State the reasons Sir Syed advanced to the Indian Muslims to eschew politics.

To what extent he was

successful? (2002)

Introduction

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, a great reformer and educationist who struggled for the upliftment of Indian
Muslims, advised his co-religionists to abstain from participation in politics. As an originator of Two
Nation Theory, he viewed the political participation of the Muslims, along with the Hindus, a threat to
their separate identity. The Muslims of that time were very backward, deplorable, and politically
incompetent ; he strongly advocated to the Muslims of India to focus only on education, to cope with
the situation. He argued that it would be a gross mistake to think that the conditions of the Muslims
would be bettered by the participation in the proposed political setup of the British Indian Government,
simple democratic electoral system. Luckily, all the Muslims of the subcontinent, except few, gave a
positive response to his call and avoided membership of Indian National Congress. The subsequent
events, after the death of Sir Syed, showed that he was successful in all his efforts, as the Muslims of
India chose his proposed paths in political field.

According to history, from the war of independence of 1857, the Englishmen– considering Muslims their
natural enemies as they took rule from Muslims– supported the Hindus and kept the Muslims in
deplorable condition, through their policy of co-option. As a result, Muslims could not develop political
shrewdness and consciousness, and, even, they could not enough educate themselves that they could
stand at an equal position to their adversaries, the Hindus. Sir Syed, seeing the backwardness of the
Muslims of the subcontinent, anticipated that their participation in politics in the condition of ignorance
would more harm the Muslim cause rather than good.

Besides, he understood that the political setup– simple electorate system based on democracy and right
to vote on the basis of wealth– that British government was going to introduce in the Indian
subcontinent would be destructive for Muslims' separate identity. In the democratic election system of
British, the majority, the Hindus, would retain more seats than the Muslims; consequently, the Muslims
would came under the influence of the prejudiced, biased, and ruthless Hindu majority. Due to this
reason, he laid stress on the Muslims that they must have to struggle to cope up with their ignorance
first; after that, they should participate in political process. He further said, without proper political
consciousness, involvement in politics would be a blunder. While addressing a gathering he aptly said:

“Muslims should not think of taking part in politics still they had been sufficiently instructed,
otherwise they would be swept off the board altogether”

Moreover, proposing a separate political roadmap for the Muslims of India, he guided the Muslims
about political affairs through his newspaper, Aligarh Institute Gazette. He advised the Muslims
that ,after developing political acumen and astuteness, they had to struggle for alternative political
arrangements from British. The alternatives he proposed were: joint electorate based on universal
suffrage with the provision that the Muslims should vote for Muslim candidate and the Hindus for Hindu
candidate; fixed numbers of reserved seats for Muslims in the Viceroy’s legislative council; separate
electorates for Muslims with increased proportion making them equal to Hindu seats. Apart from the
mentioned arrangements, the political participation for the Muslims would be a disaster.
Fortunately, all the Muslims, except very few, followed him and his approach. There were only two,
among the seventy two total members, Muslim members who joined the Indian National Congress on
its foundation session. All other Muslims took the path of aloofness from the politics, endorsing Sir
Syed’s arguments. In addition to that, Sir Syed was completely successful in his efforts, realizing to the
Muslims about the possible harms of joining the politics in a ignorant and deplorable state. Later, after
his death, Muslims chose one of his proposed path, separate electorates for the Muslims of India, shows
that they acted on his advice with full sincerity. The setup of a separate political platform, All India
Muslim League, and demand separate electorates for the Muslims of India are the examples which
showed that the Muslims paid full attention to the suggestions of Sir Syed.

Critical Analysis

To critically evaluate, there is no doubt that the efforts of Sir Syed have changed the fate of the Muslims
of Subcontinent. It is due to Sir Syed that the Muslims took a separate path from the Hindus , and
presented their case of separate nation or identity to the British Government in a more expressive and
effective way. It was he who right pointed out the intentions of Hindus and guided the Muslims to the
right path, to focus only on education.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, keeping in view the position and condition of the Muslims,
suggested a complete focus on education, to secure the future of the Muslims of India. He knew that the
political participation, without political shrewdness and consciousness, was bound to harm the Muslim
cause, a separate identity. The Muslims’ response to his proposals and suggestions was positive, and
they acted in accordance with his teachings, educate themselves first and then participate in political
activities. His last remarks were:

“The present Muslims should pay the fullest attention to education which is bound to raise their
status and take them to the highest position in the country”