Professional Documents
Culture Documents
. Education
Sir Syed gave much importance to modern education and his
efforts and contribution to Muslim education and his efforts
and contribution to Muslim education is very important. He
opened schools at several places where he was posted. He
established Scientific Society and printed the Aligarh Institute
Gazette. He was visited England in 1869 on his own expenses
to observe the working of British Universities. Most important
achievement in education sector was the founding of M.A.O
College at Aligarh in 1877. Sir Syed founded the
Mohammadens Educational Conference whose objective was to
discuss and solve the education problems of Muslims in the
sub-continent. His efforts for Muslim education served double
purpose. It helped the Muslims to get good jobs and raised
their status in society. It also helped in removing the mistrust
between the British and the Muslims. Therefore education was
the most important aspect of Sir Syeds services in the
Muslims of India.
3. Politics
Sir Syeds advice to Muslims in the political field is also
important. He believed that under the European system or
democratic government the Muslims of India would always be
at the mercy of Hindu majority. He suggested separate
4.Religion
In Religion Sir Syed united the Muslims by supporting the Two
Nation Theory and the Hindi-Urdu controversy of 1867 in
which Hindus wanted Hindi to be the official language while
the Muslims wanted Urdu. He realised the threat to Muslims so
united them and gave them good education.
Sir Syed Ahmed khan was not only a prominent educationalist but also a capable author.
His writings include the following:
Asarul Sanadid
Rasala-i-Asbab-e-Baghawat-i-Hind
Tarikh Sarkashi-e-Bijnaur
Risalah Ahkam-i-Taam-i-Ahle-Kitab
Tabeen-Ul-Kalam
Kutbat-e-Ahmadiyah
Risalah Tehzib-Ul-Akhlaq
Jame-Jama
iv) Sir Syeds Social Services:
Sir Syed wanted that Muslims of the Sub-continent should get an honourable position in the
Hindu dominated society. For this purpose he not only opened many schools but also
established an orphanage at Muradabad to provide refuge to the orphan Muslim children.
In fact his whole life revolved round his desire for the betterment of his community.
He took several steps for the revival and betterment of the Muslims. He wrote the most
influential magazine Tehzib-ul-Akhlaq in which he outlined the ethical aspects of the
Muslims life. In this magazine he criticized the conservative way of the Muslims and
advised them to adopt new trends of life.
He set himself to the task of protecting the Urdu from being faded away and replaced by
English. He worked laboriously for the promotion of Urdu and gave a new tone and colour
to the Urdu literature. He founded Anjuman-i-Tarki-i-Urdu which worked for the protection
of Urdu. He wrote another magazine as Ahkam-i-Taam-i-Ahle-Kitab in which the principles
and etiquettes of eating and dinning in Islam were discussed. In this magazine Sir Syed
wrote that it was not against Islam to eat with the Christians on the same table. He gave
references from the Quran and proved that it was not un-Islamic to eat with a nation who
was the bearer of Holy book.
v) Sir Syeds Religious Services:
Sir Syed rendered many religious services through his movement.
Essay On Life Of Muhammad (PBUH)
William Muir, a Christian writer, wrote a book, "Life of Muhammad of (PBUH)" and used
derogatory remarks against the last prophet of Islam. Sir Syed took frequent notices of his
book and wrote essays on the life of (PBUH) named Kutbat-i-Ahmadiyah in which he gave
befitting reply to William Muir.
Tabeen-e-Alkalam:
Sir Syed also wrote a commentary on Bible in a philosophical style and explained the
similarities between the Islam and Christianity with solid arguments.
Educational Services
Sir Syed rightly said,
From the seed which we sow today there may spring up a mighty tree whose branches, like those of
the banyan of the soil, shall in their turn strike firm roots into the earth and themselves send forth
new and vigorous saplings. This college may expand into a university whose sons shall go forth
throughout the length and breadth of the land to preach the gospel of free enquiry, of large hearted
toleration, and of pure morality.
Sir Syed established Gulshan School at Muradabad in 1859, Victoria School at Ghazipur in 1863, and a
scientific society in 1864. In April 1864, Syed Ahmad Khan was transferred to Aligarh where he took
the office of the newly founded Society. The Aligarh Institute Gazette, which was published in two
languages English and Urdu. Its two-fold object was to keep the British informed of the trends of
Indian opinion and enable the Indians to appreciate the methods of British administration.
When Sir Syed was posted at Aligarh in 1867, he started the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental School in
the city. Sir Syed got the opportunity to visit England in 1869-70. During his stay, he studied the
British educational system and appreciated it. On his return home he decided to make M. A. O. High
School on the pattern of British boarding schools. The School later became a college in 1875. The
status of University was given to the college after the death of Sir Syed in 1920. M. A. O. High School,
College and University played a big role in the awareness of the Muslims of South Asia. The following
were some of the famous associations which were founded for the uplift of the Muslims.
The Muhammadan Educational Conference(1886)
The Indian Patriatic Association(1888)
The Mohammadan Defence Association of Upper India(1893)
The Mohammad Anglo-Oriental Defense Association
Social Services
Sir Syed was much worried about the social conditions of the Muslims and desired to see the revival of
the Muslims in their social life. He published the most influential magazine Tahzib-ul-Aklaq in which he
outlined the ethical aspects of the Muslim life. In this magazine, he criticized the conservative way of
life and advised them to adopt new trends of life. He opened a number of orphan houses in order to
provide them shelter. He did not want these children going to Christian missionaries.
For the promotion of Urdu, he founded Anjuman-i-Tariki-i-Urdu. He also wrote Akham-i-Taam-i-AhleKitab in which he highlighted that it was not against Islam to eat with the Christians on the same
table.
Religious Services
It was a gloomy period when Muslims were not allowed to practice their religion as they wanted. The
Aligarh Movement protected the religious activities of the Muslims by defending them against the
Christians Missionaries who were against Islam.
A Christian writer, Sir William Muir, had written a book on Life of Muhammad in which he had
criticized the Holy Prophet(PBUH). So Sir Syed had great love for the Holy Prophet and his remarkable
work, the Essays on the Life of Muhammad, is an ample proof of his love and reverence which he
always carried for the Holy Prophet(PBUH)