The New Centres of Aligarh Muslim University : A Beginning of Resurgence

The New Centres of Aligarh Muslim University : A Beginning of Resurgence

Dr. Rahat Abrar

The mission of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, a symbol of Muslim renaissance in India was not only to establish an educational institution at Aligarh but his vision was that this institution gains the central position among Muslims by providing them leadership in educational matters and all Muslim institutions are affiliated with this. It is a great moment that the dream of Sir Syed is going to materialize with the establishment of Aligarh Muslim University’s centres in Murshidabad (West Bengal) and Malappuram (Kerala). It looks pertinent to turn attention to the chronology of events that culminated into establishment of new centres of AMU.

On February 8, 1873 while addressing a meeting of Mohammadan Anglo-Oriental College Fund Committee, Sir Syed’s illustrious son, Justice Syed Mahmood submitted the plan of proposed Aligarh Muslim University and suggested that the University might establish schools in the University town and “elsewhere”.

Laying the foundation stone of Mohammadan Anglo-Oriental College on January 8, 1877, Sir Syed said before Lord Lytton that “from seed which we sow there may spring up a mighty tree whose branches, like those of Banyan of the soil, shall in their turn strike from roots into earth and themselves send forth new and vigorous saplings; that this college may expand into a University whose sons shall go throughout the length and breadth of the land to preach the gospel of free enquiry of large hearted toleration, and pure morality”

While welcoming the then Governor General Lord Rippon at MAO College in 1884, the founder of the college, Sir Syed said that “the aim is to extending these schemes to places other than Aligarh”.

After the demise of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan in 1898, Sir Syed Memorial Fund was created in different parts of country and the effort for the establishment of a Muslim University was sped up. All the persons associated with this movement wanted all Muslim institutions of India to be affiliated to the Muslim University.

Dr. Sir Ziauddin, while presenting the idea of the Muslim University at Lahore session of All India Muslim Educational Conference in 1898, discussed at length the concept of a University and emphasized the importance of the right of affiliating colleges. Moving a step ahead, Maulvi Rafiuddin gave his own plan of the proposed Muslim University in a British periodical ‘Nineteenth Century’. He contemplated to widen its jurisdiction to all Muslims who lived in the British Empire and recommended affiliation of colleges all over the globe to this proposed University.

Theodore Beck, the Principal of M. A. O. College also advocated that such a Muslim University should have the power to affiliate all Muslim Institutions spread all over the country. In 1903, while addressing the annual session of All India Muslim Educational Conference, Sir Agha Khan delivered a very impressive speech in favour of a Central Muslim University at the Mumbai session. He wanted this University to be given the power to affiliate colleges all over the country in order to achieve the goal of establishing a Central Muslim University.

On April 17, 1911, a special debate was organized in the new building of Students’ Union in which affiliation of all Muslim institutions was emphasized. The same year in November, the draft constitution of the proposed Muslim University was submitted to London by the Government of India with the recommendation that the power of affiliation could be granted as there will be no abuse of it, if properly controlled.

The British Government was very apprehensive that in the name of Muslim University, Muslims of India might get united once again and the Aligarh movement might take a political turn, for the students of Aligarh were prominently active in the freedom struggle and the Jamia Millia Islamia came into origin on the very stairs of University Mosque.

On December 17, 1920, AMU Act came into force and the University was permitted to establish and maintain intermediate colleges and schools but very restricted powers of affiliating colleges and schools in the Aligarh district were given.

In 1968, the Beg Committee proposed to the Government of India that Aligarh Muslim University may be granted power to establish institutions of higher education and research outside the University campus.

On October 17, 2002, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mr. Digvijay Singh while addressing the Sir Syed’s birth anniversary celebration announced to provide free land for setting up of a Centre of the Aligarh Muslim University or a similar minority educational institution in Madhya Pradesh besides allocating one crore rupees.

After the announcement of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, the Gharib Nawaz Foundation invited the Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor, Mr. Nasim Ahmad at a function organized in Bhopal on July 21, 2003. On July 24, 2004, the Gharib Nawaz Foundation presented a memorandum to the Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Mr. Arjun Singh demanding for the establishment of a centre of Aligarh Muslim University in Bhopal. MHRD forwarded the proposal to UGC for action.

