Freedom Fighters’ Gallery
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
by
Isam Hanif Majeed
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was born on October 17, 1817. His early education followed traditional pattern. Sir Syed studied Persian, Arabic, mathematics and medicine along with the Quran. He was an Islamic pragmatist, reformer, philosopher, and educationist. Sir Syed entered the service of the East India Company in 1838 and went on to become a judge in 1867.
It is stated that the father of the two-nation theory was Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.
According to the two-nation theory, Muslims and Hindus should have separate homelands. Muslims should have a country where they can implement their own customs, religion, and traditions.
In 1859, Sir Syed established a school in Murshidabad for Muslim children. This school had five languages as a compulsion. During this period, he wrote “Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind”, “Ahkam-e-Taam-e-Ahl-Kitab” as well as several other pamphlets to spread his opinions on education. In 1864, he founded a school in Ghazipur, where English was taught to the children. He then established a scientific society to urge Muslims to acquire modern knowledge.
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan made many valuable contributions to Muslims in India, but arguably his greatest achievement will be the founding of the Aligarh Muhammadan Angolo-Oriental College (now known as the Aligarh Muslim University) in 1898.
This great visionary leader devoted his life to the service of the Muslim Ummah. Even today his work is appreciated around the world, and the Aligarh Muslims University is amongst the best universities in India. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan passed away on the 27th of March, 1898, in Aligarh.
“Nature’s inexorable law is ‘survival of the fittest’ and we have to prove ourselves fit for our newly born freedom.” (Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s vision for every Pakistani)
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