DR.

ZAKIR HUSSAIN EDUCATIONAL

PHILOSOPHY TOWORDS EDUCATION
Dissertation
Submitted in Partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the award
of the Degree Of

MASTER OF EDUCATION
(M.Ed.)
By
BIBHA SRIVASTAVA
Roll no. 1701044018
Enrollment No. : 1700103719

Under the Supervision of

Dr. AZKIYA WARIS

(Assistant Professor)
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
INTEGRAL UNIVERSITY
LUCKNOW
2017-2019
 DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this dissertation entitled “DR. ZAKIR
HUSSAIN EDUCATIONAL PHILOSPHY TOWARDS EDUCATION “
is my own work and effort that is has not been submitted to
anywhere for any award.

Date:

Place:

BIBHA SRIVASTAVA

M.Ed.

Roll No. : 1701044018

Enrollment No. : 1700103719

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In the name of GOD, the most beneficent and merciful. At every onset, I
would like to thank almighty god for guidance and helping me all the
way through, making the work easy for me. I was His blessings that
gave me strength to complete the work with sincerely and devotion.

I am thankful to almighty god who have given me such a wonderful gift

in the face of Mother, I am nothing without her. Whatever I am is just
because of my mother.

It is my privilege to express my gratitude to my worthy guide and

supervisor Dr. Azkiya Waris, Faculty of Education for her valuable
guidance support , tenderness and encouragement given to me during
the course of the dissertation work and always. I sincerely wish to thank
her especially for her patients with me without which I would not have
able to complete this work successfully.

I would like to pay my gratitude and sincere thanks to Dr. Ekhlaq

Ahmad, Dr. Zeba Aqeel, Dr. Md. Ali Imam,Dr Gitika Nidhi, Dr. Smita
Srivastava,Dr. Fazia Qamar for their valuable help and coopration
during the course of the work without which I would not able to
complete my work.

I must thank to almighty who is Omnipotent, Omnipresent god who

have my husband like a friend, it is well said that behind every
successful man there is woman but behind my success there is man.
Amit Kumar Srivastava who always motivate me to achieve my Goal
and a special thank god love to my son Aaryasa Srivastava. Also I would
like to thank god for Susheela Srivastava who are my first teacher from
whome .I learnt everything and who have always provide me a strong
shoulder to go ahead, whatever I am today , is because of their love,
affection, care prayers, sustained efforts and sacrifices.

I can’t give them anything my dear brother Ravi Prakash Srivastava and
my loving sister Mamta, Seema and Vineeta & Alka gave their valuable
criticism whenever needed.

I am also thankful to the non-teaching staffs of this department who

always helped me.

It’s my moral duty to pay special thanks to all my classmates, friends

and everyone for their cooperation and moral support in completing
my work effectively.

With Regards
Bibha Srivastava
M.Ed. Student
 INDEX
Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION 1- 8

1.1 Meaning of education 1

1.2 Education has been described as a process of walking upto 1-2
1.3 Educations as the fundamental way of life 2
1.4 Importance of education 3
1.5 Emergence of the problem 4-7
1.6 Statement of the problem 8

1.7 Topic of the study 8

CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERTURE 9-19
2.1 Introduction 9-10
2.2 A critical study of the educational thought of Dr. Zakir Hussain 10-14
2.3 The objective of the study 14 - 15
2.4 Analysis of the study of Dr. Zakir Hussain 15-18
2.5 Conclusion 18- 19

CHAPTER 3 20-28

3.1 Inroduction 20-21

3.2 Educational research 21-22 3.3
Approaches in educational research 22

3.4 Types of educational research 23-24

3.6 The process of qualitative research 24-25

3.7 Philosophical research 26-27

3.8 Principles qualitative research 27-28

 CHAPTER-4 29-45
Portrait of Zakir Husain as an Academician and Educational Philosopher

4.1 Zakir Hussain’s formative years and influence upon him 30-31

4.2 At the Islamia High School Etawah 31-32

4.3 His Article on the Life of a Student 32-33

4.4 The Turkish Crisis and Zakir Husain's Role 34-35

4.5 A Unique Prize for His Oratorial Skills 35-36

4.6 At the Portals of MAO. College Aligarh 36-41

4.7 The Teacher and Educationist in the Making 41-45

Chapter 5 46-77
Jamia Millia Islamia and Zakir Husain's Services

5.1 The Conception 52-53

5.2 The Foundation 53-55

5.3 The Crisis 55

5.4 Jamia Moved to Delhi the First Trio and Gandhi 55-56

5.5 Resurgence: The Second Trio 56-58

5.6 Shifting to the New Campus 59-60

5.7 Independence and After 60-61

5.8 Deemed to be University 61

5.9 Central University 1 61

5.10 Zakir Husain's Perception of Islam and Nationalism 61-64

5.11 Politics Religion and Education 64-66

5.12 The Wardha Scheme of Basic Education 66

5.13 In Defence of Religious Identity and Cultural Pluralism 67-68

5.14 Practitioner and Preacher of Spiritual Religiosity 68-70

5.15 Zakir Husain's Interest in Social Work 70-73

5.16 Zakir Husain as Vice Chancellor 73-75

5.17 Progress and Development 75-77

CHAPTER-6

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION 78-82

REFERENCES
 CHAPTER-1
Introduction

1.1 MEANING OF EDUACATION

Education in its general sense is a form of learning in which the know ledge, skills, and habits
group of people are transferred from one generation to another generation to teaching.
Education in its specific sense is a systematic process through which a child adult acquired
knowledge, experience. skill and sound attitude. Which makes an individual civilized, refined,
cultured and educated for a civilized and socialized society, Education because it is A panacea
for all evils. It is key two solve the various problems of life.
1.2 EDUCATION HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A PROCESS OF WAKING
UPTO

• Waking up to life and its mysteries, its solvable problems and the way to solve the problems
and celebrate the mysteries of life.

 Waking up to the-dependencies of all things, to the threat to global village, to the power
within the human race to create alternatives, to, the obstacles entrenched in economic, social
and political structures that prevent our waking up.

Education in the broadest sense of the term is meant to aid the human being in her pursuit of
wholeness. Wholeness implies the harmonious development potentialities God has given to &
human person. Right education is development of the physical, mental, moral, and social
faculties, of life, for a life of dedicated service.

1.3 EDUCATIONS AS THE FUNDAMENTAL WAY OF LIFE

One would agree that education is a fundamental way of the life. It is a mean to learn something
new. Its intention is to mentally. physically and emotionally benefit the person by putting and
individual in a better place than he before. There are many people who contribute significantly to
an individual's educating. Starting off as a young child, most of the information retrieved comes
from home through parents and loved ones. As he moved into adolescence, learning is obtained
from multiple people including teachers, friends, and even through his surroundings. In this way,
education keeps continuing. Education should build not only on the text that lies within a book,
but should also touch base with everyday life. An ideal education promotes knowledge while
incorporating valuable information that can be used to help in real life situations.

1.4 IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION

Education is an important human activity. It was born with the birth of the human race of shall
continue to as the human race lives the importance of education may be summer up as under:
I. An Essential Human Virtue

Education is an essential human virtue. Man becomes man through education he is what
education makes him. It has been rightly sais without education man is a splendid slave,
reasoning savage.

II. Necessity for society

Education is necessary for society education fashions motels man for cannot be conceived
merely in terms of his biological education brings into focus the special aspect of man education
signifies man's supreme positions in society.

III. Important For The Integration

The separate entities an individual is made up of different entities education brings about the
integration of these separate entities.

1.5 EMERGENCE OF THE PROBLEM

Education now a days has been misunderstood with mere acquisition of knowledge as the world
races towards a knowledge society, it is often forgotten that knowledge is but a milepost on the
road to wisdom. knowledge is increasingly identified with scientific progress and technological
breakthrough and the role of culture in transferring traditional knowledge, values and spirituality
across generations is diminished. Educational policymaker increasingly find themselves
overwhelmed by the ambition of the government to build a 'new economy' based on a technical
paradigm rather than a 'new society' that could bring harmony and peace in this world.

Education system in India is on a rise from last 3 decades and has shown significant
improvement but is that really sufficing scenarios to be proud of the answer lies is a few
statistical data mentioned ahead. Of the 1027 million population of out country, 350 million are
illiterates. Free Primary Education in India is not that free. There are about 87% drop outs by
standard 12 . Educated youths are eventually turning out tobe unemployed or under employed .
As per the Census 2011, the adult literacy rate is 74.04% and the youth literacy rate Is 82% Let
alone India, the global scenario of education is also not very satisfactory by the start of the 21 st
century, the majority of all Children is most regions of the world attended school. There are 73
million Children, mostly female Children in poor families, who did not start elementary school. I
here are most than 200 million Children, mostly females from poor families. Who did not go to
secondary school Universal Primary education is one of the eight international Millennium
development Goals, toward which progress has been made in the past decades. Thought barriers
still remain Securing charitable funding from prospective donors is one particularly persistent
problem. Furthermore, demand in the developing world for improved educational access is not
as high as foreigners have expected. Indigenous government are reluctant to take on the recurrent
costs involved. There is economic pressure from those parents who prefer their Children to earn
money in the short term rather than work towards the long-term benefits of education.

The EFA Global Monitoring Report (2005) indicates that stronger capacities in educational
planning and management may have an important spill-over effect on the system as a whole.
Sustainable capacity development requires complex interventions at the institutional,
organizational and individual levels that could be based on some foundational principles:

 National leadership and ownership should be the touchstone of any intervention:

 Strategies must be context and context specific:
 They should embrace an integrated set of complementary interventions. Though
implementation may need to proceed in steps, partners should commit to a long term
investment in capacity development, while working towards some short achievements:
 Outside intervention should be conditional on impact assessment national capacities at
various levels.
 Outside intervention a, percentage of students should he removed for improvisation
academics of arcade (usually practice schools after 10th )
 Although the developed countries have made it at large, the developing countries still
striving hard to carve an edge for themselves at the global forefront the problem of illiteracy
and unemployment are proving to be parasites which are socking the potential of any nation
to progress.

Education Plays a very dynamic role in enhancing the socio-economic development of a

country for any nation, the level and quality of education is one of the most significant
parameters for overall progress. In India, although the total literacy rate has gone up over the
years hut the quality tremendous improvement. Education is not just the ability to read and
when but also a complete process human transformation. Today the prime role of education
is that it has to be child cantered and proved to be a road map to reshape the present and the
future. UNESCO has also focused on this point in an international expert meeting held in
June 2003 and defined literacy as follows,

Literacy may be defined as the 'ability to identify, understand, interpret, create,

communicate, compute and use printed and written material Jed with vat in contexts, Literary
involves a continuum of learning nab mg individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their
knowledge and potential and to participate fully in their community and wider society."

The goals of Education should be the full following of the human on this earth according to
the UNESCO study (June 2003). The physical, intellectual, emotional & ethical integration
of the individual in to a complete man/woman is the foundation aim of education.

To achieve this goals, some corrective steps need to be taking promptly that illiteracy rate
would reduce significantly before our government proceeds with the next census.

