By Sehar Shakeel Raina
Sehar Shakeel Raina a student of B. Sc. Part-I,Govt. Degree College ThannaMandi
Presenting the topic “Life and Contribution of Sir Sayed Ahmed Khan”during a Symposium held in the College on 16-10-2011 and bagged Ist Position)
Sir Sayeed Ahmad Khan was born in a noble family of Delhi on 17 October 1817. His ancestors migrated from Afghanistan and settled in India during King Akbar’s Period. They were holding high positions in army and civil administration in Mughal regime. Sayed Mir Muttaqi father of Sir Sayed was a reputed scholar who had good relations with Akbar II but rejected the position and titles offered to him due to his interest in mysticism. Sir Sayed on many occasions accompanied him to the Mughal darbars.
Sir Sayed had no formal education in any educational institution. He learnt to read the holy Quran under a female teacher at his home. After this Maulvi Hamidud Din became his private tutor. He completed a course in Persian and Arabic, and later took to the study of mathematics. After that He took interest in medicine and studied some well-known books on the subject. At the age of 19 his formal education came to an end but he continued his studies privately. We can say that Sir Sayed was a genius who became through self study great educationist, writer and reformer.
Due to passing away of his father he had to work for his livelihood. Starting as a clerk with the East India Company in 1838, he qualified three years later as a sub-judge and served in the judicial department at various places. He retired in 1876. He was given the title of sir in 1888. In 1889 he received honorary LLD degree from Edinburgh University.
The 1857 revolt was one of the turning points of Sir Sayed's life. Before it, his career had been that of a civil servant and a scholar. Most of his historical works, which were to win him an honorary fellowship, were completed before 1857 including his books Asarus Sanadeed and Ain-e-Akbari. The publication of his book Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind in 1859 was, in fact, Sir Syed's Induction to public life. He also witnessed the terrible oppression of the British on inhabitants of Delhi particularly on Muslims in 1857.
Along with his search for a solution to the community's backwardness, he continued writing for various causes. He wrote to defend Islam against the attacks of Christian missionaries. Sir Sayed finally reached to the conclusion that lack of education was the main cause of the backwardness of the muslim community. According him, “Acquisition of knowledge of science and technology is the only solution for the problems of Muslims”. Once he said, “We will remain humiliated and rejected if we do not make progress in scientific field”. He also said, “Superstition cannot be the part of Iman” Once he addressed the Muslim community and said, “Do not show the face of Islam to others; instead show your face as the follower of true Islam representing character, knowledge, tolerance and piety”. According to him all human beings are brother and sisters. Working for their welfare is obligatory for Muslims.
He instituted Scientific Society in 1864 to create a scientific temperament among the Muslims. He got translated many scientific works from English into Urdu. The Aligarh Institute Gazette was started in March 1866 and succeeded in agitating the minds of the traditional Muslim Society. Inspite of criticism from theologians, Sir Sayed responded by bringing out another journal Tehzibul Akhlaq. The Tehzibul Akhlaq succeeded in infusing a new desire amongst Muslims for acquiring modern knowledge. It also gave a new direction to Muslim social and political thought.
In 1877 he established the Mohammadan Anglo-Oriental College, which prospered and became the key intellectual center for Indian Muslims and rose to the status of Aligarh Muslim University in 1920. The aim of Sir Sayed was not merely restricted to establishing a college at Aligarh but spreading a network of Muslim Managed educational institutions throughout the length and breadth of the country. To this end, he made All India Mohammedan Educational Conference.
Sir Sayed has several publications in his credit. His contribution for Urdu is remarkable. He had started working on a commentary on the Holy Quran. He wrote 7 volumes when he fell ill in 1898 and did not live long enough to complete it. He died on March 27, 1898.
Lastly I conclude my speech with the following comments:
According to Allama Iqbal, “The eye weeps for the suffering of each and every part of the body, how sympathetic it is to the entire organism.” Sir Sayed “was”,” is” and always “will” be like that eye for the entire Muslim community”. Mahatma Gandhi said, “Sir Sayed was a prophet of education”. According to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, “Sir Sayed was an ardent reformer and he wanted to reconcile modern scientific thought with religion by rationalistic interpretations and not by attacking basic belief. He was anxious to push new education''. Mr. Inder Kumar Gujral writes, “Sir Sayed's vision and his laborious efforts to meet the demands of challenging times are highly commendable”. In words of Afzal Usmani "There are two kind of people came to this world, one who work to live and the other who live to work". Sir Sayed lived to work”
Sehar Shakeel Raina a student of B. Sc. Part-I,Govt. Degree College ThannaMandi
Presenting the topic “Life and Contribution of Sir Sayed Ahmed Khan”during a Symposium held in the College on 16-10-2011 and bagged Ist Position)
Sir Sayeed Ahmad Khan was born in a noble family of Delhi on 17 October 1817. His ancestors migrated from Afghanistan and settled in India during King Akbar’s Period. They were holding high positions in army and civil administration in Mughal regime. Sayed Mir Muttaqi father of Sir Sayed was a reputed scholar who had good relations with Akbar II but rejected the position and titles offered to him due to his interest in mysticism. Sir Sayed on many occasions accompanied him to the Mughal darbars.
