HOW IMPORTANT WAS THE WORK Of SIR SYED AHMAD KHAN TO THE

DEVELOPMENT Of THE PAKISTAN MOVEMENT IN THE 19TH CENTURY?

Contents 1
• Sir Syed's contribution to the education
Key Questions addressed in this chapter
of Muslims
~ What was Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's contribution to
• Revitalisation of Muslim national consciousness
education, politics and religion?
• His main educational works and their importance
• Sir Syed's social and political theory ~ How important was his 'Two-Nation Theory'?

• • The impact of his work, his relations with the

British and the ulama
• Reasons for the foundation of Aligarh College
• His role in Congress and the Muslim League
• The 'Two-Nation Theory' and the Hindi-Urdu
What was the Hindu-Urdu Controversy?

How successful was the Aligarh Movement?

d
J. controversy
:t
It
e
:s
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1817-1898)
Early Biographical Details 1. Who was Sir Syed Ahmed Khan? [4]

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was born in 1817 in Delhi. He came from a wealthy family
s which was well known and respected in the area. Great care was taken by his
d father to ensure that he received a high-quality education.
)f
l. By the age of 18 Sir Syed was skilled in Arabic, Persian, Mathematics and
Medicine. He had also been introduced to some of India's most able writers and
:5
had developed a love for Literature.
k
5' In 1838 Sir Syed's father died and he was forced to seek employment. He quickly
rose from a lowly position in the legal system to become a judge in Delhi in 1846.
It
d Fig.4.1: Sir Syed Ahmad Khan That year he wrote his well-known book on archaeology called Athar-a/ -
e Sanadeed. When the War of Independence broke out in 1857 Sir Syed was
working as chief judge in Bijnaur and is said to have saved the lives of many
women and children during the fighting. In return for his loyalty the British offered
lr him an estate with a large income, but he refused the offer.
't
His belief that armed uprising against the British was pointless made him
e unpopular with 'some Muslims, but it did not stop him from working towards a
reconciliation between the British and the Muslim community after the war. He
was appointed Chief Justice in Muradabad and later was transferred to
Ghazipore. In 1864 he was transferred to Aligarh where he played an important
part in establishing a new college. In 1876 he retired from his work in the law'
to concentrate on running the college and to devote himself to improving the
position of Muslims in the sub-continent through education. Aligarh became the
centre of a 'Muslim renaissance'. He died on 27 March 1898, having served his
fellow Muslims in a way which few had rivalled.

35
 Beliefs
Sir Syed was extremely unhappy about the position of the Muslims in the
subcontinent. Since the days of the Mughal empire their social and economic
status had declined sharply. The role of Muslims in the War of Independence
had led to a further decline in their fortunes as the British took measures to
ensure that their control would not be subject to further challenge.
Sir Syed felt that the poor status of the Muslims was due to the way they were
treated as second-class citizens by the British and the Hindus, but that they also
had to take some of the responsibility themselves. Many Muslims considered
the British to be little more than invaders in India and wanted nothing to do with
them. Sir Syed believed that the Muslim community had to accept that the British
were rulers who intended to stay for many years. The Muslim position could only
be improved if they adopted a more positive approach to the British. They needed
to accept more British ideas and to take advantage of British education. If they
did not, then the Hindus would continue to prosper because of their more
cooperative approach.
Sir Syed wanted to see the Muslims united and prospering. He also wanted to
see an improvement in their economic, social, political and religious fortunes,
He made this ambition his life's work and, because so much of his effort revolved
around a 'Muslim renaissance' taking place in Aligarh, he is said to have founded
'The Aligarh Movement'. 2. What was the Aligarh Movement? [4]

tm>w~
1. Why did Sir Syed believe
opposition to the British
was pointless?
2. What did he want to
achieve for the Muslim
community?
The central aims of the Aligarh Movement were to:
• improve relations between the British and Muslim communities by rernoviru
British doubts about Muslim loyalty and Muslim doubts about British intentions
• improve the social and economic position of Muslims by encouraging them
to receive Western education and take up posts in the civil service and army,
• increase the political awareness of the Muslim community in order to make
them aware of the threat to their position from the Hindus policy of eo
operation with the British.