1.6 STATE MENT OF THE PROBLEM

Dr. Zakir Hussain contributed significantly towards education. Through his books, address and
speeches, he dignities the young minds in the schools and colleges of India and abroad with an
indomitable spirit and has tried to them creative, constructive and contributing to social change
and progress. The proposed study has been stated as follows-Dr Zakir Hussain’s contributions
towards education and personality development of Indian Youths"

1.7Topic of the study

Dr. Zakir Hussain educational philosophy towords education.

 CHAPTER-2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERTURE

2.1 Introduction

The review of the related literature is an essential aspect of any research work. This is an
exacting task calling for a deep insight and clear perspective of the overall field. It is a crucial
step which invariably minimizes the risk of dead ends, rejected topics, wasted efforts, trial and
error activity, approaches already discarded by previous researchers and even more important
erroneous findings based on faulty research designs. It provides a greater understanding of
problem and its aspects and ensures the avoidance of unnecessary duplication. It enables to
compare the data, on the basis of which a researcher can evaluate and interpret the significance
of findings, and in addition contributes to the scholarship of the investigator. Also these
literatures and fruitful sources of objectives and hypothesis.

In recent times quite a number of research studies are done in the area of educational p
hilosophy. Broadly they can be classified into two categories. The first category comprises of
studies on the major schools of educational philosophy such as Idealism, Naturalism,
Pragmatism, Existentialism etc., Including investigation into different philosophical trends in
Indian education thought and different trends of educational philosophy found in English and
Indian literature. In the second category there are studies on educational philosophies of some
noted educational thinkers, western and Indian, and comparative studies. Some of the research
studies that are similar to and have a bearing on the present investigation are reviewed the
abstracts of which are presented here.

2.2 A critical study of the educational thought of Dr. Zakir Hussain

The objective was undertake a critical study of the educational thought of Dr. Zakir Hussain

The major observation of the study were (1) there seems to be a general consensus that Dr.
Zakir Hussain was an outstanding creative thinker on education in contemporary India. He
wanted to disseminate the ideas of other great thinker and also a great ameliorate the state of
education , therefore , he translated Plato ,Rusell ,Cannon , list etc .into urdu .he wrote beautiful
animal and bird stories in traditional Indian and Greek literature for children .his stories
particularly portray between virtue and vice obviously.

. Dr. Zakir Hussain always realized the urgency of educational reform and therefore, deeply
involved himself in evolving a scheme of national education. Thus, being a thorough going
educationist, his interest in education never faltered or weltered even for a while.

i. Dr. Zakir Hussain always felt the need to reconstruct education in order to meet the social
and political aspirations of the people. He perceived a deep and living interrelationship
between the school and the society, but also drew inspiration from the socio-cultural
heritage while developing his educational ideas.
ii. He was however quite sore of the way the socio-political situation in the country was
taking shape for the worse during the first part of the twentieth century. Especially when
its colonial rulers sought to thwart the wheel of progress in number of obvious ways,
including communal riots, dragging India into world wars, the 'divide and rule' policy etc.
Dr. Zakir Hussain found the western system of education narrow and limited in its
objectives. thin and anemic in content, in the context of our national life. He made it a
point to keep these considerations in view while weaving the fabric of his educational
thought. He made inculcation of national values and spirit the main prank of his
philosophy. His nationalism drew strength from the ideas of Abdul Kalam Azad,
Maulana Mohammad Ali, Sir Mohammad Iqbal's poetry and other sources. To him,
religion could never be antithetical, a true Muslim he believed was he who served his
country as religiously as he does his religion lest he should feel ashamed of himself as
being unworthy of the creator.

iii. In this search for truth, Dr. Zakir Hussain was also greatly influenced by other thinkers
like kerchensteiner, Gandhi, Spranger, Pestulozzi, Frocbel and Dewey. Yet the fact,
however, is that Dr. Zakir Hussain was not simply an armchair philosopher. He never
accepted any theory uncritically before putting it on the avil of practice, particularly for
its suitability and workability in Indian conditions. Therefore, whatever he thought in
municipal night schools in Germany or at Jamia Millia Islamia, Dr. Zakir Hussain
endeavored to construct a strong educational foundation for making his educational
thought and ideals viable, applicable and down to earth, especially in Indian context.

iv. Dr. Zakir Hussain's educational philosophy allows new ideas and knowledge to enter his
mind form all directions in order to fit them all into the Indian scheme of things and
culture. Therefore, thought most of his ideas are not original as such, yet the process of
philosophical synthesis he makes assumes such a form as it makes them Indian in origin
and Indian in culture. His synthetic approach is reflected in all his concepts. He achieves
a practical harmony of purpose in his life as well as his ideas via the process of
philosophical synthesis; his life has itself been a synthesis of old and new traditional and
modern, Eastern and Western, simplicity and grandeur, poverty and taste; and his ideas
reflect a synthesis between individual and society, science and humanities, freedom and
authority, ethics and technology, material and spiritual values, temporal and eternal,
 skilled efficiency and awakened conscience, achievement and conviction, knowledge and
faith etc. He made philosophical synthesis a potent factor of his educational philosophy.

v. The fundamental concepts of Dr. Zakir Hussain's Philosophy pivot around certain basic
educational postulates concerned with the aims of education, the nature of the educand,
the cultural goods and character formation, among others.

vi. He was not satisfied with any cut and dried curriculum. He believed that curriculum
should not only be organic but should also be related to the real life of the educands. He
therefore, fully appreciated the importance of curriculum development.

vii. Like all other educational philosophers, Dr. Zakir Hussain too realized the importance of
language. Perceiving that India was multi-lingual society, he favoured mother tongue as
the most effective medium of education at the primary stage, a regional language at the
secondary stage and a modern Indian language at the higher stage.

viii. Dr. Zakir Hussain attached a great deal of importance to educationally productive work .

ix. He never considered a university degree or a school living certificate to be an indication

that one's education has come to an end.

2.3 The objectives of the study were:

(1) To study the genesis of Dr. Zakir Hussain's educational thought.

(2) To study the philosophical norms of Dr. Zakir Husain.

(3) To study the educational concepts of Dr. Zakir Husain.

(4) To study the educational content of Dr. Zakir Husain.

(5) To study Dr. Zakir Husain as an academician to the core.

(6) To study Dr. Zakir Husain as a protagonist.

(7) To study the political career of Dr. Zakir Husain.

(8) To study Dr. Zakir Husain's contribution to the theory and practice of Indian Education.

(9) To study the medium and methodology of Education according to Dr. Zakir Husain.
(10) To study the role of the teacher according to Dr. Zakir Husain.
2.4 Analysis of the literature of Dr Zakir Hussain .

Analysis of the literature as incorporated in the holy book of relevance to this study were the
primary sources. The secondary sources included commentaries, speeches, lectures, discussions
and articles published in various periodicals, journals, newspapers, books, dissertations,
encyclopedias and other allied publications. Some of the major findings of the study were:

1. Dr. Zakir Husain's ideal of education for the ultimate human unity through communion
with nature mingled with freedom and joy, and cultural collaboration with other people's
sympathy with the views of Tagore and Gandhi.

2. His concept of education as an instrument of development of mutual co- operation, as well

as for the prevention of alienation and segregation, was in conformity with ideas of Martin
Buber and Nehru.

3. Dr. Zakir Husain's' recognition of Basic Education as a tool of developing the self-
actualization and to promote the self and healthy society which is quite consistent of
modern thoughts was conformity with the ideas of Vivekananda and Gandhi.

4. Dr. Zakir Husain's concept of the teacher role. as a 'Guru' was very close to the ideas of
Tagore, to whom the teacher was the initiator and maintainer of I-thou, relationship for the
development and emancipation of pupils. But it was not possible as teaching was accepted
as a profession and not as a mission by an absolute majority of teachers.

5. Dr. Zakir Husain's concept as teachers' role do not provide reward and punishment in any
achievements. Except for teachers' initiation, inspiration and encouragement no material
reward was needed to motivate the students. Whereas punishment only decline motivation
was similar to the psychological findings to Peters and Atkinson.

6. Dr. Zakir Husain's concept of religion and religious education was democratic society and
was close to the ideas of Tagore.
7. Dr. Zakir Husain's efforts for inculcation of a feeling of freedom and authority at all stages
to the institutions in the minds of the pupils through cordial teacher-pupil relationship was
consistent with the experimental findings of psychologists like Brewer and Lovell.
8. Dr. Zakir Husain's views on Education in close co-ordination of the community for the
distribution of the richness of the heritage and inculcation of the values of society or value-
based society were similar to the ideas of Tagore, Gandhi and Dewey.
9. Dr. Zakir Husain's introduction of creative, playful and productive activities in education
for the conditioning and channelization of emotions, the prevention of emotional
deprivation and securing of emotional stability of the adolescent pupils was in conformity
with the views of Gandhiji, Nehru and Tagore.

The researcher has concluded that Dr. Zakir Husain is truthful in a rich and spiritual
sense. Never did he hesitate in mentioning what he felt regarding the new educational
schemes propagated even by himself. Regarding the failure of Basic Education he says,
"We have turned the so called intellectual book-school into a mechanical memory training
school and succeeded in making our work school the Basic School, a place of mechanical
work. The work is extraneously and uniformly prescribed; there is no semblance of a
spontaneous motivation if the child and he is extremely ignorant of any personal or social
purpose behind his work. Work which is mechanical, work in which no mental exertion is
involved, work in which one is satisfied with just result. work in which there is no self-
criticism and so on real progress, is in no sense educative". He did not easily concede the
claim to be wise without any real experience. one of the main reasons for Dr. Zakir
Husain's great success as an educationist is to be found in his uncompromising integrity
and sincerity. He did not preach anything that he did not practice. All that he advocated
came out of the depths of his being and convictions. He was an embodiment of dignity and
grace. Sweetness and courtesy moved with him.

Dr. Zakir Husain has proved that a good teacher with intellectual brilliance, worth of
heart and depth of feeling can as well be a teacher of humanity can grace any position as
well as in a place in the hearts of men.
2.5 Conclusions

The previous studies reviewed represented different schools of educational philosophy

such as Idealism, Naturalism, Pragmatism, and Existentialism. As such, the reviews want a
long way in conducting the present research study, in that Zakir Husain's educational
thoughts and practices contained a number of philosophic under currents and bore the
impact of certain noted educational thinkers. The studies reviewed benefited the researcher
in defining the objectives of his study articulating the assumptions of the study designing
the methodology, making content analysis, drawing conclusions, making suggestions for
improvement in the contemporary Indian educational system and making
suggestions for further research. As such, review of the previous studies proved to be a
worthwhile exercise.
 CHAPTER-3
RESEARCH METHODLOGY
3.1 INTRODUCTION

Methodology is the systematic, theoretical analysis of the methods applied to a

field of study, or the theoretical analysis of the body of methods and principles
associated with a branch of knowledge. It, typically, encompasses concepts such as
paradigm, theoretical model, phases and quantitative or qualitative techniques. A
methodology does not set out to provide solutions but offers the theoretical
underpinning for understanding which method, set of methods or so called "best
practices" can be applied to a specific case. In recent years, the work methodology
has become a "pretentious substitute for the word method". There are distinctions
between methodology and methods; methodology is the research strategy that
outlines the way one goes about undertaking a research project, whereas methods
identify means or modes of data collection. May recent uses of the work
methodology mistakenly treat it a synonym for method or body of methods, doing
this shifts it away from its true epistemological meaning and reduces it to being the
procedure itself, the set of tools or the instruments that should have been its
outcomes.

