Political and Religious Work of Aligarh Movement

Political Work:

In present era the aim of Aligarh movement has to be set again in the light of national and international scenario. It is true that we have not the British but the present scenario of national level political development and international hostile atmosphere against the Muslim and Muslim institution, the need of time is to set a goal to get more cooperation from the national and international forces. There is needed to go more close to the central and state government. The Sachar committee report provides an opportunity to act more quickly and bring the government establishment in the line of the interest of this movement. The more cordial relation with the government, the more chance to get new Life line and way to achieve the goal...

Sir Syed's first and foremost objective was to acquaint the British with the Indian mind; his next goal was to open the minds of his countrymen to European literature, science and technology. Therefore, in order to attain these goals, Sir Syed launched the Aligarh Movement of which Aligarh was the center. He had two immediate objectives in mind: to remove the state of misunderstanding and tension between the Muslims and the new British government, and to induce them to go after the opportunities available under the new regime without deviating in any way from the fundamentals of their faith. 

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Political and Religious Work of Aligarh Movement

Keeping education and social reform as the two planks of his program, he launched the Aligarh Movement with the following objectives: 

1. To create an atmosphere of mutual understanding between the British government and the Muslims. 2. To persuade Muslims to learn English education. 3. To persuade Muslims to abstain from politics of agitation. 4. To produce an intellectual class from amongst the Muslim community.

Being on good terms with the British government instead of adopting an antagonistic approach.

To convince the British Government that the Muslims alone were not behind the War of

Independence and that the War was justified on the part of Indians. To have cordial liaison with the British bringing the enmity between the

two to an end. To urge the Muslims to learn English language to accompany the pace

of the day.

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Political and Religious Work of Aligarh Movement

Religious Work:

The Aligarh Movement was also responsible for the restoration of Islam in conformity with the modern world. Sir Syed Ahmad wrote a number of books on religious subjects and tried to prove that in every respect the teachings of Islam were in harmony on certain religious questions have not been accepted by the orthodox Muslims, his services to Islam by answering the criticism of Christian missionaries are widely appreciated.

From the religious point of view he was brought in an atmosphere that combined the best traditions associated with mysticism and reformation. His father, Syed Muttaqi, was a disciple of the most eminent Sufi of Delhi at that time, Shah Ghulam Ali. Shah Ghulam Ali was the disciple and successor of the renowned Naqshbandi Sufi, Mirza Mazhar Jan-i Janan who was known for his liberal views. Shah Ghulam Ali held Syed Muttaqi and his family in great affection. In fact it was he who named the child as Ahmad and later performed the ceremony of his ‘Bismillah Khwani.” Sir Syed must have imbibed the catholicity of the views at the Khanqahs. At the same time the family of his maternal grandfather was deeply influenced by the successors of Shah Waliullah. At various points of his life, Sir Syed had studied at the feet of Shah Muhammad Ishaq, the successor of Shah Abdul Aziz, Shah Makhsusullah, a grandson of Shah Waliullah, Maulana Rashiduddin Dehlavi and Maulana Mamluk Ali. He had also heard the speeches of Shah Ismail and held him in greatest respect. He was greatly influenced by the scholarship of Shah Waliullah and he is the one author whom he quotes most profusely in his writings. It was apparently from his contact with the family of Shah Waliullah that he received his impetus for reformation of the Muslim society. Clearly the source of his inspiration was the same as that of the founders of Deoband. He, however, charted for himself a path, which was entirely different from them, but the zeal and commitment to reformation remained with him throughout his life. The difference basically emanated from the fact that he was not only aware of the

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Political and Religious Work of Aligarh Movement

glorious heritage of Muslims and the need to preserve it but he was also fully conscious of the great changes that were going to take place in the Indian situation as a result of the collapse of the struggle of 1857 and the urgent need to make some sort of adjustment with the emerging situation. This naturally set him on a path, which was qualitatively different from the one that was adopted by the Ulama of Deoband.

