Mid Assignment

Topic Name:

BIRTH OF MUSLIM LEAGUE- AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

Subject: HISTORY 103, Section 1

Spring 2020

Submitted by:
NAME ID NUMBER SERIAL NUMBER SIGNATURE

MD.SHAFIQUL HAQUE 1610552630 09 shafique

BHUIYAN
Submission Date: May 18, 2020

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 Table of Contents
No. TOPICS Page
Number
1. Factors affecting formation of Muslim League 3

2. Important occurrences that led to the creation of Muslim 4

League
3. Factors promoting communalism 5

4. Role of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan 6

5. Role of Muslim Leaders 8

6. A short Summary of events leading to Muslim League 9

7. Objectives of Muslim Leaguee 10

8. Impact of Muslim League 11

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 Birth of Muslim League-Aims and objectives
ANS-

Factors affecting formation of the Muslim League:

1. Loss of sovereignty by the Muslims.

2. Educational and Economic backwardness of the Muslims.

 Muslims rejected modern western style of education.

 Due to lack of technical education, rate of unemployment was high

3. Backwardness in the social and cultural fields.

4. British policy of divide and rule.

5. New interpretation to Indian history.

6. Rise of revolutionary nationalism

7. Economic backwardness of the country.

8. Effort of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.

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Important occurrences that led to the creation of Muslim
League:
After the revolt of 1857 Muslims became the target of the British hatred and suffered most from
its consequences. The decline of Muslim power created a sense of loss among the Muslims of
India. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the first post Mutiny thinker tried hard to raise the economic
conditions by promoting modern education for them. The Mohammedan Anglo- Oriental
College, Aligarh and the Muslim Educational Conference were by far the most lasting
achievements in the political organization of Muslims.

They began to see that they must organize themselves so that they become a worthy object of
government patronage. The first man to try to meet the situation was Nawab Abdul Lateef (1823-
1893) the first member of Bengal Legislative Assembly. In April 1863 he laid the foundation of
an Islami Majlis- i- Muzakira, better known as the Mohammedan Literary Society, at Calcutta.
While the Mohammedan Association of Calcutta formed in January 1856 was the oldest Muslim
organization. Abdul Lateef was concerned to preserve and to promote old Muslim tradition.

The object of the society was “to impart useful information to the higher and educated classes of
the Mohammedan community by means of lectures delivered in Urdu, Persian and English
Languages.”For more than thirty years Nawab Abdul Lateef, by his own account „almost alone”
represented the Muslims of Bengal in all public movements and proceedings.” His efforts were
supplemented by another Muslim, when Syed Ameer Ali (1849- 1928) established the National
Mohammedan Association in May 12, 1878 at Calcutta with the same object.

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Factors promoting Communalism:

 British policy of divide and rule:

a) Govt. Branded Congress as Hindu movement.
b) Curzon favored partition of Bengal,
c) Use of Urdu as a medium of instruction for Muslims,
d) Spread hatred through press, posters and literature
e) Portrayed Muslim rulers as plunderers

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan the first post Mutiny thinker to realize the pathetic condition of the
Muslims. The seeds of Muslim communalism were sown by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. He
explained to Muslims that it is better for Muslims to stand for British and stay away from
Hindus.

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Role of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan:
To know Muslim League, we should know who is Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, his ideology.

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was a great philosopher, writer and an Islamic reformer of the 19TH century.

Birth- 1817, Delhi (Capital of Mughal Empire)

His father was a personal adviser to Mughal Empire Akbar Shah II. It was a big post at that time.
Even his ancestors ( grand-parents, great grand-parents) were Ministers and Administrators @
Mughal Court. So we can understand that he belongs to a respected & powerful family. Sirji was
very fast and good at studies. He acquired religious and modern education. He rejected the job
offer of Mughal Badshah, as he thought Mughals are already on the verge of extinction (Mughals
were in a situation like a sinking boat). Because European Merchants, adventurers, and freebooters
infested the Indian Ocean and Coastal Region. But the Mughals with all vast resources at their
disposal couldn’t show such effective measures against European piracy in the Indian Ocean as
their administrative power was so poor

Rather Sirji joined British East India Company as a clerk. He started working at the British East
India Company in full swing, got promoted day by day, he was called the loyalist to British East
India Company at one time. 1857 revolt was suppressed by the British Government at one time.
Later by getting promoted day by day, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan became a Chief Assessment Officer
of Bijnor Court. He supported the British Government in the 1857 revolt. In fact, he published a

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booklet named Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind-the causes of Indian Revolt, where he described a
detailed research on why 1857 revolt happened. In this booklet, he also gave/published some
recommendations to britishers so that this type of situation/revolts can be avoided in future. He
believed in Hindu-Muslim unity. But he always thinks for the well-being of Muslims a lot. He
believed that Muslims should progress further only thru western and modern education.