A methodology is the design process for carrying out research or the development
of a procedure and is not in itself an instrument for doing those things. Using it as a
synonym for method or set of methods, leads to 'interpretation and undermines the
proper analysis that should go into designing research. Generally for any research
study both primary and secondary researches are done. which facilitates in the
better understanding of the entire study. Primary research helps garner relevant and
adequate data of the current state of affairs pertaining to any subject and provides
an insight into the exact nature or the problem secondary research requires delving
into many aspect of the study including an ethnographic study which in turn
includes a longitudinal time horizon .

3.2 EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Educational research refers to a variety of methods, in which individuals evaluate

valerent aspects of education including: Student learning , teacher training and
classroom dynamics".

Education researches have come to the consensus that, educational research must
be conducted in a rigorous and systematic way, although what this implies is often
debated. There are a variety of disciplines which are each present to some degree
in educational research. These include psychology, sociology, anthropology, and
philosophy. The overlap in disciplines creates a broad range from which
methodology can be drawn. The fndings of educational research also need to be
interpreted with in the context in which they were discovered as they may not be
applicable in every lime or place.

3.3 APPROACHES EN EDUCATION RESEARCH

There are two main approaches in educational research. The first is a basic
approach .This approach is also referred to as an academic research approach the
second approach is applied research or a contract research approach.

Basic approach- Basic or academic research focuses on the search for truth or the
development of educational theory. Researchers with this background studies that
can test, refine modify, or develop theories".
 Applied Approach- The pursuit of information that can be directly applied to
practice is aptly known as applied or contractual research. research researchers in
this field try to find solutions to existing educational problems. The goal of this
research is to determine the applicability of educational theory and principles by
testing hypotheses within specific.

3.4 TYPES OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

The two main types of Educational researches are quantitative research and
research.

I. Quantitative Research - Quantitative research employs measurement as the

precise and universally accepted method for assigning quantitative values to the
characteristics or properties of objects or events for the purpose of discovering
relationships between variables under study.

II. Qualitative Research - Qualitative research, in contrast to quantitative

research, is considered by some, as 'less scientific' and 'softer'. It describes social
phenomena, as they occur naturally: No attempt is made to manipulate the situation
under study qualitative research uses data which is descriptive in nature. Tools that
educational researchers use in collecting qualitative data include: observations,
conducting interviews, conducting document analysis, and analyzing participant
products such as journals, diaries, images or blogs.

Qualitative research is the approach usually associated with the social

constructivist paradigm which emphasizes the socially constructed nature of
reality. It is about recording, analyzing and attempting to uncover the deeper
meaning and significance of human behavior and experience including
contradictory beliefs, behaviors and emotions. Researchers and interested in
gaining a rich and complex understanding of people's experience and not in
obtaining information which can be generalized to other larger groups.

3.5 THE PROCESS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

The approach adopted by qualitative researchers tends to be inductive which is
that they develop a theory or look for a pattern of meaning on the basis data
that they have collected. This involves a move from the general and is
sometimes called a bottom-up approach. However, most research projects also
involve a certain degree of deductive reasoning.
Qualitative researchers do not base their research on pre-determined
hypotheses, never the less they clearly identify a problem or topic that they
want to explore and may be guided by a theoretical lens a kind of overarching
theory, which provides a Framework for their investigation.

The approach to data collection and analysis is methodical but allows for
flexibility than in quantitative research. Data is collected in textual from on the
basis of observation and interaction with the participants e.g. through participant
observation, in-depth interviews and focus groups it is not converted into
numerical form and is not statistically analyzed.

Data collection may be carried out in several stages rather than once and for ill the
researchers may even adapt the process mid-way, deciding to address additional
issues or dropping questions which are not appropriate on the basis of what they
learn during the process. In some cases, the researchers may interview or observe a
set number of people. In other cases, the process of data collection and analysis
may continue until the researchers find that no new issues arc emerging.

3.6 PRINCIPLES OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Researchers tend to use methods which give participants a certain degree of
freedom and permit spontaneity rather than forcing them to select from a set of
pre-determined responses (of which none might be appropriate or accurately
described the participant's thoughts, feelings, attitudes or behavior) and to try to
create the right atmosphere to enable people to express themselves. This may mean
adopting a less formal and less rigid approach than that used in quantitative
research.

Qualitative research often involves a smaller number of participants. This may be

because the methods used such as in depth interviews are time and labor intensive
and also because a large number of people are not needed for the purposes of
statistical analysis or to make generalizations from the results.

The smaller number of people typically involved in qualitative research studied

and the greater degree of flexibility does not make the study in any way less
scientific" than a typical quantitative study involving more subjects and carried out
in a much more rigid manner. The objectives of the two types of research and their
underlying philosophical assumptions are simply different however; this does not
mean that the two approaches cannot be used in the same study.

3.7 PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH.

Philosophy (Philo is greek for love, sophy or Sophe relates to the truth or a
learning )means love of truth or teaming . therefore philosophical research or
approach is a methodology design to seek the truth of amatter.

Philosophical research is to clarify meanings, make values manifest identify

ethics, and study the nature of knowkdge (Ellis 1983). A philosophical archer is
expected to consider a philosophical question from all by combining conceptual
meaning; raising further question pro-posing answers and suggesting the
implication of those answers the data sources for most philosophical studies arc
written material and verbally expressed ides relevant to the topic of interest. The
researcher critically, examines the text of the ideas for flaws logic. A key element
of the analysis is the posing philosophical question. Philosophical research aims to
present work by authors who conceive of philosophy as a cooperative scientific
enterprise. In this sense the series is guided by the methodological ideal of analytic
Philosophy, while it is at the some tine open for contributions from any area of
philosophy, either of historical or systematic nature. The characteristic feature of
the series should solely be that it presents works reflecting the gradual progress
that is the mark of good philosophy.

Philosophical research or inquiry deals with abstract concepts or questions like,

what Should be the aims of Education? Why should Education promote moral
values?

NATURE OF PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH

Philosophical studied aim at-

Assessing the status of knowledge through analysis of meanings and relationship

of different cconceptsexpositions of underlying assumptions.

It is fruitful synthesis of ideas from different areas concerning educational theories

and practices.

Philosophical studies focus on analysis of meaning and nature of different

educational concept and the relevance of different kinds of educational practices.

It identifies appropriate norms and standards for educational practices through

across examination of ideas reflected by different thinkers in the field of education.
It focuses on the development of deep understanding of and fresh insight into
educational concept, principals theories issues and problem

It attempt to make normative inducements on and evaluation of education

practices.

It raises important issues having relevance for educational and tackles them
analytically offering argument alarifying concepts with intellectual support and
offers ground for normative assertions

Philosophical enquiry leads towards arriving at normative criteria for governing

aims and objective of educational and parameters

CHAPTER-4
Portrait of Zakir Husain as an Academician and
Educational Philosopher

Portrait of Zakir Husain as an Academician and Educational Philosopher

It education is experience, biographical accounts of luminous personalities are a
greatsource of education for future generations. Muller once said: “We buy experience
cheapest in studying the lives of others”. Biographical gleanings of great personalities
prove to be inspiringly educative and edifying. It is the ideas and practices of thinkers,
past and present that further the evolution of mankind. In turn, the evolution of the ideas
of such thinkers is traced in the process of their life history. Rakdhakrishnan (1888-
1975) once wrote : “The ideas of thinkers are evolved in the process of their life history.
We must learn not only to reverence them but to acquire their spirit”. The objective of
the research study at hand is to analyze Zakir Husain’s educational ideals. To get at the
process of evolution of Zakir Husains’ educational philosophy, the researcher deems it
essential to fall back on the task of dealing with an adequate account of Zakir Husain’s
life history.

There was a harvest of Indian genius in the early decades of the last century. A
host of promising young men luminous with potential genius could be seen through the
length and breadth of the country. They were men of destiny endowed with faith and
reason, knowledge and wisdom love and liberty. They were, as though, enthusiastic
heralds ushering a new era in Indian national evolution. They were men who made
history leaving a rich legacy behind them in variegated fields of life. Zakir Husain was
one of such magnetic personalities of modem India. A proud product of the Indian
national struggle and an apostle of Indo-Islamic culture, Zakir Husain holds a sway over
the Indian educational scene worth reckoning.

For the convenience of comprehension, the biographical sketch of Zakir Husain

is presented here in two sections: Section-A: Portrait of Zakir Husain as an Academician
and Educational Philosopher, and Section -B: Zakir Husain's Political Career.

4.1 Zakir Husain's Formative Years and the Influences upon Him

Zakir Husain was bom in Hyderabad in 1897. Wo recorded information about his exact
date of birth is found available only the age of the child, Zakir Husain being is found in
his school admission records. In 1922 when Zakir Husain had applied for passport he
did not bother to find out the age from the school records and put 24 February 1897 in
the date of birth column. Whenever he was enquired about his birth anniversary, he
replied with irritation. “It is enough to know that I have taken birth since I am found
living". Zakir Husain was only ten years old when his father died and he was fourteen
when his mother died. He had a grand house and was known as Mahal of Jhamman
Khan named after his grandfather. There was some property also and it yielded enough
income to live comfortably.

4.2 At the Islamia High School Etawah

Zakir Husain was admitted to Islamia High School Etawah on 8 December 1907
in the fifth class. Prior to it, the education he received at his home was the same which
was prevalent in Muslim families, the Holy Quran, some texts of Persian and Urdu. An
Englishman recently converted to Islam mention of whom has been made once earlier,
Abdul Ghani by name taught him English in Hyderabad. In the Etawah school in the
beginning for two or three years, his attendance was not satisfactory. Later on it
improved. His annual results from 7th to 9th classes were fairly good. He passed in 1st
division. In the 10th class only "passed SLC" is recorded. It can be inferred that he must
have passed his matriculation in 1st division. Islamia High School Etawah, a residential
institution, was established by Molvi Bahir Uddin, a staunch follower of Sir Syed
Ahammad Khan pioneer of the Muslim renaissance in India, with the aim to teach
English to Muslim youth and mould them in Islamic way of life.

He was proficient in both mathematics and literature. From the very childhood he
knew the art of treating his enemies tactfully. One day Syed Altaf Husain headmaster of
the school quietly poured water into gravy when the meat dish, which was all that was
served, had been placed before the students. Zakir Husain looked on as if it was the
usual thing to do, and later ate the food without any distaste. When they had finished
eating, the headmaster told him that he had mixed water with the gravy to indicate that
one must not look for pleasure in life. Zakir Husain bore this in his mind throughout his
life. This incident at school was a sure indication that he would be willing to sacrifice
everything in his later life for a cause. The suggestion indeed came true in every
respect. Zakir Husain fondly cherished later in his life his memories about Syed Altaf
Husain, especially his love and affection. He held him in such esteem which generally
speaking a disciple has for his spiritual master.

