Aligarh Movement and Muslim Nationalism Aligarh Movement and Muslim Nationalism
Role of Aligarh Movement in building Muslim Nationalism Sarmad Lashari SZABIST, Karachi.
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Aligarh Movement and Muslim Nationalism
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Abstract
This research paper is an analytical view of the Aligarh Movement, the new idea that changed the paradigms of Muslim politics in the sub-continent. It is also interesting to see the double dealing of our scholars, at one point they resisted to merge with the Indian ethos, principles and culture which was their local identity and on the other hand, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan wanted to restore trust and confidence with British Government. He tried to implement the British style of living, adopting and accepting their culture as Aligarh Movement‟s motto. This paper will uncover how the Aligarh movement helped to construct the favorable atmosphere for independence and how the original culture and way of living of Muslims was manipulated by enlightenment and progression towards the British education system.
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Role of Aligarh Movement in building Muslim Nationalism
The Aligarh Movement was an attempt to rectify the political system of Muslims by enhancing the British education and political field. This change in nature was obtained successfully under the dynamic leadership of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. According to Ashok Mehta “No only the Muslims were economically crushed, educationally and socially also their position was deliberately depressed by the government. In 1870, the Mohammedan pleaders presented two memorials to the high court pointing out that while closed holidays allowed to Christians were sixty two and to Hindus fifty two, only eleven were granted to Mohammedans. This shows the injustice to Muslims and they were also hated by the international world, the British government blamed the Muslims for waging the War of Independence. Aligarh Movement resulted in Muslim nationalism in the country and brought social and political awareness amongst Muslim youth. This movement proved to be the torch bearer of the Two-Nation theory and ultimately lead to the creation of Pakistan.
Aligarh Movement and Muslim Nationalism KK Aziz, a historian in his “The making of Pakistan” pays tribute to the Great Leader Sir Syed Ahmed Khan in the following words “Syed‟s services to his community may be summarized in the following phrases: Preached and practiced loyalty to the British rule. From his speeches, writings and letters it is not difficult to read his mind. First, the only way nipping off the stigma of Muslim instigation of the mutiny was to make friends with the British and thus to make them disabuse the idea that Muslims were their traditional enemies. He was sagacious enough to realize that British control would not cease in any foreseeable future. It was ordinary common sense to be on good terms with the rulers”. Aligarh movement was the direct corollary of the catastrophe of the 1857 War of Independence, in which the Muslims failed to dislodge the British from the Sub-Continent. Consequently, the British rulers turned against the Muslims and they victimized them in political, economic, social and educational fields. Factors which lead to the Aligarh Movement were: 1. Educational backwardness of the Muslims 2. Need for better social status 3. Need for friendly relations with the British Government 4. Economic distress of the Muslim community The most severe was the economic distress. Ac cording to W.W. Hunter “ All sorts of employment, big and small were being gradually snatched away from the Mohammedans and bestowed on men of other races, particularly the Hindus”. A survey conducted in 1871 showed that out of a total 2171 persons employed in the Bengal government, only 92 were Muslims with 711 Hindus a nd 1338 Europeans”.
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After the War of Independence, the British had become suspicious of the role of the Muslim community. Sir Syed wanted to restore the prestige of the Muslims in their eyes. The Aligarh Movement began with the publicat ion of Sir Syed‟s pamphlet “Essay on the causes of the Indian Revolt” in 1858. In this pamphlet, he attributed the mutiny to the British ignorance of the Indian mind. Later on, he wrote „The loyal Mohammedans of India‟ in which he defended the Muslims against the British charge of loyalty. Dr. Ishtiaq Qureshi writes “From 1858 up to about 1870 nearly all British politicians, authors and administrators unresistingly blamed the Muslims for the mutiny, but in the 1870‟s a change in British opinion was visible.” Muslim nationalism emerged and the two nation theory came into records. Sir Syed used the word „Nation” for the Sub continent. Here exists a conflict, He saw a problem of Muslims living in India and believed that Muslims had their distinct culture and a separate country shall be labeled on the basis of religion. At the same time, He preached the people to get English education and accept foreign dominancy. Muslims were going on a lower level of slavery because of this. Muslims were resistant at that time and today, same is the case. Hardliner Muslims are still struggling against the policies of the west. According to V.A. Smith “Sir Syed was not concerned with material things only. His movement was inspired by one of general reforms. It was inspired by the thought that Muslims of India were separate people and Nation who must not be absorbed with Hinduism” The effects of the Aligarh movement can be summarized as under: 1. Removal of mistrust between the Muslims and the British. 2. Education of the Muslim community. 3. Economic Prosperity of the Muslims.
