Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan: Architect of Modern India

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan: Architect of Modern India
Naseem Ahmad
Vice-Chancellor
Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh-202001 (U.P.) India



Combined in the illustrious personality of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1817-1898) were many facets of greatness – an educationist with a vision; a writer with a sense of mission; a thinker with his eyes set on a bright future for his countrymen; a historian with insights into social dynamics; an activist with a remarkable quality of leadership and a democratic spirit; and, above all, an altruist who worked ceaselessly for social reforms, moral rejuvenation and public welfare, cutting across the barriers of caste, colour and creed.

Sir Syed strove for shaping a modern India, characterized with the ideals of scientific temper, critical enquiry, tolerance, Hindu-Muslim unity and peaceful co-existence. Hence the appellation of the architect of modern India befits him perfectly.

Born in an aristocratic family of Delhi on 17 October, 1817 Sir Syed started his career as a civil servant. Being a first-hand witness to 1857 upheaval, which saw the fall of Mughal Empire and the rise of British rule, he realized with his uncanny insight that a new order was in the offing which would transform every department of human activity. For undertaking his ambitious project which aimed at enabling his countrymen in general and his co-religionists in particular to adapt to the new socio-cultural order, he relinquished his job and devoted himself wholeheartedly to the task of nation building.

Gifted with both vision and pragmatism, Sir Syed perceived at the very outset the immeasurable potentials of education as an effective instrument for changing the mindset, for instilling fresh, life-enriching ideas and for social reconstruction. One of his immediate tasks, however, was to bridge the gap between the British rulers and Indians, which had been exacerbated by the 1857 uprising. His early major writings Asbab-i Baghawat-i Hind (Causes of Indian Mutiny) and Tab’in al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Tawrat wa al-Injil (The Muhammadan Commentary on the Holy Bible) address the same issue, though from different angles. The former identifies the failings on the part of rulers and the misperceptions and anxieties confronting the Indian masses and pleads strongly for a better understanding and cordial relations between the rulers and the ruled. This work went a long way in bridging the gaps. The latter stands out as the first work urging Inter Faith Dialogue premised on mutual respect and tolerance between the two major communities – Christians and Muslims. Sir Syed’s voice of sanity and reason in an atmosphere surcharged with polemics and bigotry is a testament to his sagacity.

In 1864 Sir Syed established Scientific Society which aimed at infusing scientific temper, critical enquiry and objectivity, which helped Indians greet modern knowledge. This change in perspective was a prerequisite for transforming India into a modern country, free from superstitions and an exclusionist, isolationist attitude. Another important job accomplished under the auspices of Scientific Society was of carrying out extensive research studies in improving and strengthening the agricultural system of the country. Sir Syed managed to secure the invaluable cooperation of British experts in agriculture for this project. Needless to add, it went a long way in ensuring prosperity for his countless countrymen, for agriculture was their main source of earning. Sir Syed deserves credit for the application of the latest scientific techniques and technologies for the well being of the whole country. It also speaks volumes about his practical approach geared towards helping the maximum number of people.

His founding of a school at Ghazipur, with the emphasis on modern education, especially of science and technology, stemmed from the same commitment to making India a modern polity. Sir Syed’s stay in England in 1869 – 1870 convinced him fully of the need for popularizing modern education among his co-religionists. In pursuance of this aim the Muhammadan Anglo Oriental College was established at Aligarh in 1877, which blossomed into the Aligarh Muslim University in 1920. While advocating modern education Sir Syed, however, adhered close to the indigenous traditions of faith and culture. That he did not preach servile aping of the West is borne out by his oft-quoted assertion: “Philosophy will be in our right hand and natural sciences in our left and the crown of the creedal statement of Islam will adorn our head”. It was a stroke of Sir Syed’s genius to strike a balance between faith and modernity. The same note permeates his contributions to his periodical Tahzibul Akhlaq. Since its inception the Aligarh Muslim University wedded unflinchingly to the ideals of its founder, has produced good citizens characterized with a spirit of rational and scientific enquiry and which, in turn, has facilitated the task of nation building.

Through his influential writings Sir Syed emphasized the need for Hindu-Muslim unity and for maintaining and strengthening the composite culture of India. This conviction of his comes out at its sharpest in his observation: “India is like a bride which has got two beautiful and lustrous eyes – Hindus and Musulmans. If they quarrel against each other, that beautiful bride will become ugly”. In view of such writings of Sir Syed it is not surprising to note the following glowing tribute paid to him by Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, in his Discovery of India: “Repeatedly he (Sir Syed) emphasized that religious differences should have no political or national significance………..Remember that the words Hindus and Muhammadans are only meant for religious distinction otherwise all persons belong to one and the same nation”.
In sum, for introducing and popularizing modern education, for promoting scientific temper and critical enquiry, for inculcating socio-cultural and religious co-existence in a multi-faith society, for bringing out the universal ethics shared by members of all faiths and communities, for projecting religion as the most potent element in creating homogeneity at a time when it was abused as a divisive factor and for enlightening the heart and mind of his addressees, Sir Syed may be legitimately hailed as the builder of modern India. In so doing, he was ahead of his times and is of immense relevance for our times as well.

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