4.3 His Article on the Life of a Student

In 1911, when Zakir Husain was in eighth class, he wrote what appears to have
been a speech delivered on some occasion on the life of a student. It is extremely
significant as an indication of his ideas and ideals that distinguished him later in life. As
such the article is reproduced below in full:
There is no doubt that everyone who gets educated has some aim in life. One
studies to become a lawyer, another to become a doctor, a third one to become a
government servant, and it is generally believed that object of study is to become rich.
This aim is from the beginning present not so much in the mind of the student as in that
of his parents. It is the duty of every student if his family is dependent on him, to study
so that he can support his parents, and it is true to say that a man's personal wealth is
also a national asset. But to be a student merely in order to get rich and eat well is a
disgrace not only for the student but also for humanity. If the student's aim in studying is
to wear nice coats, drive in a carriage, shake hands with government officers, then he
does not deserve to be called a student. In short, becoming rich is the worst aim a
student can have.

The aim of student's life should be to overcome any illusions or

prejudices he may have and to give up mean habits. He should,

and it is his duty to, propagate education among his illiterate

brothers and to consider the propagation of education as part of his

own education. He ought to acquire knowledge for the sake of

knowledge and he should not be unaware of the needs of life. If he

is unaware of these needs, he cannot shoulder the burden of his family or be useful to mankind.
If he is not educated, he is not a man at all and he cannot do anything worth while in this world.
Zakir Husain (1911)

Class VEI

Islamia High School, Etawah.

4.4 The Turkish Crisis and Zakir Husain's Role

During Zakir Husain's student days at School, Maulana Muhammad Ali and

Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad brought out their journals Comrade, Hamdard and al-

Hilal (1911 and 1912). These journals gained instant popularity across the

country. Zakir Husain read these and appraised others of their contents. These

journals enlightened and inspired him. It was a turbulent period in the Muslim

world. Italy had invaded Tripoli and the Balkan wars had broken out in 1912

which posed many problems for the Turks, the reports of which used to be

published in the above mentioned journals. Indian Muslims were naturally upset

over these events. They were driven to take a decisive action. Donations were

collected for helping the Turks. Under the leadership of Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari, a

medical mission was deputed to Turkey. Moved by these developments, Zakir

Husain felt and communicated to his fellow students, a violent reaction to

European aggression against the only independent Muslim state. He even

delivered speeches at the local mosque after Friday Prayers and made collections

for the Turkish Relief Fund. Once, before passing his cap round for donation, he

told the congregation that the coins they gave would be converted into bullets that
would pierce the hearts of the enemies of Islam. It is reported that an old man who

heard him broke into tears and gave him everything he had".

4.5 A Unique Prize for His Oratorial Skills

Zakir Husain was gifted to write and speak very well. As a student he

excelled as a writer and public speaker. He had original ideas and knew well how

to make his point forcefully and effectively. His speeches had the desired impact

up on his audience. He developed his speaking skills further and throughout his

career he stood out as a speaker with an inimitable style. The same holds true for

his status as a writer. His mastery as a writer and speaker is publicly

acknowledged. "One of such speeches resulted in his marriage", writers Sayeeda

Khursheed Alam, the eldest daughter of Zakir Husain, hi her book, 'Zakir Sahab ki

Kahani" she narrates how it all happened. Zakir Husain delivered a speech at

Qaimganj for collecting donations for the Turkish Relief Fund. The grandfather of

Sayeeda's mother, wife of Zakir Husain, was present in that meeting. He was

greatly moved by Zakir Husain's speech. He donated all that he had and resolved

at the same time to get his granddaughter married to Zakir Husain. The

grandmother of Sayeeda's mother was no more then. Sayeeda's mother was the

only granddaughter of her grandfather. Her grandfather had tremendous affection

for her and called her Tutli'. Her proper name was Shahjahan Begum. Her

grandfather sent for Zakir Husain's mother and told her about his decision. It
greatly pleased her. It was decided mutually to solemnize the marriage. However,

Putli's grandfather and Zakir Husain's mother passed away before the marriage

took place. Shahjahan Begum became Zakir Husain's wife.

4.6 At the Portals of M.A.O. College Aligarh

After matriculation in 1913 Zakir Husain joined intermediate in science at

the Mohammadan Anglo Oriental College, Aligarh. He duly completed the course in

1915. His brother wanted to see Zakir Husain become a doctor. Honouring his

brother's wish he left for Lucknow in 1915 where he joined the Lucknow Christian

College to study medicine. But there he fell severely ill and his persistent ill health

left him no option but to drop the idea of studying medicine at Lucknow. He

returned to Aligarh the following year (1916) and rejoined the M.A.O. college as an

undergraduate student. He offered English literature, philosophy and economics as

his main subjects for his bachelor's degree. He passed his B A in the first division

in 1918.On the voracity of Zakir Husain as a student in the college, his friend and

classmate Habibur Rahman who had offered the same courses had an intimate

account to present. He reported that apart from books on the three subjects offered

for the BA degree he had not read a single book on any other subject. Achieving

success in examinations used to be his sole aim. On the contrary, Zakir Husain

would hardly pay any attention to the course books, but used to study materials on
other subjects quite a lot. A few days before the examinations he would go to

Habibur Rahman and demand the notes he had prepared on the course books.

Habibur Rahman would not share his notes with anyone else at any cost, but to

Zakir Husain he would give them happily. Within a weak or two, not only he

would sift through those notes but also come to grips with the basic and important

points against the whole lot of irrelevant material. He would organize those points

so well in his mind that nothing but the significant and relevant would stay on in

a systematic manner, whereas the excess of information would cause a lot of

confusion to Habibur Raham's mind. Zakir Husain and Habibur Rahaman had been among those
top five students to pass the BA. examination of the Allahabad

University who had been awarded the university scholarship to study for M.A. But

Zakir Husain's name had been still above Habibur Rahaman's. It had been Zakir

Husain who won the Iqbal medal of the Allahabad University and Habibur

Rahaman had just looked on, even though his preparation had been much more

through than Zakir Husain's. Zakir Husain offered economics for his master's

degree and also joined at the same time, the L.L.B. course. When he was still a

final year student of M.A. he was appointed a tutor in the college.

His elder brother took Zakir Husain to the dining room for the lunch. Never

before had he seen so many people either eating together within the same room

or eating so fast. Both of his brothers who were studying in the same coflege went

away to see their friends after the evening prayers. Before leaving they instructed
him to go to eat when the beh rang for dinner. His elder brother had already given

him his black Turkish coat to wear since that was the uniform at dinner. His old

Indian style Ludhiana shoe, which had attracted parry scornful and partly

astonished looks of many senior students, had already been changed. His brother

had bought him a pair of new shoes which pinched with a vengeance. As they

had bought it for him he could not dare to point out in its honour that it badly hurt.

Unversed in fastening the laces, he became a bit late. Around the neck of his

brother's Turkish coat, a while collar had been buttened up. It took his further time

to adjust its broken buttons and then deciding finally to simply snatch it off, he

then set out to locate the dining hall. He wandered around for as long as half an

hour and still could not get the dining hall. At last he was brought back right to

the door of his room after that futile search for the dining hall. Indulging in a

generalization he conjured that in this bizarre vast world it was certainly difficult

to find one's way around. 1

The ideas of love of freedom, national self-respect and abstaining from

imitating others implanted in his mind at the Islamia High School Etawah, were

now in the process of growth and taking proper dimensions. One more peep of his

first day impression of the college life that he presented in a humorous manner

may provide one with further insight into the developing nationalist tendencies of

this young boy of sixteen.

, Zakir Husain was an intelligent student. Thrice) he stood first in the annual

examinations of his school. He had also acquired good command over writing and

speaking at the school itself. The special attention and encouragement he received

from his kind teachers and the headmaster in particular, imbued him with such

moral virtues which went a long way in distinguishing himself in the subsequent

college life. The spirit of cooperation and harmony that was inculcated in him

during the school days developed to the maximum possible level at the MAO

college by interacting with various types of students and coping with different

circumstances, for which his temperament was specially suited. Subsequently, this

quality of his, together with other virtues, played almost a miraculous role in the

establishment of the Jamia Millia Islamia.

Some issues of the college magazine, called then the Aligarh Monthly, have

on record facts about Zakir Husain as a distinguished student. The issue of March

1915 reports that he was awarded the college scholarship for science. The

distinction of Junior Prize Scholar of Science was also bestowed upon him. During

the academic year 1913-14 Zakir Husain had several firsts to his credit - first All

round, first in English, first in Physics, first in Biology. He also distinguished

himself as a student of B.A. - Arts. The January- February issue of the college

magazine records him as one of the prize winning students of 1917. He was

declared the outstanding student of economics. He also earned as a passing

mention has been already made, the Iqbal Medal on the basis of his excellent

performance in the 1918 university examination of BA final. Along with that he

also took interest in the hostel administration. In 1917 he served as a proctorial

monitor of the SS East hostel as a resident student. He offered his prayers regularly

and for his punctuality at prayers he was awarded a Sunny Theology prize. He

was elected the Vice-president in the election of the students' union. At the

installation ceremony, his senior friend, Maulana Iqbal Suhail, composed and

recited some Persian verses in his honour that stuck to the memory of student

community for quite some time. In his verses, Maulana Suhail had in fact

represented the feelings of the entire student community of the Aligarh of the day

towards Zakir Husain. The incident stands out in testimony of the fact that as in

Etawah, in MAO college as well Zakir Husain was an apple of everyone's eye.

4.7 The Teacher and Educationist in the Making

Since his childhood, it was Zakir Husain's keen desire to become a teacher.
He did attain this position and by dint of the same designation he rose to such

heights which should be conferred upon a great teacher in a healthy cultured

society. His desire would not have been fulfilled, if in deference to his elder

brother's wish, he would have become an engineer or a doctor or if he had

followed his uncle's advice in taking up law as his profession in order to follow in

the footstep of his father. He had been so fascinated by the magnetic personality of

his teacher, Molvi Altaf Husain, Head Master of his school, the Islamia High School,

Etawah that he developed a keen desire to become a teacher.

It appears that it was divine decree itself that Zakir Husain should become

a teacher. When he was a student of B.A in 1917, he felt a strong urge to write. He

selected Plato's Republic for translation. It raises the question why he picked up

this particular title whether it was a mere coincidence or a prelude to his future

career. Then in 1920 he published his piece "Abdiyat ka Khilona" in which he

he rose to a full time

staff member. Then in 1922 he proceeded for higher education to Germany. Apart

from earning his doctoral degree in agricultural economics, he studied closely the

educational theories and experiments which had played an important role in

Europe, especially in the reconstruction of new Germany.