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan encouraged Muslims to work in British East India Company for their
betterment. In year 1875, he established Muhammadam Anglo-Oriental College. It was the first
Muhammadan University in South Asia. It renamed Aligarh Muslim University in 1875. In the
year 1876, he retired from British Services.

In 1885, Indian National Congress was formed. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan didn’t like it
and termed it as Hindu organization. He made muslims understood that if our country got
independence, British Government will leave. But as Hindus are the majority here, and Muslims
are very less in numbers. So, then if any election held, Hindus will be the winner. Thus Hindus
will create bad impact on Muslims. Sirji made Muslims clear that Muslims are safe as long as
British Government are here in India. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan further said that “ we( Muslims)
should be loyal to the british as much as possible”

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan breathed his last on March 1898 at the age of 80. Later,
Muslim communalists such as Iqbal, Jinnah followed his path.

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Role of Muslim Leaders :

So, Muslims Leaders said that Sir Syed is not with us anymore. Muslim thanked the British
Government for the partition of Bengal 1905( executed by Lord Curzon) as now they are
majority of a new state. Bur the Hindus opposed the decision, they protested and expressed their
unhappiness. As a result, Muslims understood that Sir Syed was right as Hindus can’t tolerate
their happiness. So Muslim Leaders said that Sir Syed is not with us anymore, but his each and
every perception is proving correct now. So Muslim Leaders scrutinized his each and every ideas
and thoughts. And they found out that Sirji termed Indian National Congress a Hindu
Organization, so Muslim Leaders decided that its high time Muslims should form their own
Organization.

On 30th December 1906, they raised the issue at

Muhammadan Educational Conference ( it was established by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan) at Dhaka.
3000 delegated reached at that conference. Though political discussion were not allowed, but as
Sirji was not there, and the situation of Muslims was deteriorating, so they requested to stop the
ban on discussing politics.

So when they started discussing about the hot issue [ hindus aggression towards Muslims] a
majority of delegates said that Congress is there to speak for Hindus. So, we too will form our
own organization to speak for Muslims. Then a motion was passed that a Muslim organization
will be formed. But what will be the name of that organization was still undecided. So this time,
Nawab of Dhaka Khwaja Salimullah Bahadur stated/voiced a title/name which was “ ALL
INDIA MUSLIM LEAGUE “. WOW, finally everybody liked this name.

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A short summary of Events leading to formation of Muslim
League:

 Aligarh Politics( Sir Syed Ahmed Khan launched the movement)

 Nagari Resolution- Persian Script was replaced by Devanagari script.
 Hindi-Urdu Controversy( had great effect on Sir Syed)
 1905. Mohemmedan Provincial Union was found.(Salimullah was chosen as Patron)
 Muslim deputation meets Lord Minto(Aga Khan led it)- they want adequate
representation of Muslims and separate electorate.
 Later Morley Minto reforms were introduced.
 Subtle policy of divide and rule.
 British maybe described as God father of Muslim League.

Muslim League was founded on 30th December, 1906 by Salimullah Bahadur.

Founders of ALL INDIA MUSLIM LEAGUE:

1. Khwaja Salimullah ( Dhaka Nawab)

2. Vikramul Mulk
3. Syed Amir Ali
4. Khan Bahadur Ghulam

First President of ALL INDIA MUSLIM LEAGUE:

Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah ( AGA KHAN III)

Primary Objective of All INDIA MUSLIM LEAGUE:

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Objective is to safeguard Muslim Rights by supporting British Government.

Objectives of All India Muslim League:

The promotion of loyalty to British Government among the Muslims, the protection and
promotion of the Muslim Political rights and interests and the prevention of hostility and
promotion of inter communal unity were declared the main objects of the Muslim League.

Some of the aims of the newly founded body were:

(a) To support all measures emanating from the government,

(b) To advance the interests of the Muslims throughout India,

(c) To control growing influence of the Congress,

(d) To find scope for the Muslims according to their ability for public life, who had in the
absence of proper education joined Congress party.

(e) To promote friendly feelings between the Muslims and other communities in India, as far as
possible.

In this way from the very beginning League made it clear that it aimed at promoting the interests
of the Muslims with the blessings and co-operation of the government, to whom the organisation
will always be loyal. For them loyalty of government was more important than the nationalist
movement.

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Impact of Muslim League:

 Communal Tension,
 Two Nation Theory,
 In 1913, Jinnah joined Muslim League and tried to bring policy of league into line with
progressive/national aims of Congress.
 Khilafat Movement ( Lucknow Pact)

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