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4. Promotion of Urdu language 5. Evolution of Muslim Leadership 6. Respectable Social Status of the Muslims Sir Syed was a great educationist; educational institutions established under the influence of Aligarh Movement educated the Muslim community. MAO College Aligarh alone produced thousands of graduates who formed the vanguard of Muslim renaissance. According to Chaudhry Rehmat Ali “The monumental work o f Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was the founding of MAO College at Aligarh in 1877. He wanted to build a University which was later fulfilled in 1920. The College was more than an educational institution. It was a symbol of broad movement affecting every phase of Muslim life- religious, economic, social and literary. To carry the message of Muslim reformation, Sir Syed organized the Muslim educational Conference which used to hold public meetings in various parts of the country advocating the need of education in the country for Muslims. The greatest service these meetings did was to arouse a spirit of action and self help within the Muslims of the Sub Continent”. In the views of V.A Smith “In 1920, the MAO Co llege became the Aligarh Muslim University. It both enabled the talented young Muslims to compete on terms with the Hindus for government service and in a public life and gave him a dynamic which his community seemed to have lost” The Aligarh Movement not only inculcated the spirit of nationalism in the Muslims but also educated them and brought prosperity and progress in their ranks. Knowledge of English language and modern science enabled the Muslims to get important government jobs. Thus with the passage of time the number of Muslim government servant grew at an amazing rate and thus employment and influence brought economic prosperity to the Muslim community.
Aligarh Movement and Muslim Nationalism Consequently they were able to participate in the political and social movements with greater confidence. Also, the Aligarh movement did a great service to Muslims in preserving their cultural values which included the Urdu language. The Hindi-Urdu controversy had convinced Sir Syed that the Hindus were not sincere towards the Muslims. He issued a magazine entitled „Tehzib ul ikhlaq‟ in Urdu language in order to promote Urdu. Eminent Urdu writers like Syed Ahmed, Shibli Nomani, Mohsin Ul Mulk, Maulana Hali and Maulana Muhammad Hussain Azad contributed a number of articles for this magazine. These articles were written in simple language which resulted in Urdu language being promoted immensely. The movement not only educated the Muslims but also groomed their political leadership skills. After the death of Sir Syed in 1898, his colleagues led the Muslim Nation successfully. These leaders matched the wits and skills of their adversaries effectively and defended the political and social rights of Muslims. After getting educated and becoming prosperous economically, Muslims also acquired a respectable social status and position in the Hindu dominated society. Muslims succeeded in occupying high governmental posts and started wielding power. The negative side of the Aligarh movement is that it separated the Muslims from the coexistence with the Hindus in the Sub Continent. If both the communities were together today, we would have been a super power in the world with greater economic power and cultural values of both the communities intact separately. The British system has many drawbacks. We have lost our originality and authenticity in every field be it education, health or culture. We are still the ideological slaves of the British Empire. If the Muslims had refused the Aligarh Movement, who knows that we might have been
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Aligarh Movement and Muslim Nationalism the next Korea or China. Even today their exists a resistance of the so called enlightenment and progress. We made our masters happy by making our neighbors angry.
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Aligarh Movement and Muslim Nationalism References
Ikram Rabbani, Introduction to Pakistan Studies, Caravan Book House, Lahore (2005) AhsanUllah Saqib, Pakistan Affairs, Dogar Publishers, Lahore (2002- 2003) K.K. Aziz, the Making of Pakistan.
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