The University Grants’ Commission on January 28, 2005 informed Gharib Nawaz Foundation that the Aligarh Muslim University has been asked to submit a detailed proposal in this regard. MHRD drew the attention of AMU to a resolution passed by the ‘national monitoring committee for Minorities education’ held on July 11-12,2006 indicating that AMU might be permitted to open another campus.

In the meantime, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Shri Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, Mr. Manmohan Singh on March 30, 2007 requesting for establishment of the Aligarh Muslim University centre in Murshidabad. MHRD forwarded the letter to AMU and suggested that the proposal be examined in terms of Section 12(2) of the AMU Act. MHRD again requested the University that the proposal be approved by the appropriate bodies of the University before the Ministry could process the request for obtaining necessary sanction to the visitor.

On November 21, 2007, the Education Minister of Kerala, Mr. M. A. Baby met the Union Minister of State for HRD, Mr. M. A. A. Fatmi and requested to establish Aligarh Muslim University campus at Malappuram.

Earlier to this, while addressing AMU Court, the apex body of the University on January 21, 2007, the former Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, Mr. Saiyid Hamid suggested that the Government should either establish new Universities in India to meet the educational need of the minorities or Aligarh Muslim University should be allowed to start its campuses throughout the country.

Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis, after accepting the responsibilities of Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University on June 11, 2007, focused on the all round development of the University to fulfill Sir Syed’s dreams. On December 2, 2007 at the meeting of University Court, Dr. Mohammad Asif Khan moved a resolution that the University should establish Specil centers in North, South, East and west covering different regions under section 12(2) of AMU Act. The supreme governing body of the University approved the resolution.

The proposal to establish five centres at Katihar (Bihar), Pune (Maharashtra), Malappuram (Kerala), Murshidabad (West Bengal) and Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) was put before the Executive Council in its meeting on January 17, 2008 which was unanimously approved. Later, the proposal for Katihar was changed over to Kishanganj on request of the Chief Minister of Bihar. The Academic Council of the University endorsed the above resolution to establish the centres and authorized the Vice Chancellor to take necessary follow up actions. He was also urged to take initiative in the context of the mandate given to AMU by the Parliament “to promote especially the educational and cultural advancement of the Muslims of India”.

Honoring the decision of the EC, AC and the University Court of the University, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis submitted a proposal to the government of India for the “establishment of new five centres of AMU in the Muslim dominated educationally backward and under developed regions of India’. The proposal represented the biggest and most far-sighted initiatives of AMU in the context of Sachar Committee and Fatmi Committee reports.

AMU Vice Chancellor also wrote a letter to the Chief Ministers of all five states requesting them to provide 250-400 acres of land free from all encumbrances and free of cost to the University for the establishment of AMU Centres. The Kerala, West Bengal and Bihar governments responded positively and assured the University of their Full Cooperation in the establishment of its Centres.

The Aligarh Muslim University had submitted a detailed proposal to the Government of India for establishment of AMU Centres along with an estimate of expenditure on February 13, 2008. Responding to AMU’s proposal the Central Government allocated Rs. 25 Crore each for the establishment of Malappuram (Kerala) and Murshidabad (Murshidabad) centres in its 2009-2010 annual budget. The President of India in her capacity as the Visitor of the University provisionally accorded approval for the establishment of these centres under Section 12(2) of the University Act.

When Sir Syed Ahmad Khan established M. A. O. College in 1877, its area was only 78 acres of land but now it has reached to one thousand acres and with the addition of six hundred acres of land given by the Kerala and West Bengal governments free of cost, the University has taken a big leap in this direction. Today the products of Sir Syed’s institution are spread over 92 countries and perhaps this is the only University of India whose students are found in every part of the world. Sir Syed was the first Muslim social reformer who exhorted Muslims to gain modern education and helped them come out of the ghettos of ignorance.

The establishment of these two centres should be considered as a glorious chapter in the history of Aligarh Muslim University. These centres would pave way for an educational revolution among Muslims and the institution considered a symbol of Muslims’ glory would expand its area of activity. Its centres would be established in other states as well and when the University would be organizing its centenary celebrations in 2020, new Muslim Universities would be taking birth from the Aligarh Muslim University.