Work
1. Improving Relations between the British and Muslim Communities
P1 Sir Syed believed that the position of the Muslims in the subcontinent could onlj
be improved if relations with the British were improved and Muslims gained
higher-quality education. There were two major obstacles to good relations
P2 A The British had put the entire responsibility for the War of Independence i~
‘Sir Syed Ahmed Khan’s political beliefs had a 1857 on the Muslims. As a result they carried out policies of repressior
greater impact on the Muslims than any of his against the Muslims after 1857. The Hindus and other religious groups were
other beliefs’. Do you agree or disagree? Give
reasons for your answer. [14] considered to be loyal and prepared to assist in governing India, but the
Muslims were seen as rebellious and unhelpful. Even as early as 1843 the
British Governor-General had stated:
'I cannot close my eyes to the belief that the Muslim race is fundamentally hostiff
to us. Our true policy is to reconcile with the Hindus'.
Sir Syed wanted to ensure that this false view was corrected.

P5 B There was a deep-seated resentment of the British among many in the Musln
community. This was sometimes based on the fact that the British were seer
as 'foreign invaders' and sometimes because they were thought to be tryin(
to replace Islam with Christianity. Other Muslims rejected all Western idea:
because they were often not in line with Islamic beliefs. Sir Syed wanted t
ensure that the benefits and advantages of British rule, particularly in thf
areas of science and technology were embraced by the Muslim communi
to improve the lives of the masses.

36
 Convincing the British 3. What was ‘the Loyal Mohammad of India’? [4]

1the P4 In 1860, Sir Syed wrote, The Loyal Mohammadens of India. In this work, he
omic defended the Muslims from the British accusation that they were disloyal. He
ence gave a detailed account of the loyal service which Muslims had given and named
~s to various Muslims who had shown particular loyalty to the British. At the same
time, he called on the British to end their hostility towards the Muslim community.
were
also P3 In order to convince the British that they were wrong to put the full blame for the
4. What was ‘the Essay on the events of 1857 on the Muslims, Sir Syed wrote a pamphlet called 'Essay on the
ered Causes of Indian Revolt’? [4]
Causes of the Indian Revolt'. In this, he pointed out the main reasons for the
with
ritish uprising were:
only 1. The lack of representation for Indians in the government of the country.
eded 2. The forcible conversion of Muslims to Christianity.
they 3. The poor management of the Indian army.
nore He also listed many other measures taken by the British which created
dissatisfaction and led to resentment among the Muslim community.
~d to
me s.
&~~ This pamphlet was circulated free amongst the British officials in India and was
1.What did Sir Syed believe also sent to members of parliament in England.
ilved 5. What was the misunderstanding about ‘Nadarath’? [4]
were the two main
nded obstacles to good Even members of the Royal family received copies. Some British officials were
relations between the angered by what Sir Syed wrote as he seemed to be blaming them for the
British and the Muslims? uprising. Others read what he wrote with sympathy and accepted that there was
truth in his words. Sir Syed also tried to clear up a misunderstanding amongst
2. Why did he write 'The
)ving the British who resented being called 'Nadarath' by the Muslims. The British
Loyal Muhammadans of
ions, thought that this was an insult, but Sir Syed pointed out that the word came from
India' and 'Causes of the
:hem Indian Revolt' ? 'Nesir', an Arabic word meaning helper. So the term was a reflection of the
irmy, positive image Muslims had of the British, not an insult.
nake Convincing the Muslims
f eo-
Sir Syed was aware that the British knew very little about Islam. Indeed, on a visit
to England he was so offended by an English book on the life of the Prophet (peace
be upon him) that he immediately wrote his own work correcting the many errors.
6. What was ‘the Tabyin ul Kalam’? [4]
It was also true, however, that the Muslims in India knew very little about
only Christianity. He tried to overcome this by writing Tabyin-ul-Kalam, in which he
ined pointed out the similarities between Islam and Christianity. Due to lack of
ons. resources the work was not finished, but it showed Sir Syed's commitment to
improving relations.
ce in One
.sion P6 Another example of this was the British Indian Association which Sir Syed
were established to try to increase cooperation between the two peoples.
t the
3 the 2. Encouraging the growth of Western Education 7. What was ‘Hindu Movement’? [4]

As we have seen, after 1857 the Muslim community was subject to discrimination
»stile at the hands of the British, whilst other groups were supported. The Hindus, for
example, had decided that they should work with the British. This helped the
counter to British to see them as a counter to the supposedly 'disloyal Muslims'. So Hindus
a way to oppose
were keen to learn the English language and to acquire a British education in
rslirn the subcontinent. This helped them to gain employment and to make progress
seen in society. By 1871 there were 711 Hindus in government employment compared
rying with only 92 Muslims.
deas
~d to The 'Hindu Movement' gained strength as more and more Hindus received
1 the education in the new schools, colleges and universities which were springing up.
unity This increased confidence among Hindus also led them to view Muslims with an
increasing lack of respect.