As a thinker in the making Zakir Husain recognized the importance of an

individual. Yet he was cognizant of the truth that individual talents bloom in a
balanced and healthy society. In Germany he studied the intrinsic links between

education and society. He studied many writings of western philosophers and

thinkers on this subject. In 1923 he sent to the Jamia from Berlin a translation of

some passages from Bertrand Russell's book, Principle of Social Reconstruction. It

points to his avid study of Russell's sociological and educational writings in this

period. Another translation from Zakir Husain entitled "Taleem-wa Azadi-e-Fikr",

appeared in the Jamia Magazine in July 1923. From his translations one can

discern that during his stay in Germany he had become gradually conscious of his

designate role. It was perhaps divine dispensation that he should spend his life as

a teacher, present new views as an educationist in the context of the education in

his country and carry out some new experiments.

In his translated piece 'Rah-e-Ama', Zakir Husain introduced first Bertrand

Russell's two works - Principles of Social Reconstruction and Road to Freedom.

Some thoughts from his translation of Russell's Principles of Social Reconstruction,

which, it can be inferred, might have had their influence on Zakir Husain's thought

process in the making, merit mention. Those were that the power of thought in

the long run, was greater than any other human power. Those who had the ability

to ponder over and the imagination to think in accordance with the available

precepts were likely to achieve the goal they aimed at sooner or later, though

probably not while they were alive. The imagination of an individual life required
that it should embody whatever creative impulse a man might possess, and his

education should have been such as to elicit and fortify his impulse. The

integration of a community required that the different creative impulses of men

and women should work together towards some common purpose, not necessarily

conscious, in which all the members of the community found a help to their

individual fulfillment. The world had need of a philosophy, or a religion, which

would promote it. But in order to promote life it was necessary to value something

other than mere life. Life devoted only to life was animal without any real human

value, incapable of preserving men permanently from weariness and the feeling

that all was vanity. If life was to be fully human it had to serve some end which

seemed in some sense, outside human life, some end which was impersonal above

mankind such as God, or truth or beauty. Those who best promoted life did not

have life for their purpose. They aimed rather at what seemed like gradual

incarnation, a bringing into human existence of something eternal, something that

appeared to imagination to live in a heaven remote from strife and failure and the

devouring jaws of time. Contact with this eternal world, even if it was only a world

of one's imagining, brought a strength and fundamental peace which could not be

wholly destroyed by the struggles and apparent failures of one's temporal life. It

was this happy contemplation of what was eternal that Spinoza called the

intellectual love of God. To those who had once known it it was tbe key of
wisdom.Zakir Husain's other piece 'Taleem-wa-Azadi - e -Fikr' opened with the

note: "We quote here the views of Russell in education". He presented Russell's

views on the concept of authority in education and discipline. Authority in

education was to some extent unavoidable, and those who educated had to find a

way of exercising authority in accordance with the spirit of liberty. Where

authority was unavoidable what was needed was reverence. A man who was to

educate well and so make the young develop into full stature, had to be filled

through and through with the spirit of reverence.

Discipline as it existed in school, was very largely an evil. There was a kind

of discipline which was necessary to almost all achievement, and which perhaps

was not sufficiently valued by those who react against the purely external

discipline of traditional methods. The desirable kind of discipline was the kind that

came from within, which consisted in the power of pursuing a distant object

steadily forging and suffering many things on the way. This involved the

subordination of minor impulses to will, the power of a controlling action by large

creative desires even at the moments when they were not vividly alive. Without

this no serious ambition, good or bad, could be realized, no consistent purpose

could dominate. This kind of discipline was very necessary but could only result

horn strong desirer for the ends not immediately attainable and could only be

produced by the education if education fostered such desires, which it seldom did at present.
Such discipline sprang from one's own will, not from outside authority.
 CHAPTER-5
CONTRIBUTION TO HIGHER EDUCATION
5.1 Jamia Millia Islamia and Zakir Husain's Services

It is a fact recorded in history that Muslims in India were never satisfiedwith the educational
system imposed by the British government. They wished thatthe education of their children
should be in their own hands. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan established the Mohammadan Anglo
Oriental College at Aligarh in 1875 which made the modem education popular among Muslims.
But this was Sir Syed'd dream only partly actualized. He himself felt that his purpose in founding
that college was to fulfill an immediate need. The particular circumstances in which the college
had been established did not actually allow him to go beyond where he stopped. Sir Syed in fact
wanted to see the Muslim education free from the government interference. He knew well that
unless they were in control of their education, its full benefit would not accme to them. The
scheme published by Syed Mohmood in 1873 about the education of Muslims was reflective of
his father Sir Syed's views. In the scheme he said that as long as they depended on the

government even for their personal needs (such, as education) they wouldendeavour to achieve
the unachievable. The best educational institutions in Europe were either totally or nearly free
from the government management or interference. It was almost impossible that the British
government should fully appreciate or arrange for their needs relating to education and training.
Almost a similar point had been raised by Sir Syed in his witness account before the Education
Commission in 1882, apart from having raised it in his lectures. His colleagues too subscribed to
the same view. Soon after Sir Ayed Ahmad Khan's death in 1898, the movement for Muslim
University was launched which gradually gathered momentum. By 1911 this plan had taken
many leaps forward, much beyond one's expectation. On the other hand, the MAO College had
also been on the rise, and it had almost touched such a point in its fame and status that it could
easily have been converted into a university. It was a common belief those days that the Muslim
University would be an autonomous affiliating university and totally free from the government
interference. But by 1912 it became clear that the government was not prepared to grant it such a
status. It naturally caused a great anxiety to the Muslim community and pushed them into an
agitative mood. Meanwhile, Nawab Wiqaral Mulk, who was no more the college secretary owing
to ill-health, prepared an educational plan which laid out a modem concept of an Islamic
university. It was quite a detailed plan with concrete references to education and training pattern
of education and curriculum etc. Another political factor behind the Muslim failure at the front of
Muslim university movement in 1912-13 was the gradual deepening of the rift between the
students and secretary of the MAO college and its European staff in the wake of Sir Syed's
demise. The spread of modem education created in Muslims an awakening and a sense of
national honour. The conflict between the superiority complex of the British and the Muslims'
feeling that they should have a dominant role to play in the college affairs was a logical
consequence of the circumstances. In 1907 the students went on strike. An enquiry commission
was appointed to probe into its causes. It was stated in the commission's report that ever since
1900 some such factors had been operative which hurt the students' sentiments and affected their
character in such a way that their decision to go on strike was not a surprising event at all. The
European staff had an important role to play regarding those factors. Prominent among those for
hatching conspiracy and spreading unrest were Coma, Gardner Brown, and Toll (who later
became the principal) Principal Archibald's mistake was to depend on these three for
consultations even though they were imperialists to the core and disliked common Indians,
students and Muslim youths. For instance, the commission report recorded that an English
teacher had kicked off the guardian of a student. Another European teacher had misbehaved with
Begum Mohamood and the watchman of Zainul Abidla and he had also openly expressed his
hatred for the college and its trustees. Coma used to make silly and offensive statements in the
classroom, for example once he mentioned the Sultan of Turky and said that only if he could, he
would have appointed Sultan Abdul Hamid his fan-puller. If students or his Indian colleagues
wanted to visit Toll at his residence, they had to wait for hours on end in his varanda. The
activities of the Indian national Congress had been wielding a deep

influence on the minds of the students in those days. A large number of students

secretly supported the congress. In 1908, a secret society was formed where

articles were read out against the governme nt of the day and speeches made. In

1906, students used to put up in their rooms the portraits of the Sultan of Turkey

the German Emperor, Gokhale and other personalities opposed to the British.

Another important factor behind this political environment was the shameful

defeat of such a vast imperial European power as Russia at the hands of a little

Asian country, Japan in the 1904-05 war of Russia and Japan. The victory of

Japan in the war rid the Asian counties of their inferiority complex and generated

fresh waves of political awakening in their enlightened sections. Since the Sultan

of Turkey was also the Caliph of Muslims, they harbored a particular religious

attachment for Turks. A slogan of Islamic unity was raised the purpose of which

was to unite the Islamic world against the British imperialism and in favour of the
Ottoman Empire. In Aligarh as well the Muslim youth were increasingly becoming aware of the
mischievous attitude of the British imperialism. Towards the end of

the nineteenth century, the writings of Shibli Nomani and Maulana Hali's

Musaddas did a great service to Muslims by shaking them out of their slumber.

These writings made deep impact on their minds. They impressed upon them that

Muslims themselves had a magnificent cultural heritage which had contributed to

the world civilization the noble principles of cultured life and fact of democratic

politics. They needed not therefore to be impressed by the western civilization.

Instead, they should resist the British imperialism and seeking unity with their

compatriots find a way to the national freedom like the young Turks. Shibli came

forward with the glad -tidings of victory and success in a general atmosphere of

pessimism and helplessness.

The strike of 1907 was in a way students' protest against European staff

of the Aligarh college and its pro-British administration. The strike marked in fact

the beginning of a new era. For the first time that strike drew the attention of

those old students towards the Aligarh college who lived away from Aligarh.

Maulana Mohammad Ali and Maulana Shaukat Ali popularly known as All brothers,

pointed out that the exaggerated loyalty of the college administrators towards the

British government had distanced the young students from them. Subsequently,

the old boys' association of Aligarh got divided into two factions; one was called,

'Clique' and the other 'Reforms league'. The basic reason of their difference was
rooted in their political perception. In 1909, Sheikhul Hind Maulana Mahamodul

Hasan established the association, Jamiatul Ansar of the old boys of Deoband to

further his revolutionary aims and objectives. And soon at his instance the

convocation of the Daral Uloom was held at Deoband in 1910. For the first time

here an effort was under way to minimize the distance between Aligarh and

Deoband, representing two different schools of Muslim thought.

On the occasion of imperial court in 1911, the partition of Bengal was

declared null and void, which made Muslims realize that expecting the British to

think in terms of Muslim welfare was no more than self-decrepit. The government and its
Muslim partisans had preached to Muslims so far that if the British

government had not been sympathetic of them, it would not have divided Bengal

and formed a new province of eastern Bengal where Muslims were in majority.

But, announcement of the cancellation of that partition exploded the myth of the

supposed 'Muslim welfare'. The same year saw the Italian attack on Tripoli, which

shook the campus of the Aligarh College. The British government covertly favoured

Italy. Now students would hold daily meetings in the mosque after the Isha (night)

prayers in which the Italian atrocities would be described and Italy and other

imperialists would be subjected to severe condemnation. Students also set up a

relief fund for the martyr's widows. They gave up eating or dressing up lavishly

and contributed their savings to the Tripoli hind. A cultural outcome of all this

political turmoil was the establishment of the Jamia Millia Islamia during the days
to come.Jamia Millia Islamia, an institution originally established at Aligarh in

United Provinces in 1920 became a Central University by an act of the Indian

Parliament in 1988. in urdu language, Jamia means 'university', and Millia means

'national'. The story of its growth from a small institution in the pre-independence

India to a central university located in New Delhi is a sage of dedication,

conviction and vision of a people who worked against all odds and saw it growing

step by step. They "built up the Jamia Millia stone by stone and sacrifice by

sacrifice", said Sarojini Naidu the nightingale of India.