Rahat Abrar

Public Relations Officer,

AMU, Aligarh-202002

rahatabrar@gmail.com

Phone: 09358259107

Aligarh Movement: Past, present, and future - A discussion at MIT

Aligarh Movement: Past, present, and future

“Sir Saiyad was a prophet of education “ -- Mahatma Gandhi

Aligarh movement was led by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan to bring Indian Muslims closer to modern and scientific education. Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) is one of the fruit of that movement. What has been the contribution of Aligarh movement and AMU to India in general and Muslims in particular? 135 years later where is Aligarh movement headed?

Three people furthering the cause of Aligarh movement in their own ways will discuss the significance and importance of Aligarh movement and its future:

Ali Rizvi , Ex-President of Federation of Aligarh Alumni Associations (http://www.aligs.org/) and member of AMU Alumni Advisory Committee that recommended setting up AMU branches in different states.

Shaheer Khan , founder and co-moderator of AMUNetwork (http://www.yahoogroups.com/list/amunetwork), a mailing list of over 7500 AMU alumni.

Azim Khan Sherwani, Chairperson of Taeemi Caravan (http://www.taleemicaravan.org/), a people’s movement in the district of Bahraich (UP) to raise awareness about education.

Discussion will be moderated by Kashif-ul-Huda, editor of TwoCircles.net

When: Saturday Jan 15th, 2011. 10am-12pm.

Where: MIT Room # 56-154 (http://whereis.mit.edu/?go=56 )

Parking: available on Ames Street (77 Ames Street, Cambridge)

MBTA: Red line to Kendall Square

Contact: Kashif (858-610-8738) or Kashif@twocircles.net

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http://twitter.com/kaaashif
http://kaaashif.blogspot.com
http://www.TwoCircles.net

MAO College Fund Raising receipt

Dear All,
As we all know that MAO College transformed to Aligarh Muslim University in 1920.
To realize this transformation, a fund raising drive took place at All India level under the Chairmanship of Sir Sultan Shah Agha Khan. Here is a receipt of donation to the fund by Qazi Mian Mohammad Amjad Sahab of Shahpur (now District Sargodha - Pakistan).

Ali Sardar Jafri-Janey kahan gaye woh log

Ali Sardar Jafri-Janey kahan gaye woh log

1st August 2010 was 10th death anniversary of legendary progressive movement writer and poet and eminent Aligarian, (Late) Ali Sardar Jafri.
Even though Janab Ali Sardar Jafri was unable to completed his education in AMU Aligarh due to his expulsion from AMU due to his continuous support to the Indian freedom movement, he always carried the Aligarh flag with him and was one of the staunch supporter of Aligarh Movement and never gave up his association with Aligarh Movement.

It was only in 1986, when AMU honored him with Honorary D.Lit. and he attended annual convocation where President of India, H.H. Giani Zail Singh delivered the convocation address.

Ali Sardar Jafri at AMU Aligarh Convocation 1986*

Here is his lecture on another legendary Aligarian, Maulana Hasrat Mohani;

Aligarh Muslim University And Maulana Hasrat Mohani
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwSnsNOCGek

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mtpdZqEqNU&feature=related

He produced a popular TV series, Kahkashan - based on the lives of few of his best friends and poets;

Asrarul Haq Majaz
http://www.aligarhmovement.com/Kahkashan_Asrarul_Haq_Majaz

Maulana Hasrat Mohani
http://www.aligarhmovement.com/Kahkashan-HasratMohani

Josh Malihabadi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW3mdXhlzFo

Makhdoom Mohiuddin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUC-VXlsfIs

Jigar Muradabadi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzYBhqGDaVM

Firaq Gorakhpuri
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uGUjj1RYzo

Here is one of his poem;
Ali Sardar Jafri - Nazm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPBsB-1UsjU

Ghazals, Nazms, Qitaat of Ali Sardar Jafri
http://aligarians.com/category/poets/ali-sardar-jafri/

Note: * Picture is taken from http://www.sardarjafri.com

Nation celebrates 49th anniversary of eminent Aligarian and Baba-e-Urdu Maulvi Abdul Haq

Nation celebrates 49th anniversary of Maulvi Abdul Haq

Today marks the 49th anniversary of Bab-e-Urdu,Maulvi Abdul Haq. He was a champion of the Urdu language who devoted his entire life for the development and implementation of Urdu in the sub-continentad. After partition he moved to Pakistan and for the rest of his life he advocated Urdu to be made the national language of Pakistan.