37

8. What was ‘The Thezib ul Akhlaq’?
9. What was 'the scientific society' founded in
1863? [4]
c •
tn!>W)~
1. Why did Sir Syed think
, that education was so
important for Muslims?
2. What was the importance
of the Mohammedan-
Anglo Oriental College?
Fig. 4.2: Members of the debating club. MAO College - 1886
Sir Syed took steps to change Muslim attitudes towards receiving British educatio
In doing this he came into conflict with the ulama. They believed that the acceptana
of Western scientific and technological ideas might undermine Islamic beliefs. S'
Syed believed that the Holy Quran emphasized the need to study and that ar
understanding of modern scientific beliefs actually helped reveal the full majest
of God.
[4]
• To gain support for his views Sir Syed set up an Urdu journal called Tahzib
ul-Akhlaq. This journal contained articles from influential Muslims who agree:
with Sir Syed that there was a need for a new approach to education
Although some ulama attacked the journal, it played a major part in bringin~
about an intellectual revolution amongst Muslim thinkers.
• In 1863 Sir Syed founded the Scientific Society at Ghazipore. Its main purpos
was to make scientific writings available to a wider market by translating then
from English, Persian or Arabic into Urdu. When he was transferred to Aligarr
in 1864 he continued his work and in 1866 began issuing a journal called thl
Aligarh Institute Gazette.
• He had already shown his commitment to expanding educational opportunitie:
when, in 1859, he opened a school in Muradabad. In 1864 he opened anothe
school in Ghazipore.
• In 1869 Sir Syed travelled to England to study the university system there
He dreamed of setting up a university for Muslims in the subcontinenl
He was very impressed by the universities of Oxford and Cambridge an'
hoped to set up an educational institution based on their model. However
on returning home, he found that his plans were often met with suspicion
He could not start with a university straight away. So instead he decided t
begin with a school. .
A committee was set up, which toured the country raising funds for a ne
Muslim school. On 24 May 1875, the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental Scho
was set up in Aligarh on the pattern of English public school system. Th
British would not allow it to be affiliated with a Muslim university outside Brilisl
territory so, for the moment it could not become the Muslim University tha
Sir Syed wanted.
• The college offered both Western and Indian education, though Islami
education was also provided. It became much more than an educationa
institution. In the days before the Muslim League, it became a symbol 0
Muslim unity. Many of the future leaders of Pakistan, such as Liaquat Ali Kha
and Ayub Khan, were educated there and some historians have commenle
that the college was the institution which contributed more than any other t
the formation of Pakistan. 10. What was the Mohammadan Educational Conference? [4]
------...,. However, Sir Syed's work in education did ne
end with the formation of the college. H
wanted to publicise the new education
methods being used at Aligarh. So in 1886
set up the Mohammedan Education!
Conference. Its aim was to raise education
standards among Muslims. It held meeting
at a number of cities across the subcontiner
and sub-committees were formed in man
places. The Conference attracted famo
orators and writers and also played a majo
role in establishing a political platform fo
Muslims, in the days before the formation (
the Muslim League.
• In 1920 the college became the University (
Aligarh.
Q. ~
38
ion. 3. Increasing Political Awareness
nee Sir Syed was determined to improve the status of the Muslim community. By
Sir writing his Essay on the Causes of the Indian Revolt and The Loyal
: an Mohammadens of India he had shown a desire to re-establish good relationships
~sty with the British, as he hoped this would lead to greater opportunities for Muslims.
This earned him a reputation of being too moderate and too British. But, in fact,
zib- Sir Syed realised that the British were too powerful to overthrow and that Muslims

r.
eed would gain more by cooperating with them.
on.
He also believed that Muslims should have good relations with Hindus, as they
~ing
had a ' - to restore the authority of the local people in their
common
• long-term aims own country. In a speech to the Indian Association he said:
ose the same ideas
iern about the future 'We, Hindus and Muslims, live together on the same soil under the same
Jarh government. Our interests and problems are common and, therefore I consider
the the two factions as one nation. '

