Early Life
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan born on October
17, 1817 at Delhi, and died March 27, 1898
at Aligarh, was a Muslim educator, jurist, and author, founder of
the Mohammedan Anglo Oriental College at Aligarh,
Uttar Pradesh, India. His father, who received an allowance from the
Mughal administration, became something of a religious recluse; his
maternal grandfather had twice served as prime minister of the
Mughal emperor of his time and had also held positions of trust
under the East India Company. Sir Syed's brother established one of
the first printing presses at Delhi and started one of the earliest
newspapers in Urdu.
The death of Sir Syed's father left the family in
financial difficulties. For his livelihood, he started his career as
a clerk with the East India Company in 1838. He
qualified three years later as a sub-judge and served in the
judicial department at various places.
Religious Work
Sir Syed Ahmad had a versatile personality, and his
position in the judicial department left him time
to be active in many fields. His career as an
author (in Urdu) started at the age of 23
with religious tracts. In 1847 he brought
out a noteworthy book, Athar Assanadid
("Monuments of the Great"), on the antiquities of
Delhi.
Even more important was his pamphlet, "The
Causes of the Indian Revolt". In this booklet he ably and
fearlessly laid bare the weaknesses and errors of the British
administration that had led to dissatisfaction and a countrywide
explosion. Widely read by British officials, it had considerable
influence on British policy.
His interest in religion was also
active and lifelong. He began a sympathetic interpretation of the
Bible, wrote Essay on the Life of Muhammad
(PBUH) (translated into English by his son), and
founded time to write several volumes of a modernist
commentary on the Quran. In these works he sought to
harmonise the Islamic faith with scientific and politically
progressive ideas of his time.
Educational Achievements
The supreme interest of Sir Syed's life was education,
in its widest sense. He began by establishing schools, at Muradabad
(1858) and Ghazipur (1863). A more
ambitious undertaking was the foundation of the Scientific
Society, which published translations of many educational
texts and issued a bilingual journal, in Urdu and English.
These institutions were for the use of all citizens
and were jointly operated by the Hindus and the Muslims. During a
visit to England (1869-70) he prepared plans for a
great educational institution, they were for "a Muslim
Cambridge". On his return he set up a committee for the
purpose and also started an influential journal, Tahdhib
al-Akhlaq ("Social Reform"), for the
"uplift and reform of the Muslim".
Establishment of Aligarh Institute
A Muslim school was established at Aligarh in
May 1875, and, after his retirement in
1876, Sir Syed devoted himself to enlarging it into
a college. In January 1877 the foundation stone of
the college was laid by the Viceroy. This college made rapid
progress. In 1886 Sir Syed organized the
All-India Muhammadan Educational Conference, which
met annually at different places to promote education and to provide
the Muslims with a common platform. Sir Syed advised the Muslims
against joining active politics and to concentrate instead on
education. Until the founding of the Muslim League in
1906, it was the principal national centre of
Indian Islam.
Later, when some Muslims joined the Indian National
Congress, he came out strongly against that organisation and its
objectives, which included the establishment of parliamentary
democracy in India. He argued that, in a country where communal
divisions were all-important and education and political
organisations were confined to a few classes, parliamentary
democracy would work only inequitably. Muslims, generally, followed
his advice and abstained from politics until several years later
when they had established their own political organisation i.e.
Muslim League.
This great scholar and leader died on 27
March, 1898, at Aligarh, India. May Allah rest his soul in
peace.