Abdul Haq was born on November 16, 1872 in Hapur town in Ghaziabad District in India. He developed an affinity for the Urdu, Deccani, Persian and Arabic. He did B.A. from Aligarh Muslim University in 1894 where he found company of some of the savants of that time, including, Shibli Nomani, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Ross Masood, Mohsin-ul-Mulk, Syed Mehmud, Professor Arnold, and Babu Mukharjee.

After graduation, Abdul Haq went to Hyderabad Deccan and associated himself to learning, teaching, translating and upgrading Urdu. Abdul Haq was deeply influenced by Sir Syed's political and social views, and learnt English and scientific subjects. Like Khan, Abdul Haq saw Urdu as a major cultural and political influence on the life and identity of the Muslims of India.

He founded the Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu in 1903 in Aligarh. Professor Arnold become the first president and Shibli Nomani the first secretary. Abdul Haq joined the Indian Civil Service under the British Raj, and worked as a chief translator at the Home Department in Delhi, before being appointed as the provincial inspector of schools at Aurangabad in the Central Provinces.

In the same year, he was appointed secretary of the All India Muhammadan Educational Conference, which had been founded by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan in 1886 for the promotion of education and intellectualism in Muslim society. He become Principal of Osmania College (Aurangabad) and retired in 1930.

Abdul Haq was so dedicated to his work that he did not want to marry. However, he did go through the act of getting married just to satisfy the wishes of his parents but never met his wife.

Following the establishment of the Osmania University by the Nizam Osman Ali Khan, Asif Jah VII of the Hyderabad State in 1917, Haq moved to Hyderabad State to teach and help build the university. All subjects at the university were taught in Urdu, and under Haq's influence the institution became a patron of Urdu and Persian literature and linguistic heritage.

Appointed as chairman of the department faculty of Urdu, Abdul Haq emerged as a leading literary critic and accomplished writer in the intellectual life of Hyderabad. He published numerous works of Urdu poetry, as well as treatises on linguistics, Islam, history, politics and philosophy.

Widely respected as a scholar and teacher, Abdul Haq was a scholarly critic who provided criticisms of modern Urdu works and encouraged his students to develop literary skills and appreciation of Urdu. Following his retirement in 1930, Haq worked to compile and edit a comprehensive and authoritative English-Urdu dictionary.

Haq was also a leading figure in the Anjuman-i-Himayat-i-Islam, a Muslim socio-political body of intellectuals. He also led the Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu (Organisation for the Progress of Urdu), which had been founded as a group of Urdu scholars, intellectuals and students. Initially focusing on intellectual subjects and work, in 1930 Haq led the group in protest against a campaign by Indian nationalists to promote the use of Hindi as the national language of British India. Haq became a fierce critic of Indian leader Mohandas Gandhi and the Indian National Congress and joined the All India Muslim League led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

In November 1947, Abdul Haq migrated to Pakistan. In the wake of migration much of his property, especially valuable manuscripts, papers and books were lost. The ordeals of partition and the migration also adversely affected Abdul Haq's health.

He re-organised the Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu in Karachi, launching journals, establishing libraries and schools, publishing a large number of books and promoting Urdu education and linguistic research. Abdul Haq's work especially helped preserve the distinct "Old Urdu" linguistic and literary traditions of Hyderabad, known as Hyderabadi Urdu.

He also used his organisation for political activism, promoting the adoption of Urdu as the lingua franca and sole official language of Pakistan. He criticised the popular movement in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to demand the recognition of Bengali, stressing his belief that only Urdu represented Muslim heritage and should be promoted exclusively in national life.

Condemning the 1952 Language Movement agitations in East Pakistan, showed apparent dislike over the decision of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan to make Bengali a second official language. With the help of the Anjuman and sympathetic political parties, he organised a major series of public rallies and processions in Lahore and Karachi on April 22, 1954.

