500 words of sir syed Ahmed khan
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Answer:
In 1857 there was a rebellion in India. This is known as the First Indian War of Independence. During this time, Sir Syed kept loyal to the British; He also saved many European lives. After the rebellion he wrote a book where he said the British were in fact those who caused the rebellion. In order to settle the question of whether Sir Syed was a communitarian or a communalist, we need to assess the speeches and articles which he wrote. One such speech of Sir Syed which he gave in Meerut in the year 1888 clearly shows that Sir Syed turned to arguments fielded by religious fanatics in order to develop a communal alliance between Indian Muslims and British Christians. He said,
Our Hindu brothers of these provinces are leaving us and are joining the Bengalis. Then we ought to unite with that nation with whom we can unite. No Mohammedan can say that the English are not “People of the Book” (Quranic term referring to Jews, Christians and Sabians). No Mohammedan can deny this: that God has said that no people of ‘other religions’ can be ‘friends’ of Mohammedans except ‘Christians’. He who had read the Quran and believes it, he can know that our nation (Muslims) cannot expect friendship and affection from any other people. At this time our nation is in a bad state as regards education and wealth, but God has given us the light of religion, and the Quran is present for our guidance, which has ordained them (Christians) and us (Muslims) to be friends.”
Answer:
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
Syed Ahmed Khan was born in Delhi, the capital of the Mughal Empire to an affluent and aristocratic family that had close ties with the Mughal court. He was educated in the Quran and the sciences.
He also received an honorary law degree from the University of Edinburgh later in life. He was a widely read person and studied books on mathematics, medicine, Persian, Arabic, Urdu, etc.
His elder brother had set up a printing press in Urdu. It was the first one in Delhi. After his father’s death, he took up employment with his brother’s journal as an editor. He rejected an offer of employment from the Mughal court despite his family being employed in the Mughal court for generations.
Sir Syed was aware of the Mughal Empire’s diminishing power. So he took up work as a clerk with the East India Company.
During the 1857 revolt, he lost many relatives. He was highly affected by the defeat of the Mughal Empire.
He wrote a profound booklet‘Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind’ (Reasons for the Indian Revolt of 1857) which cited British ignorance and aggressive expansion policies as the chief causes of the revolt.
Sir Syed stressed on the importance of modern scientific education for Muslims to advance their conditions. He advocated the learning of English. He was also against superstition and evil customs prevalent in society then.
He also advocated inter-faith understanding. He was also a scholar on Christianity, and wrote a book, ‘Commentary on the Holy Bible’.