About Syed Ahmed Khan

Syed Ahmed Khan

Syed Ahmed Khan was the great Muslim leader. He has great significance as the leader of Modern Muslim political thought. While Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Keshav Chander Sen, Swami Vivekananda and Swami Dayananda worked for religious and social reform of Hindus, Syed Ahmed Khan initiated the same movement among the Muslims of India. He wanted that the Muslims should be a forward and progressive people so he stressed two basic points. First, the importance of liberal education on western patterns; and second, loyalty to the British Empire. 

Life Sketch

Syed Ahmed khan was born on October 17, 1817. He started his early life as a clerk. In 1841 he became a Munsif under East India Company. He worked in the Delhi courts from 1846 to 1854. In 1857 he wrote his famous book, "The Causes of Indian Revolt" which proved a turning point in. his life. During 1869-1870 he visited England. In 1877, at the time of the Delhi Durbar convened by Lord Lytton, a conference was held to find out doctrines which could be acceptable to all sections of the Indian population. Swami Dayananda, Syed Ahmed Khan and Keshav Chandra Sen attended this conference, but the idealism that had inspired he conference failed to attain concrete shape. In 1878, he was appointed Lord Dufferin. From 1878 to 1882 he was a member of the Viceroy's Executive Council. As a member of the Indian Legislative Council and the Central Provinces he expressed his satisfaction on January 12, 1883, on the British efforts to train the Indians in the art of self-government. But be objected to the introduction of the elective element in Indian politics. In 1864, he started a Translation society in Ghazipur for the translation of scientific books. On May 24, 1875, he founded a school in Aligarh which soon developed into the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College of Aligarh. Lord Lytton laid the foundation-stone of the Anglo-Oriental College in l1877. He recognized the importance of social reforms and for this he started a monthly periodical "Tahzibul Akhlaq' or The Social Reformer. He founded the Mohammedan enthusiasm for social reforms, modern education and general economic and intellectual progress. He wanted that the Muslim Community should take to English education for obtaining necessary training for getting jobs under the government. In 1885, he founded United Indian Patriotic Association. In 1893 he founded another Association named as Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental Defence Association. He died in 1898. 

His Times 

Syed Ahmed Khan was living at a time when British imperialism had fully established itself in India. He played his important. part in bringing about social, political and economic changes which took place during the later part of the nineteenth century. With the decline and fall of Mughal rule the Muslims, who enjoyed power and prestige, were left with only a false sense of past glory. Intoxication with orthodox religious outlook they considered Western education, culture and scientific attitude as against the principles of their religion. As a witness to the Indian revolt of 1857 Syed Ahmed. was deeply moved by the ways of Britishers in suppressing Indians after the failure of the revolt. He was also shaken by the miserable conditions of Indians, left weak and disinterested. The Muslim community in particular was completely broken on the intellectual, political and economic level. Due to lack of modern education the orthodox Muslim community had disintegrated to such an extent tha they were behind Hindus by about. fifty years. The Hindus who were in vast majority managed to get English education and quite a few of them mixed with English officials as well as quite adopted their way of living and thinking. All this resulted in elimination of the Muslims from services and the Hindus practically dominated over governmental machinery. Syed Ahmed Khan wanted to end this disparity by giving the Muslims their due share in governmental set-up.

          Through effective educational programmes based on the western pattern and scientific attitude he decided to finish religious fanaticism of Muslims so that they could cooperate with the other communities, for the development and welfare of Indian society. Although pro-British in his political views Syed Ahmed envinced clear secular approach in social and cultural life. He took all the risk and braved all the dangers in working for radical change in the religious and social outlook of the Muslim community deeply rooted in orthodoxy. 

His Writings 

     In 1858, he wrote the book The Causes of the Indian Revolt' in Urdu. It was translated by Colvin and Graham in English in 1873. In this book he has tried to establish that the revolt of 1857 was not due to the Muslims of India but many other political and economic reasons. He also edited a monthly periodical, Tahzibul Akhlaq, through which he stressed the need and necessity of social and political reforms.