He is criticised for his insistence of Urdu as the sole official language of Pakistan, a cause which served to intensify the sectional gulf within the country and led to the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.

Despite illnesses and failing health, Abdul Haq continued to promote the active use of Urdu as a medium for all activities. He pushed for the creation of an Urdu College in Karachi, the adoption of Urdu as a medium of instruction for all subjects in educational institutions and worked to organise a national Urdu conference in 1959. Suffering from cancer, Haq died after a prolonged period of incapacitation on August 16, 1961 in Karachi.

For his achievements in the development and promotion of Urdu literature, he is officially regarded is Baba-e-Urdu. His most famous works include the English-Urdu dictionary, Chand Ham Asar, Maktoobat, Muqadimat, Tauqeedat, Qawaid-e-Urdu and Debacha Dastan Rani Ketki. The Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu remains an important intellectual organisation in Pakistan. Held in high esteem amongst intellectuals, educationalists and scholars in Pakistan, Haq is praised for his work in promoting Muslim heritage and Urdu as a unifying medium for Pakistani Muslims.

In recognition of his services to Urdu literature, Pakistan Post issued a Commemorative stamp on 16 August 2004.

http://www.samaa.tv/News24242-Nation_celebrates_49th_anniversary__of_Mau...
© SAMAA TV - 2008 Powered by Converge Technologies (Pvt) Ltd

Aligarh Muslim University and the Case of "Establishment Theory"

Aligarh Muslim University and the Case of "Establishment Theory"

By Afroz Alam

To our amazement and disbelief, the High Court of Allahabad delivered its judgment against the minority character of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). The point, however, is not that the judgment went against the AMU, but the question is, on what ground the judiciary came out with this verdict, which outwardly snatched its status to be a minority institution? In short, a close examination of the court's judgment shows that it stands on the legally invented and judicially imagined argument that Aligarh Muslim University does not qualify for the minority status under Article 30(1) of the Constitution because it was not established by the Muslim minority but by an Act of Parliament in 1920. Does this argument really hold any weight? The answer is a big NO.

How could the judiciary turn the established historical fact upside down? Eve an ordinary person have tell that the Muhammadon Anglo Oriental College, Aligarh, founded in 1877, was the result of untiring efforts of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan for the educational empowerment of Muslims. And it was this very college, which was upgraded to the status of a University by the Parliamentary Act of 1920. The Parliamentary Act of 1920 was only a status-granting Act. Meaning thereby, the MAO College acquired legislative respectability as an Aligarh Muslim University. As well as the educational empowerment and cultural autonomy of the Muslim community were being legally established by this Act of 1920. If, by any reason, this was not so then what it really was? Was the Act of 1920 a carefully orchestrated and organized conspiracy against the aspirations of a Muslim College to be a Muslim University?

Rather than imagining that 1920 Act brought substantial change in the original minority character of AMU, it is more realistic to imagine that the Act came out to provide an effective opportunity to the Muslim minority to reduce their educational and cultural impoverishment and keep them at par with modem education. In this particular context and against the judicial enforcement of the idea of non-minority character, we can cite the hailing statement of the then Governor-General in the Legislative Council that reflects the objective behind the Act of 1920. He said: "I should like to add my congratulations to the Muslim community on the passage of this Bill. I have come here specially this morning to preside in order that I might add my good wishes and congratulations." Was this a congratulatory tone for taking away the authorship of the Muslim community from the AMU? Of course not. It was congratulation to the Muslim community on their MAO College being designated as University. Thus, had there been no MAO College, there would have been no AMU. It is logically absurd argument that the Muslim minority did not establish AMU. It is just like telling that the father of a child that he will cease to be a father after his child gets appointed to a governmental post. The judgment also implies that freedom fighters should not be credited as a force behind the Independence of India but only India's Independence Act 1947.

The High Court's judgment did nothing but restored the Azeez Basha case (AIR 1968-page 662). But two wrongs cannot make a right. Both the judgments fall sort of similar logical anomalies and primordial reasoning. The only difference between the two is the difference of time. Azeez Basha case delivered by Supreme Court in 1968 and Malay Shukla and others case by High Court in 2005. What is more flabbergasting that both the judgments failed to note the Section 5 (2)(c) of the AMU Act, which clearly states that the university has the power to "promote especially the educational and cultural advancement of the Muslims of India." This particular section of the long debated Act of 1920 in itself disproves the legal maneuvering that the University is not for the educational and cultural advancement of the Muslims.

