THE ROLE AND CONTRIBUTION OF THE ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY IN MODERN INDIAN ISLAM (1877 - 1947) GULZAR N. BUDDHANI A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE VICTORIA UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT OF MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIES MAY 1987 p, ,..•;•••!. •=-,15t,;x. ><•' 7 JAH 2011 DS3773 THE ROLE AND CONTRIBUTION OF THE ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY IN MODERN INDIAN ISLAM (1877 - 1947) GULZAR N. BUDDHANI r-r : -1" 11 ABSTRACT The present study is undertaken with a view to fill a long standing gap in our knowledge of Aligarh Muslim University, one of the Isla"inic institutions of higher learning in India. The work has been divided into three parts. The first part {Chapter I and II) gives a brief historical survey of the Muslim educational system in India. The introduction of a western educational system under British imperial rule was a challenge to Muslim reformers like Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, who realized the urgency of changing their traditional educational system in India. With this aim in mind, he endeavoured to establish a college where Muslim children could receive both western and Islamic education simultaneously. The second part (Chapter III) deals with the efforts of Sir Syed and other Muslim leaders to transform the college into a University. The Muslim leaders like the Aga Khan, Muhsin al-Mulk and Viqar al-Mulk played a vital role in achieving the objective. The final part of this study (Chapter IV and conclusion) attempts to evaluates the success and failures of the Aligarh University. Though, the establishment of the Aligarh Muslim University was an undoubted success, it failed in reconciling the two paradigms of knowledge, i.e. Western and Isla'mic education. Nonetheless, the contribution of Muslims cannot be under-estimated especially in their social, economic and political life. Moreover, one could say that the Aligarh movement was a major force which enabled the Muslims of India to regain their confidence and identity which had been severely undermined at the time of the Indian Mutiny (1857). The Aligarh movement eventually led to the foundation of the independent Muslim state of Pakistan. Ill DEDICATED TO MY PARENTS MR. AND MRS. NUR ALLAH ALI BUDDHANI o L-_ J US i^i^jl i^_jj My Lord bestow on thein Thy mercy as they cherished ine in childhood (XVII:24) IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Since this dissertation would not have been accomplished without the assistance of a number of people, I wish to place on record my indebtedness to the following. First and foremost, my gratitude goes to the IIS (Institute of Ismaili Studies, London), whose generous sponsorship enabled me to undertake my studies at the University of Manchester. I am deeply grateful also to my supervisor, Professor C. E. Bosworth (Head of the Department of Near Eastern Studies, Manchester), whose encouragement, guidance and inspiration was invaluable. During the course of my field work at Aligarh Muslim University, I was affored considerable assistance by various professors and scholars of Aligarh University, such as Professor Irfan Habib, Professor Zamiruddin Siddiqi, K. A. Nizami, Shan Muhammad, Maqbul Ahmad, Dr S. Ahmad, Asgar ^Abbas. I express many thanks for their kind co-operation and assistance, as well as to Aftab Ahmad, incharge of the Sir Syed Room at Mawlana Azad Library, and S. N. A. Firdausi, the University's public relation officer. The staff of the following libraries were also extremely helpful in providing practical aid without which this research could not have proceeded: John Rylands Library (Manchester); School of Oriental and African Studies Library (London); India Office Library (London); The Library of Institute of Ismaili Studies (London) and Mawlana Azad Library (Aligarh). V I would also like to thank Mr Kutub Kasain of the Institute of Isinaili Studies, for the encouragement and guidance. My sincere gratitude goes to Mr Gordon Nickle for editing iny dissertation and Miss Nasiin Lalani for typing iny thesis. Last but not least, I would like to thank my sister, Mumtaz, my friends and those who helped and inspired me, and were a constant source of strength in the persuance of these labours. Although I mention only a few, I am concious of those, whose support and friendship provided a creative and pleasant environment in which I was able to complete my research. VI CONTENTS PAGE Abstract n Dedication iii Acknowledgements iv-v Abbreviations and Note on Transliteration x Haps xi-xii Introduction 1-7 CHAPTER A BRIEF SURVEY OF MUSLIM EDUCATION IN INDIA (1800-1875) 8-38 1. Muslim Educational System 10 (a) Primary Education 11-12 (b) Secondary Education 13 (c) Higher Education 14-18 2. Early Education Policy of East India -. Company 18-21 (a) A Period of Experiment (1813-1833) 21-27 (b) Promulgation of English