5.1 The Conception

Under the colonial British rule, two dominant trends joined hands and

contributed towards the birth of Jamia. One was the anti-colonial Islamic activism

and the other was the pro-independence aspiration of the politically radical

section of western educated Indian Muslim intelligent^. In the political climate of

1920, the two trends gravitated together with Gandhi as a catalyst. The anti

colonial activism signified by the 'Khilafat' and the pro-independence aspirations

symbolized by the non-cooperation movement of the Indian National Congress

helped to harness creative energies and the subsequent making of Jamia Millia

Islamia. Tagore called it 'one of the most progressive educational institutions of

India".
Responding to Gandhi's call to boycott all educational institutions

supported or run by the colonial regime, a group of nationalist teachers and

students quit Aligarh Muslim University, protesting against its pro-British

inclinations. The prominent members of this movement were Maulana Mehmud

Hasan, Maulana Mohamed Ali, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari and

Abdul Majid Khwaja.

5.2 The Foundation

The Foundation committee of the Jamia Millia Islamia comprising of

prominent personalities of the community as members (vide Appendix A), met on

29th October 1920. On 22nd November 1920, Hakim Ajmal Khan was elected the

first Chancellor of Jamia. Mohamed Ali Mauhar became Jamia's first Vice-

Chancellor, as Allam Iqbal could not accept the offer made through Gandhi. It also

elected a syndicate and formed a syllabus sub committee.

The known freedom fighter and Muslim theologian, Maulana Mehmud

Hasan, laid the foundation stone of Jamia Millia Islamia at Aligarh on Friday 29th

October 1920.

Zakir Husain was among these chosen few students and teachers who

had the honour of sowing the seeds of this new educational institution. This was,

in fact, his way of protesting against the short sightedness of the authorities to
neglect the national objectives. This was clearly reflected in a part of his published

article "Eternity or Toy" dated 7th April 1920. in this article he wrote that Sir Syed

lacked the insight as a leader. He might be given some allowance as there had

been strong opposition to his efforts to introduce western education among his

own people. There had been few immediate needs to be fulfilled after the

unsuccessful revolt of 1857 when Indian Muslims had been particularly made

victims of vengeance let loose by the government on Indian people. In this condition Sir Syed
could do nothing more than what he did. But to be carried

away so much by the conditions of the day, remarked Zakir Husain, was nothing

but short sightedness. Hope had been turned into a defeatist attitude. That

weakness in ordinary people might be overlooked, but for a leader and guide, it

was not less than a crime. Prosperous Muslim families had been becoming poorer,

their loyalty was being questioned and it was becoming more and more difficult

for them to get a job or earn their livelihood by any other means. But he asked if it

meant that the great effort of national renaissance should have been filmed into

producing a machine of skillful subordinates for government offices. It was like

producing a mouse out of a mountain. Zakir Husain concluded by asserting: "A

lower grade objective sometimes becomes a cause of dishonour and retardation of

progress. We should safeguard against the danger of selling eternity for a toy".

5.3 The Crisis

Bom out of political crisis, it seemed for a while, Jamia would not survive the
heat of the intense political struggle for the independence of India. It participated

in the Bardoli resolution and sent volunteers across the country to motivate people

to fight for the freedom of the country. The colonial British government soon

imprisoned many of its teachers and students. In 1922, Gandhi called off the non

cooperation movement. Even as its teachers and students were being released,

Mustapha Kemal Ataturk declared the end of the Khilafat in 1924. Suddenly Jamia saw itself in a
crisis. Some thought that it had achieved its mission; as others

believed that the institution had lost its raison deter with the end of the non

cooperation and the Khilafat movements. Even the little financial assistance, that

the Khilafat had been giving it also dried up. As even prominent people started

deserting it Jamia's total collapse virtually became an imminent possibility.

5.4 Jamia Moved to Delhi the First Trio and Gandhi

The saying 'when going gets tough the tough gets going' cannot be truer

about Jamia. As the crises loomed large, Hakim Ajmad Khan, Mukhtar Ahmed

Ansari and Abdul Majeed Khwaja - the first trio-supported by Gandhi shifted

Jamia from Aligarh to Karol Bagh, in New Delhi in 1925. Gandhi boosted the

morale of Jamia, saying. The Jamia has to run. It you are worried of its finances, I

will go about with a begging bowl". Jamia followed Gandhi's constructive

programme for self-reliance while it took to 'Charakha' and 'Takli' - as favoured

vocations. Although Gandhi's contacts helped to secure financial help for Jamia,
the risk of helping a congress backed institution under the British Raj dissuaded

many willing benefactors Orthodox Muslims also viewed Jamia as a threat to

Aligarh Muslim University, the 'Muslim Oxford'. During those difficult days, it was

Hakim Ajmal Khan who met most of Jamia's expenses from his own pocket. MA

Ansari and Majeed Khwaja toured India and abroad, explaining the importance of Jamia and
collecting funds for this noble enterprise. Their collective intervention

did avert a collapse that was almost certain.

5.5 Resurgence: The Second Trio

In 1925, after long deliberation, a group of three friends studying in

Germany - Zakir Husain, Abid Husain and Mohammad Mujeeb - decided to serve

Jamia. Zakir Husain who had earned his doctorate in Economics from the

university of Berlin, was a natural and charismatic leader. Abid Husain had his

Ph.D. in Education. Mohammad Mujeeb, an Oxford scholar in History and a student

of printing in Germany, was a passionate and committed reformist. Early in

February 1926, the three friends left Germany for Jamia.

In Jamia, Zakir Husain was offered a salary of Rs. 100. His two other friends

with English qualifications were offered Rs. 300 hundred each. Realising that the

possibility of making payments was beyond Jamia's limited resources, Abid Husain

and Mohammad Mujeeb voluntarily reduced their salaries to Rs. 100 each. Moved

by the commitment of his friends, Zakir Husain also reduced his own salary to Rs.
80. One of the first steps they took was the introduction of the hugely popular

evening classes for adult education. This movement was later to become, in

October 1938, an institution called Idara-I - Taleem-o-Taraqqi. It kept growing so

popular that separate rooms had to be built to accommodate the students. In 1928 Hakim Ajmal
Khan passed away. That was the beginning of the

second financial crisis, as it was Hakim Ajmal himself who had been meeting most

of Jamia's financial needs. The leadership of Jamia then moved into the hands of

Zakir Husain who became its Vice-Chancellor in 1928. To resolve Jamia of these

frequent crisis, a group of young Jamia teachers, led by Zakir Husain, took a pledge

to serve Jamia for the next twenty years on a salary of not more than Hs. 150. This

group was called the Life Members of Jamia. (History repeated itself in 1942 when

a second group of Jamia teachers took a similar pledge). Zakir Husain devoted all

his energies to the growth and consolidation of the Jamia. For twenty two long

years, when he could have obtained positions of power and prestige in any

sphere, he chose to serve the Jamia and the cause of national education with an

emphasis on the development of the whole man, with a national outlook, yet

proud of the contribution which Islam had made for the composite national culture

of the country.

Jamia's department of printing and publications was trifurcated in 1928

with the newly established Jamia press at Dariya Ganj, Urdu Academy, and

Maktaba Jamiya under the charge of Mohammad Mujeeb, Abid Husain and Hamid
Ali respectively.

5.6 Shifting to the New Campus

On 1st March 1935, the foundation stone for a school building was laid at

Okhala, then a non-descript village in the southern outskirts of Delhi, in 1936. All

institutions of Jamia, except Jamia press the Maktaba and the library were shifted

to the new campus. The basic emphasis of Jamia was on evolving innovative

education methods. This led to the establishment of a teachers' college (Ustadonka

Madrasa) in 1938. In 1936 MA. Ansari passed away. On 4th June 1939, Jamia

Millia Islamia was registered as a society.

The fame of Jamia as an innovative education movement spread far and

wide dignitaries from foreign countries began visiting Jamia. Husain Raouf Bey

(1933), Behadject Wahbi of Cairo (1934). Ms. Halida Edib of Turkey (1936) were

some of them. Foreigners, impressed by Jamia, began working in Jamia. The

German lady Gerda Philips bom (Popularly know as Aapa Jaan), mention of whom

has been made earlier, who served Jamia for many years is buried in Jamia. In 1939, Maulana
Ubaidulla Sindhi a theologian and freedom fighter, came

to stay in Jamia on the invitation of Zakir Husain. He started a school of Islamic

Studies in Jamia called Baitul Hikmal, propagating the ideology of Shah Waliullah.

Zakir Husain in his later days when he became the President of India recalled
those days of indestructible optimism in the face of depravity, when they had a

longing to build and nothing to build with as "days of joy".

In 1946, during Jamia's silver jubilee celebrations, one could see the crisis

that India had to face the following year: Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Mrs. Jinnah,

and Liyaqat Ali Khan on one side of Zakir Husain, the Vice-chanceEor, on the dais;

Jawaharlal Nehru, Asaf Ali and C. Rajagopalachari were on the other side.

5.7 Independence and After

The riots following partition of the country that shook the northern India did

affect Jamia, but not its campus. Gandhi observed that its campus remained "an

oasis of peace in the Sahara" of communal violence. Muktaba Jamia alone lost

books worth seven lakhs in arson.

After the attainment of independence Jamia continued to grow as an

academic institution with a difference. Many foreign dignitaries made it appoint to

visit Jamia Millia Islamia during their visits to New Delhi. Among those who visited

Jamia included Marshal Tito (1954), King Zahir Shah of Afghanistan (1955), Crown Prince
Faisal of Saudi Arabia, King Rezashah Pehlvi of Iran (1956) and Prince

Mukarram Jah (1960).

Following the death of Abdul Majeed Khwaja in 1962 Zakir Husain, who by

then had taken charge as the Vice President of India became Jamia's Chancellor
(1963).

5.8 Deemed to be University

In 1962, the University Grants Commission declared the Jamia as a Deemed

to be University'. Along with development and expansion in varied faculties,

Jamia, in 1971, started the Zakir Husain Institute of Islamic Studies to honour Zakir

Husain, who had passed away in 1969.

5.9 Central University

By a special Act of the Parliament Jamia Millia Islamia was made a Central

University of India in December 1988. Further expansion followed:

5.9 Zakir Husain's Perception of Islam and Nationalism

Zakir Husain was a religious person and a nationalist Muslim. At no stage of

his career he was faced with any conflict between nationalism and Islam. He had

a firm conviction in the Islamic world view and strongly believed that the

fundamental principles of Islam were valid and relevant in modem times as they
Then Zakir Husain turned to each department of human activity in Indian

life which reflected the cultural influence of the Muslims. According to him, as

Muslims arrived in India, they took it as their country. In contrast the British who

came to India at a later date never regarded India as their home. In cultural terms,

the English never interacted with the Indian culture which had grown over the
centuries as a result of the interaction between the Hindus and Muslims. With the

decline in the political power of the English, India would proceed fast towards

growth and development. It would nonetheless stand in need of a dynamic, active

and religious and moral component. Zakir Husain expressed his belief that Muslims

would provide this important component.