Islamia College, Peshawar: This institution has been very effective in educating the Muslim youths of the Frontier religious. It was founded by Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum in 1914, on the pattern of the Aligarh College. Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum was for Peshawar College what Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was for Aligarh. This College rendered yeomen services to the Muslims of the subcontinent in pressing their demand for a separate homeland for the Muslims, and working of it, till they achieved their object. The students of this college were mainly responsible fro winning the referendum held in 1947.

Sindh Madrasah, Karachi: The great institution was founded (1885) by Agha Hassan Ali Afendi. It began by a modest beginning of a school called Madrasahtul-Islam, Karachi. The source of inspiration was no doubt the Aligarh-Movement. It catered the need of education of the Muslims to the predominantly Muslim populated province of Sindh to a very great extent. Later this humble Muslim institution was developed into a formidable seat of learning, the. Sindh Madrasah. This is the proud institution where the Quaid-i-Azam received his early education.

Darul-Uloom, Deoband: During those days when Sir Syed was working for the uplift of Muslims in the education and economic fields, another group of Muslims worked for the amelioration of the Muslims in the religious, ethical and political aspects of life. Somereligious Muslims, under the guidance of Mualana Muhammad Qasim Nanautvi founded a Madrasah at Deoband (District Saharapur) in U.P., in 1867.

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Political and Religious Work of Aligarh Movement

This institution was started with a modest beginning, but it soon rose to the status of a big Islamic university where education was imparted to Muslim students from not only India but also from all over the Muslim World, in all the religious subjects. Though the dominant trend at Deoband was more close to that of the Congress but many of its prominent students played a big role in the Pakistan Movement. The Darul-Uloom has since then not only produced a number of theologians of repute but has bought out eminent political leaders like Maulana Mahmud-ul-Hasan, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani, Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi, Maulana Hussain Ahmad Madni, and a host of others. The objectives Resolution which is the foundation of the Constitution of Pakistan was passed with the concerted efforts of some of the Deoband-educated ‘Maulvis’.

Nadwat-ul-Ulema, Lucknow: The Muslim University, Aligarh, imparted the English education to Muslim students chiefly while the Darul Uloom, Deoband, instructed in religious education. Some Muslim educationists therefore, thought of blending together the religious and the English educational systems. They founded Nadwat-ul-Ulema in Lucknow. The schemes of studies at this seat of learning included both the British education and the Islamic subjects of study. This has the part of the Muslim struggle for safeguarding their identity which ensured for them a separate homeland. Allama Sulaiman Nadvi, who played a leading role before and after creation of Pakistan, was a product of this institution. Allama Shibli Nomani and Maulvi Abdul Haq also belonged to this seat of learning.

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Political and Religious Work of Aligarh Movement

Anjuman Himayet-i-Islam: The Aligarh Movement gave birth to many an institution in the subcontinent for the sake of educating the Muslim youths in the English and Islamic education. The Anjuman Himayet-i-Islam in Lahore was one such institution which was established in 1884. This institution served the Muslims in the Punjab with sincerity and dignity. The founder president of this society was Khalifa Hameed-ud-din. It started several schools in the Punjab and established the famous Islamia College in Lahore, which in time to come became for the Muslims of the Punjab what Muslim University id for U.P., or other parts of the subcontinent. The teachers and the students of this college played active role in Pakistan Movement.

One other educational society which worked for giving education to Muslim students in the Punjab was Anjumn-i-Islamia, Lahore, founded by Sardar Mohammad Hayat. It started a school in Lahore which rose to M.A.O College (Amritsar) afterwards.

Further more Aligarh Movement brought following objectives for introducing Islam in the region:

To protect Islam from the orthodox hands and minds. To introduce a new version of Islam embraced with the scientific

knowledge and other contemporary skills. To make Urdu the official language along with English to maintain the

Muslim identity and inheritance

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