Today’s Topic of Discussion: SIR SYED AND INDIAN NATION
SIR SYED AND INDIAN NATION
17 October is unique in the sense that Aligarh Alumni, in almost every major city of India and abroad celebrate Sir Syed Day on this date. The grateful community pays its homage to this visionary of the nineteenth century who in his lifetime had become the symbol of movement from the darkness of ignorance and despair to the enlightenment of modern education and self-confidence.
Sir Syed had emerged on the scene after the failed uprising of 1857 During the crisis he served the government loyally but the whole episode made him so desperate that he contemplated migration to Egypt. But finally he stayed back and said: ‘It will be utter ingratitude on my part if I abandon my people in this hour of crisis and seek some safe asylum abroad.
He pondered over the tragedy and said:
The need was to identify the factors responsible for bringing this calamity and find the ways to avert it. The causes were obvious; absence of education and lack of civil manners. Good friendly relations with the British, our new rulers were totally missing. Instead, the relationship was animated by religious hatred and animosity, proverbially a thorn in the flesh. But for these two factors the tragedy would not have happened.
While looking for the remedy, he says:
I asked myself whether providing modern education to the community will go against the truth of Islam, the answer was no. Again I asked myself, whether cultivation of sincere friendly relations and goodwill with the British and other Christians is against Islam, again the answer was a resounding no. Thus, I adopted these two objectives as my mission and decided to devote myself to attain these goals.
Much has been written about the achievements of Sir Syed in the field of modern education. But his efforts to improve inter-community relations were no less significant. In this campaign, on one hand he advocated cordial relations with the new rulers and on the other hand, constantly reminded his countrymen of their common national identity and the need to strive together for their educational development and material progress.
While speaking at Amritsar in 1884 he said:
The College is indeed for national education. And by nation I do not mean one community, I mean both Hindus and Muslims. They both should study in this institution and learn good manners. We may describe ourselves as Hindus and Muslims but foreigners call us Indians. To them Khuda Baksh and Ganga Ram are Indians.
When we go abroad, they do not identify us as Hindus or Muslims and for this reason the degradation of Muslims degrades Hindus and the fall of Hindus equally lowers Muslims. Therefore, the need is to stick together, get education together and strive together to development and progress. This is the only way to gain honour and respect and I have founded the college to attain this goal.
Sir Syed was so obsessed with his goal of modern education that he will not allow any diversion and strongly opposed all political movements, be it Congress or Amir Ali’s National Muhammadan Association or Lahore’s Mohammedadan National Conference. But even during this phase he tried to build a joint front of elite of both the communities to oppose the political parties.
His commitment to India and national unity is best expressed in his speech at Gurdaspur. He emphatically asserted:
I hold that Hindu is not the name of any religion. Any person living in Hindustan can rightfully claim to be a Hindu. I really regret that you do not regard me a Hindu although I am an inhabitant of Hindustan.
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