Sir Sayed had no formal education in any educational institution. He learnt to read the holy Quran under a female teacher at his home. After this Maulvi Hamidud Din became his private tutor. He completed a course in Persian and Arabic, and later took to the study of mathematics. After that He took interest in medicine and studied some well-known books on the subject. At the age of 19 his formal education came to an end but he continued his studies privately. We can say that Sir Sayed was a genius who became through self study great educationist, writer and reformer.
Due to passing away of his father he had to work for his livelihood. Starting as a clerk with the East India Company in 1838, he qualified three years later as a sub-judge and served in the judicial department at various places. He retired in 1876. He was given the title of sir in 1888. In 1889 he received honorary LLD degree from Edinburgh University.
The 1857 revolt was one of the turning points of Sir Sayed's life. Before it, his career had been that of a civil servant and a scholar. Most of his historical works, which were to win him an honorary fellowship, were completed before 1857 including his books Asarus Sanadeed and Ain-e-Akbari. The publication of his book Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind in 1859 was, in fact, Sir Syed's Induction to public life. He also witnessed the terrible oppression of the British on inhabitants of Delhi particularly on Muslims in 1857.
Along with his search for a solution to the community's backwardness, he continued writing for various causes. He wrote to defend Islam against the attacks of Christian missionaries. Sir Sayed finally reached to the conclusion that lack of education was the main cause of the backwardness of the muslim community. According him, “Acquisition of knowledge of science and technology is the only solution for the problems of Muslims”. Once he said, “We will remain humiliated and rejected if we do not make progress in scientific field”. He also said, “Superstition cannot be the part of Iman” Once he addressed the Muslim community and said, “Do not show the face of Islam to others; instead show your face as the follower of true Islam representing character, knowledge, tolerance and piety”. According to him all human beings are brother and sisters. Working for their welfare is obligatory for Muslims.
He instituted Scientific Society in 1864 to create a scientific temperament among the Muslims. He got translated many scientific works from English into Urdu. The Aligarh Institute Gazette was started in March 1866 and succeeded in agitating the minds of the traditional Muslim Society. Inspite of criticism from theologians, Sir Sayed responded by bringing out another journal Tehzibul Akhlaq. The Tehzibul Akhlaq succeeded in infusing a new desire amongst Muslims for acquiring modern knowledge. It also gave a new direction to Muslim social and political thought.
In 1877 he established the Mohammadan Anglo-Oriental College, which prospered and became the key intellectual center for Indian Muslims and rose to the status of Aligarh Muslim University in 1920. The aim of Sir Sayed was not merely restricted to establishing a college at Aligarh but spreading a network of Muslim Managed educational institutions throughout the length and breadth of the country. To this end, he made All India Mohammedan Educational Conference.
Sir Sayed has several publications in his credit. His contribution for Urdu is remarkable. He had started working on a commentary on the Holy Quran. He wrote 7 volumes when he fell ill in 1898 and did not live long enough to complete it. He died on March 27, 1898.
Lastly I conclude my speech with the following comments:
According to Allama Iqbal, “The eye weeps for the suffering of each and every part of the body, how sympathetic it is to the entire organism.” Sir Sayed “was”,” is” and always “will” be like that eye for the entire Muslim community”. Mahatma Gandhi said, “Sir Sayed was a prophet of education”. According to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, “Sir Sayed was an ardent reformer and he wanted to reconcile modern scientific thought with religion by rationalistic interpretations and not by attacking basic belief. He was anxious to push new education''. Mr. Inder Kumar Gujral writes, “Sir Sayed's vision and his laborious efforts to meet the demands of challenging times are highly commendable”. In words of Afzal Usmani "There are two kind of people came to this world, one who work to live and the other who live to work". Sir Sayed lived to work”
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