Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan

21 Oct 2023 Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan

This article covers “Daily Current Affairs” and the topic details “Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan”. This topic has relevance in the “History and Culture” section of the UPSC CSE exam.

For Prelims:

About Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan and his contributions

For Mains:

GS1:  Modern History

Why in the news?

The enactment of the Women’s Reservation Bill coincided with the 125th birth anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, renowned for his efforts in advocating social reforms within the Muslim community.

About Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan

Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan (born October 17, 1817, — March 27, 1898) was a Muslim educator, jurist, and author, founder of the Anglo-Mohammedan Oriental College at Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, and the primary driving factor that sparked the resurgence of Indian Islam during the late 19th century.

His Political Contributions: 

• Vision for Progress: 
  • Sir Syed was known for his vision of advancing his community and modernising the nation. 
  • He was the first Indian Muslim to lay the intellectual and institutional groundwork for Muslim modernisation in South Asia.
• Literary Endeavors: 
  • He commenced his literary journey at 23, authoring the notable work “Monuments of the Great” (Athar Assanadid) in 1847, which explored the antiquities of Delhi.
• Political Approach: 
  • Sir Syed, a prominent Muslim politician of his time, approached the Indian independence movement cautiously, urging Muslims to serve the British Raj faithfully. 
  • Simultaneously, he critiqued certain aspects of British policy and advocated for reforms.
• Education for Muslims: 
  • Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was dedicated to improving the educational opportunities for his fellow Muslims. 
  • He recognised the need to dispel British rulers’ misconceptions about Muslims. 
  • His essay “Essay on the Causes of the Indian Revolt” demonstrated that various factors, not solely Muslims, contributed to the 1857 rebellion.

His Educational Contribution 

• Educational Reformer: 
  • Syed Ahmad Khan fought against superstitions and ignorance in Indian Muslim society, recognising their hindrance to progress. 
  • He advocated for modern scientific education.
• Founding Modern Schools: 
  • In 1859, he established the Gulshan School, one of the first religious schools with scientific education. 
  • The Victoria School in Ghazipur followed in 1863, emphasising modern education.
• Promoting Interfaith Relations: 
  • Syed Ahmad Khan worked on fostering strong interfaith relations between Islam and Christianity.
• Translation Society and Scientific Society: 
  • His Translation Society (1862) translated scientific European works into Hindi and Urdu, evolving into the Scientific Society of Aligarh. 
  • It aimed to promote modern education and Western scientific knowledge among Indian Muslims.
• Urdu Language Advocate: 
  • In the Hindi-Urdu language controversy in 1867, he championed Urdu as the lingua franca in the United Provinces, opposing Hindi as a second official language. 
  • He also promoted Urdu through his writings.
• Educational Vision in England: 
  • Inspired by the Renaissance culture during his England trip 1869, he aspired to create a “Muslim Cambridge.”
• Journal and University: 
  • In 1870, he launched “Tahzib-al-Akhlaq” (Social Reformer) to drive reforms and modern awareness. 
  • He founded the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in 1875, later becoming the Aligarh Muslim University in 1920.

His views on Women Empowerment: 

• Initial Beliefs: 

• • Initially, he held conservative views, advocating for women’s education that focused on familial duties. 

• • He believed that educating women might hinder their primary purpose in life, which he saw as marriage.

• Revised Perspective: 

• • However, after observing the freedom European women enjoyed, his perspective changed. 

• • He believed the rejection of women’s education within the Muslim community contributed to its decline.

• Advocate for Women’s Education: 

• • Despite his initial conservatism, Sir Syed strongly supported women’s right to education. 

• • He took positions distinct from other Muslim scholars on divorce and women’s rights and vehemently opposed domestic violence against women.

• Impact: 

• • His efforts significantly influenced India’s education system, emphasising democratising education and aligning it with European standards.

Sources: Sir Syed Ahmed Khan’s 125th birth anniversary: His record on women’s rights 

Download Yojna daily current affairs eng med 21th Oct 2023

Q1. With reference to Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, consider the following statements: 

1. He laid the intellectual groundwork for Muslim modernisation in South Asia.
2. He urged Muslims to serve the British Raj faithfully, avoiding the freedom movement.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2 

(d) None 

Answer: (c) 

Q2. Consider the following :

1. Tahzib-al-Akhlaq
2. Causes of the Indian Revolt
3. Athar Assanadid 
4. Mirat-u- Akbar

How many of the abovementioned are literary works of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan?

(a) Only one 

(b) Only two 

(c) Only three 

(d) All Four 

Answer: (c)

Q3. Analyse Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s contribution to the socio-religious reform movement in 19th-century India.

Gaurav N