ities However, Sir Syed soon realised that the Hindus were not so keen on working
ther with Muslims and this led him to the conclusion that the two groups could not
work together. In time he came to believe that Hindus and Muslims were different
ere. enough to be considered as two separate groups within the subcontinent.
ent. Indian 1 ational Congress
and
ver, • In 1885, the Indian National Congress was formed. The British saw this body
ion. as a means by which they could hear the views of the educated elite in Indian
d to society. The Congress said that it would represent the views of all the
communities within India, regardless of their religion. However, it soon became
lew apparent that the Congress was a Hindu-dominated body which was working
to establish Hindu supremacy over the Muslims.
1001
The
itish Political Representation
that • A good example of this was the call by Congress for the introduction of a
democratic system of political representation similar to that practised in Britain.
irnic This sounded fair, but since there were four times as many Hindus as
mal Muslims, they would win every election. Democracy would leave the Muslims
)1 of with no representation at all.
.han
1ted Sir Syed spoke out angrily against any such plans saying:
sr to
'I am convinced that the introduction of the principle of election ...
would be attended with evils of greater significance. The larger community
not would totally override the interests of the smaller community'
He
Competitive Examinations
mal
3 he • Congress also suggested that appointments in the government service should
in al be by competitive examination. Since Muslims were not receiving education
onal of a standard similar to that received by Hindus, this would greatly
ings disadvantage them. Sir Syed commented that only when equal educational
nent opportunities were provided could such an idea work.
iany
10US Section A Exam-style Questions
iajor
Allthe creatures of God have equal rights. No man is entitled to allow one particular race of men
I for
In of
to obtain the good things of this world, and to bar the rest from participating in them, and it is
the duty of the government to observe this divine law in all its integrity.
tyof From the writings of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan.
Q. (a) According to this source how should India be governed? [3J

tl]!)m>~
1. At first Sir Syed believed
Hindus and Muslims
should work together in
politics. Why did he
change his mind?
2. What was 'The Two
Nation Theory'?
Now do Skills Book
pages 11-12
Fig. 4.3: Baab-e-Syed - the main entrance of the Aligarh
Muslim University
Exam-type Questions
A. What was the Aligarh Movement? [4J
B. Why did Sir Syed Ahmad Khan write 'The Causes of the Indian Revolt'? [7J
c. Doyou agree that Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's most important contribution to the Muslim
community was his support for education? Give reasons for your answer. [14J
Language 11. What was the Hindi-Urdu Controversy? [4]
• A further cause of concern to Sir Syed was the 'Hindi-Urdu Controversy'. II
1867 the Hindus demanded that Hindi should be made the next officia
language in place of Urdu (which had become the official language in 1825)
It was not until after his death that Hindi became the second language, bu
the Hindu opposition to Urdu was another factor guiding Sir Syed toward'
his 'Two Nation Theory'.
• As you will read in the next section, Urdu had a special place in the heart!
of the Muslim community with many of its finest writings in that language. S
Syed was bitterly opposed to this attack on Urdu and particularly shocks
to find that the Hindu members of his Scientific Society wanted the society' c
journal to be published in Hindi.
Sir Syed's belief that Congress was working in the interests of Hindus, and i
•
a way which was harmful to the Muslim community, led him to refuse to atten •
its meetings. Instead he organised an alternative body called the United Patrioti
Alliance. In 1893 this became the Mohammedan Defence Alliance. By this tim •
rivalry between the Hindu and Muslim communities was increasing and ther
were several examples of Hindus showing disrespect for the Muslim religion. I
Bombay some Hindu extremists began playing loud music outside mosques
•
It seemed that in some areas it was becoming increasingly difficult for Musli
and Hindus to live in peaceful co-existence.
Why Sir Syed Ahmed Khan had
Importance started his Aligarh Movement? [7]
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan played a vital role in improving th
status of the Muslim community in the subcontinenl
• He worked tirelessly to restore relations with the Britist
particularly after the War of Independence when man
British were of the opinion that the Muslims were disloy
and untrustworthy. His writings, his tireless work and thl
example he set were to convince the British to see t~
Muslims in a new light.
• Sir Syed played a major part in bringing about a Muslir
revival, largely through the work of the Aligarh Movemen'
Muslims came to value education as a means of sell
improvement and of obtaining better employment. Fror
this came greater the feeling of self-worth.
• Linked to the Muslim revival was a greater politic
awareness. As Hindus sought to take advantage of t
poor relations between the Muslims and the British, S
Syed emphasised the threat to Muslims and develope
his 'Two Nation Theory'. Once Muslims came to aces
the wisdom of this theory, it was only a small step to ca
for partition. For this reason Sir Syed Ahmad Khan ca
rightly be called 'The Father of the Pakistan Movemenl
1.
-----------------==========~
2.
40