradiction is possible between science and religion as word of God cannot be opposition of work of God. If a contradiction between religion and science exists in a mind then it indicates cloudy thinking and therefore one should try to clear his thinking.” 15
He was a strong supporter of religious understanding. He always emphasized the importance of religious tolerance. 16 In this regard he has said, “ In reality denouncing religious heads of other sects is actually denouncing the religious heads of one’s own religion.” 17
With all the above mentioned intentions and opinions, he embarked upon to change society through education and established MAO College which later on became renowned Aligarh Muslim University.
The AMU Alumni are spread over almost all parts of the world and at several places branches of the Old Boys’ Associations do exist. The products of Aligarh Muslim University have established about 500 educational institutions in different parts of the world. The data indicates the powerful impact of the Aligarh Movement throughout the subcontinent and far beyond. In Pakistan the AMU Old Boys’ Association has established the ‘Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology’ at Karachi. It was due to the earnest and untiring efforts of the AMU Alumni Association of London that a building in central London where the late great Sir Syed Ahmad Khan had once stayed during his visit to England between 186970 had been named after the noble soul by the British Heritage Society at 21 Mc Leans Square, St. Pancras in West London on November 14, 1997 at a function attended by diplomats of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
I would like to quote editorial of The Times, London on the death of Sir Syed which reveals his greatness:
‘By the death recently reported from Allahabad of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, India loses one who has been described as its most prominent Mohamaden since the death of the great Sir Salar Jung. For nearly 50 years, and especially since the Mutiny, Saiyid has stood as an interpreter between the Mohamadens of India and their rulers, as well as a between them and the British people. He was ever ready to defend his co-religionists from literary attacks upon them, and our own columns, as well as the press of some of the leading English Magazines, have borne witness to his learning and his dialectical skill when defending his own people. On the other hand, no man has done a tithe of what he has done in arousing Indian Mohamadens to a sense of their own deficiencies, especially in the great matter of education. Indeed when his unwearied and lifelong efforts in this direction are considered, as well as the extraordinary success which has attended them, he may well be described as the apostle of education to the Mohamadens of India. His Institute at Aligarh, with its own printing press and Journal, his Anglo Oriental College at the same place, on the model of a college of Oxford or Cambridge, for the education of Mohamedens of the upper classes, are splendid monuments to his breadth of mind, his wisdom, and his energy.18
This great leader of his people was born in Delhi in 1817. His ancestors, who claimed descent from the Prophet, are said to have originally come from the Herat Valley, and for several generations held high office in the court of the Mughal Emperors of Delhi. In 1837, after his father’s death, the young man entered the British service in the court of the Judge at Delhi, and from that time until he finally retired from the service he remained in the judicial branch. Shortly before the Mutiny he found himself in Bijnor in Rohilkhand. His courage and tact there saved the whole of the British in the station from massacre. It was immediately after the Mutiny also that he threw himself heart and soul into the cause of Mohammaden education, and one of his earliest steps was to establish a translation society which should prepare suitable books, thought of which he greatly felt. A few years later this useful Association expanded into the Scientific Society of Aligarh, with its own Press, from which translations of numerous work on history and various modern sciences have been issued for the use of Mohammadens. One of his most intimate friend was Sir William Muir, but he did not hesitate to stand up vigorously for Islam against his friend’s Life of Mohammad and his work, “A series of Essays on Mohammad” was published in 1870 during a visit to England for the education of his sons, one of whom subsequently became a Judge of the High Court of the N.W. Provinces. His experiences in this country he communicated in letters, written in Urdu, to the Journal of his Institute in Aligarh. It was after return that he bent his mind to the great undertaking of the Anglo Oriental College at Aligarh, which was opened in 1873 by Sir William Muir, while the foundation stone of the building now in existence was laid with much ceremony by Lord Lytton in 1877. Having retired from the service in 1876, Syed Ahmad was in 1878 appointed a member of the Viceroy’s Council by Lord Lytton, the appointment being renewed for a further period by Lord Rippon. He has also been on the Legislative Council of the North-West Provinces. In 1888 he was made K.C.S.I.19
For many years past Sir Syed Ahmad’s home at Aligarh has been the goal of the pilgrimages of many of the greatest personages in India, and his recepting by his fellow-Mohammadens when he has on to the Punjab or to Hyderabad has been semi-regal. His last years were wholly devoted to the prosperity of his College and institute, and most of his journeys have been made on their behalf. Anglo-Indians who knew him best are as enthusiastic in his praise as the Indian Mohammadens. To the end he never changed the main article of his social faith, that education was the one indispensable requirement of Indian Mohammadens if they were to maintain under the British Raj the high position which was their due.’20
Sir Syed was a staunch Muslim. He did for the Muslims what Raja Ram Mohan Roy did for the Hindus. He wanted Muslims to adopt western education and scientific outlook. But he was never ready to compromise with the high ideals and values of Islam. Thus, he elaborated his educational philosophy in the following words, “Philosophy will be in our right hand and natural science in our left. And the crown of, ‘There is no God but Allah’ will adorn our head”. The Aligarh Muslim University is paying homage to Sir Syed Ahmad Khan by retaining his scheme of education even today.
We must strive hard to achieve goal set by Sir Syed to handover glorious past to our children.
References and Notes
1. Speech at Lahore, February 3, 1884 (Lectures, p. 198).
2. Speech delivered at Amritsar, January 26, 1884 (Lectures, p. 167).
3. The Aligarh Institute Gazette, 17 October, 1873.
4. Ibid.
5. Maqaalat-e-Sir Syed, pp. 75-78.
6. Tahzib-ul-Akhlaq, Rajab, 1289 H.
7. Maqalaat, p. 176.
8. Maqalaat, p. 191.
9. Tahzib-ul-Akhlaq, vol. III, p. 194.
10. Lectures, p. 248.
11. Speech at Amritsar, January 29, 1884
12. Hayat-e-Jawid, I, p. 85.
13. Rasmo Revaj ki padundi k nukhsanat, Maqalaat-e-Sir Syed. Part 5. Edited by Mohd. Ismail Panipati. Majlis-e-Taraqee-e-Adab, Lahore. Page 31.
14. Imam aur Imamat, Maqalaat-e-Sir Syed. Part 1. Edited by Mohd. Ismail Panipati. Majlis-e-Taraqee-e-Adab, Lahore 1962. Page 170.
15. Quran Majeed ki tafseer. Maqalat-e-Sir Syed, Part 2, Reply to the letter of Mohsin ul Mulk by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. Page 56.
16. Iftikhar Alam Khan, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, A Modren Man of Liberal and Scientific Thinking. Souvenir, World Summit of AMU Alumni 2008.
17. Maqalaat-e-Sir Syed. Part 1. Edited by Mohd. Ismail Panipati. Majlis-e-Taraqee-e-Adab, Lahore 1962. Page 184.
18. Editorial, The Times, London, April, 1898.
19. Ibid.
20. Ibid.