Question

Consider the following statements:

1. Syed Ahmed Khan was against the Western scientific education.

2. Syed Ahmed Khan started the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College (later, the Aligarh Muslim University) at Aligarh in 1875.

3. Syed’s progressive social ideas were propagated through his magazine Tahdhib-ul-Akhlaq.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 2 : 2 and 3 only

The correct answer is 2 and 3 only.

In News -

• Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was addressing the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on its centenary celebrations.

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan

• Syed Ahmed Khan, born in a respectable Muslim family, was a loyalist member of the judicial service of the British government.
• After retirement in 1876, he became a member of the Imperial Legislative Council in 1878.
• His loyalty earned him a knighthood in 1888.
• He wanted to reconcile Western scientific education with the teachings of the Quran which were to be interpreted in the light of contemporary rationalism and science even though he also held the Quran to be the ultimate authority. Hence, statement 1 is NOT correct.
• He was also a zealous educationist—as an official, he opened schools in towns, got books translated into Urdu and started the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College (later, the Aligarh Muslim University) at Aligarh in 1875. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• He also struggled to bring about an improvement in the position of women through better education and by opposing purdah and polygamy, advocating easy divorce, and condemning the system of piri and muridi.
• He believed in the fundamental underlying unity of religions or ‘practical morality’.
• Syed’s progressive social ideas were propagated through his magazine Tahdhib-ul-Akhlaq (Improvement of Manners and Morals). Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Aligarh Movement

• The Aligarh Movement emerged as a liberal, modern trend among the Muslim intelligentsia based in Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College, Aligarh.
• It aimed at spreading

1. modern education among Indian Muslims without weakening their allegiance to Islam;
2. social reforms among Muslims relating to purdah, polygamy, widow remarriage, women’s education, slavery, divorce, etc.

• The ideology of the followers of the movement was based on a liberal interpretation of the Quran and they sought to harmonise Islam with modern liberal culture.
• They wanted to impart a distinct socio-cultural identity to Muslims on modern lines. Soon, Aligarh became the centre of religious and cultural revival of the Muslim community.