Saad Qaisar
Today (October 17, 2008) marks the 191st birthday of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan (1817-1898).
In the history of Indian Sub-Continent, the role Syed Sahib played for Muslims of India deserves golden words. Sir Syed was the most influential leader and social reformer of his time. He felt that the socio-economic future of Muslims was threatened by their orthodox aversions to modern science and technology. He made significant contributions in this regard that had long term implications for the Muslims of India that eventually lead to creation of state of Pakistan.
Either it be his advocacy for Urdu to be recognized by British empire as second language of India & a symbol of Muslim heritage or establishment of a ‘Muslim Cambridge’ in form of MAO college at Aligarh, he is seen as a most vocal figure for the rights of Indian Muslims in the second half of 19th century under British Raj. At Aligarh, Sir Syed formed Scientific Society of Aligarh, the first scientific society of its kind in India that assembled Muslim scholars from across India, held annual conferences, disbursed funds for educational causes and regularly published a journal on scientific subjects in English & Urdu.
His views, at times, challenged orthodox clergy who appeared averse to his message of ‘change’.
Today, as we find our nation amidst divergent schools of thought, when one segment of society is bent towards ultra-liberalism & appear to blindly follow western civilization, more of its bad than good and on other end, there are those who are hell bent to stick to age-old orthodox philosophy, do we await another Syed Sahib that would channelize our energies to the middle path. Or can we revive spirit of Syed Sahib’s life as a guideline in all the issues that confront us as a nation? Men like Syed Sahib are born once in decades, or perhaps, centuries! Are we ready to wait centuries for that to happen or reformulate our thought in-line with modern demands, choice is ours!
As Iqbal rightly put it:
aaen-e-nau say darna, tarz-e Kuhan pe aRna
manzil ye hi katthan hai, qaumoN kee zindagi meiN
‘To be afraid of modern ways, to get stuck on age old patterns, is the biggest hurdle in the life of Nations’.
Photo Credits: Khurram Ali Shafique and Wikipedia.com
@Ali Dada
Ali I don’t think only computer science training with bring money to country, educational level in all areas should be increased regardless of economical classes difference. A combine effort will be needed to bring educational caliper, money, and raise in economy to culture.
Thanks for everyone’s reply and the corroboration by Ibrahim. Looks like the mullahs of today are as jahil as the mullahs during Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s time.
btw Ibrahim what are you doing on the Internet and using electricity? These are also the inventions of the kuffar. Please turn off your computer.
He deserved worse than a garland of shoes. ‘Mullah’ didn’t oppose him just because he wanted people to learn English and he was with British (though this was reason enough to oppose him). This is your propaganda. He was opposed because he was a modernist Quraniyoun…those who only believe in Qur’and dismiss the rest of the texts of Islam. He was a secularist on top of it too, which is usually what Quraniyoun are. Same beliefs like most of the people here. So, if he was a secularist, the scholars would have been wrong not to call him a kafir.
Thank you, Ahmed Khan for your great “service” to Islam. Sorry, Syed Ahmed Khan. Again, sorry, SIR Syed Ahmed Khan. I’m sure he is not even a Syed, but Allah knows best. He’s down to Ahmed Khan. Anyone who wants to stick with the title of Sir must have very low self esteem and must be completely colonized, as Ahmed Khan was.
The easiest shortcut to bringing education and money to muslim graduates is train them in computer science – it is accessible from the mountains of the North to the beaches of the South – truly only little investment is needed.
@Aamir Ali
Along with decrees of Kufar, everything was tried to stop him. In one meeting he was offered a garland of shoes. He took it off give it to someone and whispered in his ears. After his speech, he thank those who offered their shoes and informed them that they have been sold for 3 annas and the money has been deposited in the college fund.
Once he requested a rich Englishman of India for a donation. He asked how much he need. He replied 3 lakhs. The Englishman said, I alone can give you his money but if the million of Muslims of India are not ready to do it. Let them rot.
There was a brief experiment done in Aligarh. Quite unique but for a short time. Graduates were sent to Dar-ul-Aloom Deoband for religious studies and vice versa. It was stopped because of opposition of the mullahs. If it would have continued, it would have been quite a unique social experiment.