Sir Syed Ahmad Khan

Phenomene Perplexe

Shopenhauer quotes an old German couplet in his Essays and Aphorisms, which purports to mean that it is the fate of the truly great that they are recognized and understood only when they are no more in this world. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was no exception to this rule. In his lifetime, he had to face the burgeoning tide of stiff opposition from almost every possible quarter while treading on the thorny path of social upliftment.

            Sir Syed was born on October 17, 1817 at Delhi. His father Syed Mohammed Muttaqi remained associated with the Mughal Court throughout his life. Sir Syed’s mother, Azizun Nisa was a remarkably intelligent lady from whom he received his early formal education. Later on, he developed interest in reading Persian scholars’ works and thus, went on to read writers like Sahbai, Ghalib and Azurda. His brother Syed Mohammed Khan too was a scholar and published his own paper ‘Sayyad-ul-Akhbar’ founded in 1837. When Sir Syed’s father left for heavenly abode in 1838, he was advised to serve the Mughals as part of the family tradition. He however predicted the doom of Mughal Empire and joined East India Company.

            In 1845, Syed Mohammed Khan died and the responsibilities of editorship of ‘Sayyad-ul-Akhbar’ fell on the shoulders of Sir Syed. Sir Syed was transferred to Bijnore district of UP on January 13, 1855 as Sadar-e-Amin. Before the mutiny, Bijnore was a rebel center. During the disastrous days of 1857, Sir Syed remained loyal to the British. The loyalty was rewarded by a ‘Khilat’ (Robe of Honor) and a life-long pension.

            The British were always accused of being hostile towards the Indians in general and Muslims in particular. Attempting to bring about a change of heart in the British towards the Muslims, he compiled and published the ‘Risalah-e-Khair-Khwahan-Mussalman’ (The Loyal Mohammedans of India). He also wrote the famous ‘Risala-e-Asbaab-e-Baghavat-e-Hind’ (The Causes of Indian Revolt).

            Sir Syed left for London on April 1, 1869 to study the English method of education. While at London, Sir Syed came across a book, ‘Life of Mohammed’ by Sir William Moore. To refute the charges against the Prophet, he wrote a book ‘Khutbat-i-Ahmadiyah’. On coming back to India he accelerated his efforts for establishment of an institution, on the model of Oxford and Cambridge universities.

            In 1870, Sir Syed started the famous journal ‘Tahzeebul Akhlaq’ (Mohammedan Social Reformer). A great crusader against conservatism, traditionalism and superstitions, Sir Syed set the aim of journal to ameliorate the social condition of Muslims. It also sought to create a liberalized and progressive religious outlook. Such fruitful thought annoyed the conservative elements within the community, which in turn brought opprobrium on Sir Syed. Abuses were hurled at him and fatwas of Kufr issued against him. However, the storm of opposition failed to dampen his spirits and he carried on with his mission of religious and social reform with the religious and social thinking of Muslims.

            The coexistence of communal and national traditions and modern ideas always creates fear in the minds of people, especially if the modernization requires sacrificing a part of our heritage, culture, identity and bare essence at the altar of the deity of modernity. Moreover, the English at that time were considered as ruthless conquerors and hence hated intensely by all Indians. But the Muslims couldn’t come out of this hatred in time and continued it to a level that ruined their whole space and identity as a progressive community. They remained in the shells of conservatism and ignorance. This obviously left them behind Hindus by decades in keeping march with the pace of time. Sir Syed, the genius that he was, saw the suicidal attitude as the doom of the community.

            As a prudent modernizer, champion of vaccination (being the first advocate for vaccination against Smallpox in 1880), a proponent extra-ordinaire of higher education and self-help, a firm believer and practitioner of inter-faith amity, social harmony and large-hearted toleration, a visionary of socio-cultural and political reawakening and advancement, and above all as a defender of the rights of the underprivileged minorities, he was well aware that without learning Western Sciences and European thoughts, the Muslims would have no future. It was an uphill task to uplift the uneducated Muslims but Sir Syed’s courage, patience and fortitude suppressed all such difficulties.

            Sir Syed’s vision of a modern educational institution was realized with the establishment of the Mohammedan Anglo Oriental College at Aligarh in January 1877. The main reason behind the establishment of the college, in Sir Syed’s own words, was ‘the wretched dependence of the Muslims which had been debasing their position day by day. Their religious fanaticism did not let them avail of the educational facilities provided by the Govt. schools and colleges.’ The sapling planted by him has now taken deep roots. It has, over the years, grown into a mighty banyan tree of the University whose sons and daughters go throughout the length and breadth of the country and beyond preaching “the gospel of free enquiry, large hearted tolerance and pure morality” which has since its inception remained the leading motto of the MAO College. The rich texture of Sir Syed’s personality, his abiding concern for the humanity at large, his relentless crusade for the welfare of his countrymen specially the wretched lot of Muslims in the aftermath of the so-called Sepoy Mutiny, his scholarly forays into diverse spheres of learning including inter-faith amity and above all his role as one of the builders of Modern India made him the phenomene perplexe of Modern history.

            The entire personality of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan is indeed so engaging that it is hard to pick and choose just one aspect of his multifaceted personality, which may be labeled as the most impressive. He certainly had many a sterling quality of head and heart like energy, industry, unalloyed altruism, dogged will and determination, indomitable courage, a puckish sense of humor, righteousness, unimpeachable integrity, consuming passion for the welfare of all sections of society especially the Muslims, political acumen of the highest order, humanitarian concerns and a modernistic bent of mind. Most remarkable of all was the courage of convictions he had. His whole life was an example of large-hearted tolerance and religious co-existence.

            Sir Syed Ahmad Khan breathed his last on March 27, 1898.

            “A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but the idea lives on.”

            Sir Syed’s idea lives on in each one of us, the students of Aligarh Muslim University. The light that he had lit continues to show us the way. We pay homage to this great man and deem it an honor to host the Sir Syed Memorial Debate as a tribute to our founder.