Zakir Husain enumerated the lapses of Muslims which were pointed out by

their detractors. For them the Muslims were guilty on the following counts. (1)

Muslims believed in Pan-Islamism, (2) Muslims insisted on adhering to their faith,

(3) Muslims aspired to promote these ideals through their educational system, (4)

Muslims were keen on preserving and maintaining their identity by making use of

their political rights. On the basis of solid arguments Zakir Husain refuted all these

allegations leveled against the Muslims. He pointed out that Indian Muslims'

identification with the Muslim world at large was on account of the aspirations

and values which were essentially moral and spiritual and which were inculcated

by Islam in the Muslims of all regions. Pan-Islamism was not only political in

nature it was the imperialists who had projected a distorted picture of Pan-

Islamism. Zakir Husain asked whether a narrow attachment to a particular territory

was good at all for the mankind, especially in view of the havoc this myopic

concept of nationalism had caused in recent times. Islam did not admit any

discrimination on the basis of colour or race. Nor did it sanctify geographical

boundaries. Islamic principles were not opposed to others in the cause of

promoting unity and cordial relations. Wherever Muslims arrived, they made the

land their home. Their patriotism was not inferior to that of any other faith or any

community. They had always participated actively in public life. Islam did not

place any restriction on such pursuits. Territorial patriotism, provided it was not
aggressive in nature , was not discordant with the moral and spiritual values of

Islam. For Islam up-held human fraternity. Muslims did not therefore subscribe to

such a concept of nationalism or patriotism which provoked racial discrimination

and espoused isolation. For Islam did not regard man as the product of his

circumstances. In Islam life was not some mechanical activity. Rather it was a

sacred duty and a holy covenant.

Zakir Husain expressed his satisfaction over the point that the intelligentia

in India did not endorse such nationalism which was synonymous with supporting

one's country, whether it followed a fair or foul course of action. Indian

intelligentia was represented by Gandhi, Tagore and Iqbal. They did not deify a

country which was, after all, a geographical concept. They rightly took it as

subservient to the higher values of life. At the same time, there was a type of

Indian nationalism which insisted that true patriots were those who gave up their

faith. Zakir Husain dismissed this as an utterly foolish notion. He urged that not

only the Indian Muslims, but Indian Hindus, Indian Christians, Indian Sikhs and

Indian Parisis should also unanimously and publicly declare that it was not a

sound pre-requisite for genuine nationalism. Those devoid of any historical

consciousness and those who dismissed Western thought out of hand for the

Indians appeared ignorant of the truth that at a time when the political institutions

in India had become totally ineffective, it was faith which had rescued the Indian

society and protected it against total disintegration and destruction. As political

institutions were gaming momentum, faith had once again become a force to

reckon with in the Indian society. It had a direct bearing upon society. Zakir

Husain emphasized that this truth should be duly acknowledged in modem India.
5.10 Politics Religion and Education
For about a decade, between 1937 and 1947, Zakir Husain was

preoccupied with the Jamia project. At the same time he was involved in the

National Basic Education drive initiated by Gandhi. It was a period of political

turmoil. The Hindu Muslim issue had turned out to be very dangerous and

explosive. Muslims were drawn in large numbers to the Muslim League. The

Muslim League had carried out the propaganda that the Congress was an enemy of

Muslims. Since Zakir Husain had devoted himself to the Basic Education drive, the

Muslim League looked upon him as a staunch congressman. They thought he

would always support the Congress, whether its policy was sound or not. They

believed also that he would not and could not represent the Muslim viewpoint.

After the Pakistan Resolution in Lahore in March 1940, the Muslim League had

been attracting the Muslims like a magnetic force. It was taken for granted that

every Muslim must join the Muslim League. Zakir Husain's stance on Islam and

religiosity was too broad and open-ended, in comparison to the narrow concerns

of Muslim League. His breadth of vision could not be contained by the limited

interests of the Muslim League. In the given circumstances it was essential to

protect and defend the Jamia against sectarian politics. It was indeed a trial of

Zakir Husain's sagacity and statesmanship. He was a nationalist Muslim and had

nothing to do with the divisive politics of the Muslim League which thrived on

fretting out dividends from sectarian politics. Zakir Husain had a serious concern

for the political milieu of the day. He strongly felt that the Muslim community had

suffered indifference in that its vital interests were not viewed with generosity,

vision, maturity and political sagacity The educationist in him ultimately

prevailed yet as a teacher and educationist, gifted with a heart alive to the issues
of the day, he presented a set of proposals to Gandhi and Nehru in 1939.

5.11 The Wardha Scheme of Basic Education

Zakir Husain worked with Gandhi on the national basic education scheme-

the Wardha Scheme of Basic Education, for several years, until the Wardha

Scheme was finally evolved in 1937 which is one of the most illuminating

educational developments in pre-independence India. Zakir Husain not only

headed the National Committee for planning Basic Education, but was also

appointed president of the Hindustani Taleemi Sangh and worked on this

programme between 1938 and 1950. "Zakir Husain turned Gandhiji's concept of

craft as uncut diamond into Koh-e-noor. He elaborated Gandhi's ideas on basic

education in his own manner and gave a practical shape to the basic education in

the country. He related manual work with mental work. By giving central position

to craft in Basic education and making it an instrument of education, he

undoubtedly strengthened its position and implemented the principle of education

through work in the Jamia Primary School. The project method of teaching which

was introduced there served the same purpose. Similarly the other co-curricular

activities of the school like games and sports, swimming, poultry farm, open air

school field trips etc. were used for academic ends. The Jamia School became a

true work school imbibing the principle of totality as advocated by

Kerschensteiner, in operation.

5.12 In Defence of Religious Identity and Cultural Pluralism

In the very early days of partition and independence there was a group of

some ultra nationalists in the Congress that held the view that Indian nationalism

signified an end to the identity of religious, cultural and linguistic minorities. There
was another concept of nationalism which was imported from the West. For them

nationalism stood for supporting the country even if it involved the sacrifice of

moral values. Then there was another group inclined to socialism. For them, the

real issues were political and economic. Although they did not deny the existence

of religious and cultural minorities, they thought it was a peripheral issue, which

would be settled largely once political and economic problems of the country were

solved. Zakir Husian's concept of nationalism did not fit in with the views of the

said three groups. At the first All India Sindh Educational conference held on 1st

January 1942, he declared unambiguously in his presidential address that he

welcomed such educational institutions which represent a particul ar religious

community or cultural group. He urged the people of Sindh to strengthen their

Mulla schools (Muslim schools) and to disregard the criticism of those who looked

upon these religious institutions as pernicious. He said that if the children

199

belonging to a particular community live at a certain place and their educational

institution draws upon some cultural symbols of that community as part of its

curriculum, such an institution cannot be branded as bad on that count alone. He

spelled out also the useful role of such educational institutions in the character

building of students. The demand for putting an end to religious identity would

breed such nationalism which would strike a fatal blow to cultural pluralism. That

demand was both unsound and unwise. It would not be acceptable to the citizens

of this country. It amounted to depriving the citizens of a democratic country of

their identity. This concept of nationalism implied an unflinching loyalty to the

ideal of majority which was devoid of sensitivity or permanence.

5.13 Practitioner and Preacher of Spiritual Religiosity

Zakir Husain was a deeply religious person and observed religious
commands. However, he did not make a show of his religiosity. Nor did he provoke

the religious feelings of others. He was so much engaged in soul searching and

self-examination that he did not have time and inclination for taking others to task

for their words and deeds, a practice common among some members of the

religious community, who regarded it as their duty to keep an eye on the religious

conduct of others.

Zakir Husain did discuss religious matters. However, in so doing he followed

his unique style. Traditional religious people therefore did not take him as a

devout Muslim whereas those not inclined to faith regarded him as a staunch

Muslim in that he regularly recited the Quran and observed the Islamic commands

on prayer and fasting. Zakir Husain's true position on this point comes out sharply

in the observation made by Mujeeb, Zakir Husain's biographer: "I remember once

he tried to define the Muslims, he quoted the verse of the Quran where the

believers are described as those who are steadfast sincere, obedient and

charitable and who implore forgiveness at the break of day. I was left to make my

own deductions". Mujeeb recollects that on most occasions Zakir Husain did not

answer his question related to faith. He would relate to Mujeeb some story of a

Sufi master which by implication contained an answer to Mujib's question. Once

Zakir Husain recounted the story of a disciple. His master told a disciple in Zakir

Husain's presence that the 'miswak (tooth brush stick) of a particular tree was

especially good. The disciple made enquires about the location of that tree and

came to know that it was there at a distance of five or six miles. Every night he

would get up in the small hours of night and would get a fresh tooth brush stick of

that tree for his master. He followed this routine for years, though his master never

came to know about it.

Zakir Husain's religiosity was embelished with ethical and moral values.

This feature was reflected at its best in his speech of 17th September 1962 when

he was the Vice-President of India. He had delivered this speech on the occasion

of TTrs of Sultan-al Mashaikh Nazart Nizamuddin Auliya'. Notwithstanding his

elevated stature at that time, his speech pointed to his spiritual urge for attaining

higher values. On that occasion he recalled the command and respect which

Sultan -al-Mashaikh had enjoyed on account of his illustrious spiritual and moral

values. He had a sway over the mind and heart of everyone. He had enjoyed such

a spell over people as he had embodied the best values. He had been undoubtedly

the master of the land. His values had sprung from the source of the excellent

divine attributes. Chief among those values were those of beauty, goodness,

justice, truthfulness, love, affection and mercy. Sultan al-Mashaikh had been

devoted to these values and as a result of the same he had a deep, genuine

concern for the entire humanity.

5.14 Zakir Husain's Interest in Social Work

Zakir Husain played an active and positive role in the academic, educational

and social life of Delhi. He was acclaimed as an educationist and intellectual in the

bureaucratic circles of the government. It was commonly believed that the

organization or institution with which he was associated would be filled with new

life and vibrancy. As such, posts and positions would come to him on their own.

The Chief Commissioner of Delhi nominated him as a member of Sunni Majlis A.

Waqf. A person making a waqf pledged his property to charity seeking God's

benediction. Therefore Waqf property was no longer private property. It was

expected of the custodians and administrators of Waqf property that they would

honestly discharge their duty. To err is human after all. There are instances in
history when many of those in charge of Waqf property often neglected their duty

towards God and mismanaged and abused Waqf property. Zakir Husain presented

his inquiry report on the administrative and financial irregularities of the Sunni

Majlis Awaqf. The report was unbiased, free from prejudice and objective and was

followed by some constructive suggestions. In the concluding part of the report

Zakir Husain had made it clear that his report should suffice to give an idea of the

nature and gravity of the problem. Some of his coworkers, no doubt, deserved

more stringent disciplinary action than what he had recommended. However, he

believed that if they then onwards devoted heart and soul to improving the affairs

of Majlis Awaqf and directed all their energy to it, instead of wasting time

enquiring into past misdeeds, it would be better and more rewarding.

Concern for Human Dignity

There was an orphanage in Dariyaganj, Delhi under the management of the

Majlis Awaqf. Zakir Husain paid special interest to its affairs. He himself had been

an orphan and knew first hand the suffering and plight of orphans. Added to it he

was blessed with a tender heart and sympathetic temperament. Naturally, when

he was asked by the Majlis Awaqf Committee to present a set of recommendations

for improving the working of the orphanage, he made suggestions which pointed

to his overflowing love and concern for the orphans whom circumstances had

subjected to a cruel disadvantage. The following were some of his suggestions:

This institution should not be called an orphanage. "Bechchonka Ghar'

(Children's Home) would be a more appropriate nomenclature.