Education in India 27-28 (c) Impact of the New Educational Policy 29-31 3. Causes for Muslim Aversion 31-32 4. The Great Rebellion of 1857 33-34 (a) Causes of the Mutiny 34-35 (b) Ramifications of the Mutiny 35-38 Vll CHAPTER PAGE II EDUCATION REFORM OF SIR SYED AHMAD KHAN ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NUHAMMADAN ANGLO- ORIENTAL COLLEGE 40-64 1. Educational Ideas of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan " 40-45 2. Establishment of the M.A.O. College 46-48 (a) Opposition to the College 48-50 (b) Causes for the Opposition 50-51 (c) Inaugration of the School 52-54 (d) Raising the status of the School to the College 54-56 3. Main features of the M.A.O. College 56-64 III SECOND PHASE OF THE M.A.O. COLLEGE CHANGING ROLE OF THE COLLEGE AND DEMAND FOR THE UNIVERSITY 66-107 1. Progress of the College 66-72 2. College as a University 72-74 3. The Contribution of The Aga Khan III and others for the achievement of the status for University 74-88 4. Aligarh as the Intellectual Arsenal of Muslim India 89 (a) Trends of Political thought at Aligarh 90-96 5. Evolution of Muslim League 96-98 6. Gensis of Pakistan 98-107 Vlll CHAPTER PAGE IV ALIGARH IN RETROSPECT 109-132 1. The Role of Aligarh College in raising the status of Muslims 109-112 2. The Administrative Policy of the College 112-117 3. The Quality of Education 117-120 4. Major Institutions of the College 120-122 (a) The Duty 120 (b) The Brotherhood (The Ikhwan) 121 (c) The Brotherhood of Purity (Ikhwan-us-safa) 121 5. Religious Ideas of Sir Syed 123-126 (a) The Influence of Adam Smith 124 (b) The Influence of Shah Wali Allah 125-126 6. The Two Paradigms of Education 126-132 V CONCLUSION 133-140 APPENDICES I Geneology of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan 142-144 II Successors of Syed Ahmad Khan 145-154 (a) Nawab Muhsin al-Mulk 145-148 (b) Viqar al-Mulk 148-149 III Major Contribution made by the following principals of the M.A.O. College 150-154 (a) H. G. Siddons (The First Principal) 150-151 IX APPENDICES (b) T. Beck 151-153 (c) T. Morison 153-154 (d) List of European Scholars at the College 155 IV Speeches o£ Aga Khan III on the Muslim Education Aligarh University 155-164 V Muhammedan Educational Conference (1886-1906) 165 VI Crisis in Muslim Education Today 166-178 VII Illustration of the M.A.O. College 179-186 FIGURES 1 Sir Syed Ahmad Khan 179 2 Residence of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan 180 3 The Jamila Masjid 180 4 The Strachey Hall (the first building 181 of the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College) 181 5 The Strachey Hall Complex 182 6 The Famous Victoria Gate 182 7 Maulana Azad Library 183 8 The Student' Union 183 9 Engineering College 184 10 Wilayat Manjil (Faculty of Theology) 184 11 Jawaherlal Nehru Medical College 185 12 Faculty of Arts 185 13 Women's College 186 14 Aftab Hostel 186 15 Meston Swimming Pool 187-198 BIBLIOGRAPHY ABBREVIATIONS a. A.I.G. Aligarh Institute GbO^zette. B.S.O.A.S. Bulletin of School of Oriental and African Studies. Ell Encyclopaedia of Islam. 4. Vol. (Leiden, 1913 - 34). EI2 Encyclopaedia of Islam, new ed. (Leiden, 1960 -74 ). J.R.A.S. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. I.e. Islamic Culture I.Q. Islamic Quarterly J.P.U.H.S. Journal of Punjab Historical Society. M.W. Muslim World. NOTE ON TRANSLITERATION The system used for transliteration is that of Encyclopaedia of Islam, with the exception of J_ for -77 .. ^ and £ forvj instead of dj_ and k . XI Map 1. The United Provinces: geographical features. Xll Map :. The United Provinces: districts and divisions, 1911. -1- INTRODUCTION -2- Muslim Society in India towards the close of 18th century presented the sad spectacle of inertia and degeneration. Dire ignorance, conservatism and traditionalism, rampant in the society, had shaken the foundations of its edifice and brought it to the verge of complete collapse. Reluctance to face the challanges of the West which came with the advent of the British rule in India showed that the community had lost all the vitality, vigour, and creative force of a living nation. Furthermore, in the twilight of the Mutiny of 1857, the Muslims had become ruined, both politically and economically. During this hour, a great savior of the Muslim community, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, appeared and diagnosed the prevailing disease minutely and prescribed the correct medicine - education - and endeavoured to establish the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in the mid-nineteenth century. The present study is an account of the various phases through which Muslim society passed, particularly in the domain of education during the eighteenth and mid-nineteenth century. More specifically, the role of the Aligarh Muslim University in changing the destiny of Indian Muslims, who were in the course of decline in various fields (social, political, economic, etc.) will be discussed.