The superintendent of this institution should in his dealings with the

children, do everything possible to eradicate from their minds the feeling that they

were orphans.
Special attention should for this, be paid to the children's food and clothing.

They should not be sent to the house of patrons to eat. They should not be given

clothing discarded by others. The clothing made for them should not be so tailored

as to indicate in any way their being orphans. They should not be sent out to

collect donations on the ground of their being orphans.

The suggestions thus made by Zakir Husain were indicative of his concern

for human dignity. They offered concrete guidelines to all those who organized

such institutions for the destitute and the mentally or physical challenged and

carried universal and all time relevance.

Even today whenever the Majlish Awaqf is mentioned, everyone is instantly

reminded of Zakir Husain's contribution to it. In Islamic Moral System looking after

the orphans and expressing sympathy for them is reckoned as a great virtue.

Those embodying this virtue are regarded as the ones enjoying proximity to the

Divine.

Aligarh Muslim University and Zakir Husain's Contributions

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan created an institution which, first as Mohammedan

Anglo Oriental College in 1875 and then since 1920 as Aligarh Muslim University

(AMU), became the generator of an amazing range of talent. "I came, I saw and I

was conquered" is the most likely feeling of almost every person who has had

occasion to visit the AMU. Aligarh's "culture of decency" has a compelling appeal.

A number of distinguished former students of MAO College guided the national

struggle as national leaders and made tremendous sacrifices. A number of them

occupied most important offices which included the presidentship, governorship

and chief ministership.

Zakir Husain as Vice Chancellor

The situation obtaining at the Aligarh Muslim University some ten years

before the Independence and in the post-independence and post-partition period

was disheartening. There was no trace of the hectic activity which marked the life

at the university. It was replaced by a dreadful silence, and fear psychosis. The

revival of the institution needed the stewardship of a man of muscles. Jawaharlal

Nehru and more importantly Maulana Azad wanted Zakir Husain to accept the

vice-chancellorship of the university. It was their desire that he should transform

the Aligarh Muslim University into an institution of muslims which was in line with

the ideals of democratic national life. Secular India should take pride in this

institution which should also be the centre of the ambitions and aspirations of

muslim youth in India. Initially Zakir Husain must have hesitated in taking up this

assignment. He must have been in a fix as to the very idea of leaving the Jamia

which he had established by devoting to it the best years of his life. He had

dedicated all his time, energy and talent to organizing that institution. To leave it

rudderless must have been a very painful thought for him. Yet he must have

realized that the Aligarh Muslim University needed greater support and help as it

was too vulnerable. Those leading this institution had left it in the lurch, leaving

behind only ashes and dust. It was Zakir Husain's nature to help the needy. In this

particular case he was asked to rescue his own alma mater. He was moved by the

plight of the university. He strongly felt that strengthening the Aligarh Muslim

University in the post-independent India constituted an extension of the ideals and

mission of the Jamia at a much wider scale. It would provide him with an

opportunity to restore the confidence of Muslims and to help them gain and lead a

respectable, dignified life in independent India. Eventually Zakir Husain crusader

as he was embarked upon this heroic task in the broader interest of both his

community and the nation. There was consencius of opinion that only Zakir Husain

could rescue the Aligarh Muslim University. He was appointed Vice-Chancellor of

the University in 1948.

Progress and Development

In his convocation speech of December 1951 Zakir Husain gave vent to his

dissatisfaction with the slow pace of progress at the university. Nonetheless, he

placed on record the efforts of both the teachers and students for improving things.

It infused into all of them a spirit of confidence and it in turn helped the institution

follow the way to progress and development.

Notwithstanding limited resources at the disposal of the institution and his

serious heart condition Zakir Husain devoted himself to the task of organizing and

expanding both the departments of studies and research work. He acted with

ambition and vision. Several new projects and research activities were undertaken

at various departments. The number of students increased rapidly. Once he was

convinced that a project was worthwhile he did not care about the funds. He was

not deterred by the lack of funds. He used to say that one should embark upon the

project and funds would be raised in due course of time. He was not prepared to

accept that any university project or teaching standard might suffer on account of

financial constraints. In 1949 the treasurer presented a deficit budget. Some

members proposed that expenses be drastically curtailed. Reacting to the

suggestion Zakir Husain assertingly remarked: "let us not make any compromise

about the standard. For it would demoralize our community and our nation. Instead

of lowering our standard we should better close down. If we have to close down

let us do it honourably and fairly. If the government fails to sanction any grant, the
university will be closed down. We are prepared for it. What we cannot tolerate is

that we lower our standard and meet with a painful, disgraceful death".

Zakir Husain lost no time in embarking on the ambitious task of

rehabilitation of the university. He looked around for fresh blood and teachers

picked out from other universities began to be added to the staff. This was the

fulfillment of an immediate need. He kept an eye on the post-graduate classes in

Arts and Science and helped those who appeared to be promising to obtain further

education in India and abroad. He gave the heads of departments full liberty to

manage their affairs, resolutely following a policy of non-interference. For a long

time academic work had suffered greatly. In the appointment and promotions of

teachers considerations other than academic were given more importance. He

tried to change this trend. He emphasized the need and role of research work and

made the teachers realize that they could not get any promotion unless they made

a substantial contribution to scholarship. He greatly valued and appreciated those

teachers who were dedicated to serious academic work. As long as he was the

Vice-chancellor it was widely realized that the head of the institution was himself

an academician who recognized the worth of others. This realization itself was a

great incentive for undertaking academic work.

 CHAPTER-6
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
When we study the contribution of ZakirHusain ineducational field from the primary stage to the
higher we undoubtably agree that his efforts were really unforgetable. It appears that he was a "
Born teacher " But it was at Jamia only he introduced and developed as an educationist.

Duringthe twentyseven years or so he servedtheinstituationactively,therewere

manytrailsandtribulations that could dampen the enthusiasm of many a national leaders. Zakir
Husain fought his way through a number of crisis, and infect it may not be an exageration to say
that the survival and rehabilitation of Jamia during this most crucial period of its history was in
no small measure due to the firm determination and sagacity of ZakirHusain.No doubt Dr.Zakir
Husain was lucky to have goodfriend circle to cooperate him in making Jamia a strong wingof an
educational machinery. They sacrificed their lives for the cause of Jamia "From Maulana
Mohammed Ali to ZakirHusainand M.A Ansari to K.M Ashraf and Mohammed Majeeb ,all were
men of high intellectual calibre."

Jamia was not only an educatinol experiment, it was a vital part of the national movement too .
Education was imparted through craft in Jamia even before the famous scheme of national Basic
Education was propounded by Mahatma Gandhi. The students were made to take interest not
only in the syllabus assigned to him but in the entire environment and its happening this also
included traininig in the management of his own affairs which was not included in the instruction
programme of any other college or university. Mahatma Gandhi was deeply impressed by the
achievements of Jamia. He used to visit Jamia frequently to see with his owneyes the progress of
the institution he so much admired thatonce he said," Whenever I come to Jamia, I feel I am in
my home."No tribute could be greater than this comingfrom the father of the nation,Jawaharlal
Nehru always considered Jamia Millie as a national Institution of great Significance. In a
message ontheoccasion of the Silver Jubilee of Jamia in 1945 hewrote.

" Mythoughts go back to 1920, thebeginningofthenon-cooperationmovement. I went to Aligarh

specially tosee Jamia which had beenestablishedundertheleadershipofMaulanaMohammed Ali.
Young students with true devotion for education had left Aligarh university and joined Jamia to
support non-cooperation and khilafatmovement.... I remember that I had also written an article
on Jamia in those days in which I had called it a healthy childof the non-cooperation movement.
"

Timepassed and Jamia was shifted to Delhi. It hadface difficult circumstances and there came
manyups anddowns in its life. In the leadership of Zakir Husain with sincere workers it had got
many things superior to money and patronage despite the lack of amenities and even ordinary
facilities of various kind. Based on these not only it survived but also kept on developing.
Although there was not much glamour in its working it was successful in laying the foundation
of an institutuion, in this early era , which hasan individuality of its own in India Now this
institutionhasstrengthened itself and expanded its working.Itsobjectiveshas not been to distribute
degrees or preparestudentsfor jobs but to produce men of high character whowould be able to
achieve great objecttivesdetached frompersonal gains

Zakir Husain rightly said"That is why it has taken to the new basic education and led thecountry
towards it".

It was for the noble ideals on which Jamia was founded that Zakir Husain and his many
comrades under took occassional tour of the country to collect funds for themaintenance of the
institution, met people of various faiths and points of view, individually, as well as in public
meetings and collected lakhs of rupees required for the welfare of this important institution.

Gandhiji's keen interest in the affairs of Jamia wasgreatly helpful in running the institution
independent of any Government aid. By taking the responsibility of heading the Jamia fairly
early in his career, Zakir Husain committed himself to the great task of awakening a nation to a
reality and taking his co-religionists into the actual fight for freedom. The results far had been
considerably rewarding andeven though it may be said that his services would have
beenprobably more fruitful elsewhere. In fact the Jamia could not have been saved if Dr. Zakir
Husain would not have joined it at that crucial juncture of Indian history. And Dr.Husain did
succeed in his mission. The products of his institution were definitely responsible for a new wave
of thinking among theMuslim youth of those days and to whatever area of activity they went
after leaving the institution , they were responsible for the constant development of new ideas
and their implementation into action.It was the idealistic superiority of the youth thatmode
Husain give a purely educational orientation to Jamia, Instead of associating it with politics. And
even today the institutionwhich has now grown intoafull--fledgeduniversity is committed to its
fundamental ideals, and aseffectively as eever before.

Before of Dr.Zakir Husain significant role in the reconstruction of national education he has been
associated with top committees and commission in the administrative field of education in India.
When he served as the Vice- Chancellor, his association with the University Grants Commission
was a blessing for the institution he was heading. The remarkable interest the U. G. C showed in
the affairs of Aligarh University was specially because of Zakir Husainpresence there and the
confidence reposed in him by Nehru andothers, who had firm faith in Hussain "s assessment of
theeducational needs of any institution, leave alone the Aligarh university with which he was too
closely associated to be inexact in his estimates of genuine requirements, As aresult, the
magnificent structure raised in the campus even after he had left the University in "1956", were
theresults of Dr. Hu,ain's efforts to give a new shape to thecampus.

"It is remarkable that by the time he left the University, he had given it probably the
architecturally most magnificent and most well equipped library among Indian Universities,
headed by S.Bashiruddin, a number of remarkably maintained common rooms and reading
rooms, separate libraries in all halls of residence, a regulated seminar system in the departments,
a modernize printing press, a. sprawling general education centre, a number of well planned and
aesthetically satisfying class rooms, lecture theatre and other facilitybuildings and above all the
urge to strive for academic excellence in order to keep pace with the developing
andadvancingcurrentsof knowledge in thecountryand abroad".
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