It is also surprising to note that the Azeez Basha case approved the AMU (Amendment) Act No. 52 of 1951 and AMU (Amendment) Act of 1965, which took away the right of the Muslim minority to administer their own educational enterprise. But when the legislature rectified its own anomalies by the AMU (Amendment) Act 1981 and overtly recognized the implicit minority character of AMU, the recent judgment of the High Court made an observation that the "power to amend the statutory provisions cannot be extended to such an extent so as to create a situation whereby legislative Act, declared constitutionally valid, could be rendered unconstitutional by subsequent legislative enactment."

Our contention in this context is not the legality of the judgment but to question it on the basis of moral reasoning. It is not a paradox but an irony that when the Parliament disabled the AMU by snatching its minority character, administrative and cultural autonomy by the Acts of 1951 and 1965, the Hon'ble judiciary recognized its legality. But when the same Parliament enabled the AMU to restore its robbed features by the Act of 1981. the Hon'ble judiciary found every fault with its legality. Could it be called the deliverance of "justice" on the part of Hon'ble judiciary, which approved the disabling Acts and disapproved the enabling Act of the same Parliament? The cause of the query remains unproven. Why should Muslims stay away from the educational institution established and administered by them? Is an educationally empowered Muslim community not an asset for India? These questions are waiting to be answered.

The author is a Lecturer, Department of Political Science, AMU, Aligarh
e-mail: afroz_alam2000@yahoo.co.in

SIR SYED's Mission in the 21st Century

SIR SYED's Mission in the 21st Century

In the present century, Muslims the world over and specially in India are passing through a deeply troubling phase. The Babri Masjid Demolition, the 9/11 attacks, the Gujarat genocide, the London blasts, have placed Muslims in a vulnerable position wherever they are. Where does all this hatred and suspicion leave an honest God-fearing Muslim in the present world?

You must be wondering how all this is connected with the Aligarh Movement and why am I bringing up this topic here today?

Well, it so happens that about a century ago the Muslims of India were passing through a somewhat similar crisis. It was then that a man of stature stood up and led them from darkness to light. His message was simple and to the point - Follow the path of knowledge and do so with an open mind and heart. He said - 'Study and revere the Holy Scriptures of all religions and let not hatred blur your vision." Syed Ahmad Khan the leading light of Aligarh Movement urged Muslims of India to imbibe moral values and develop large-hearted tolerance.

I believe his vision was a panoramic vision, which had all these characteristics

1. It evaluated the condition of Muslims of that time. – It is very important to have a realistic insight into the current state of affairs or THE PRESENT stage in every age.




2. His perceptions of where the world was headed in the next hundred years- That is a foresight for an enlightened view of THE FUTURE.




3. And his knowledge of history or hindsight – which gave him an intelligent grasp of The Past.

Now if we want to have a vision for Indian Muslims in the 21st century, we have to have that same insight, the same hindsight and the same foresight.

The condition of Indian Muslims today - The Present. According to the latest Sachar report -

94.9% of Muslims are below poverty line.

Muslims High School passed 7.2%

Muslims enrolled in colleges: 6.5%

................................

.................................

................................ !

everybody knows those statistics by heart now !

But the trouble with Muslims all around the world – whether in majority or in minority -- is that they are no longer proactive and productive. We need to emphasize the role of a Creative Minority -- creative is the one who is original in thought and original in action. Muslims can be of real benefit to the world only when they regain that faculty -- rather than dreaming about regaining the Past Glory. Glory comes not as result of poetry or "poetical" dreams, but only through original thoughts, creative study and analysis and positive action. In one word, it is nothing but Proactive action. Any addition of reaction to this formula mars the whole process and sends the social groups off the course.

Most efforts for promoting Muslim education have been in the form of making demands on the State but without understanding the limits of the educational bureaucracy of the government.

It shows the ignorance of the Muslim Intelligentsia that in the next 100 years after Sir Syed, they could not come up with more Educational Institutions for Muslims.

Syed Ahmad Khan started the Aligarh college to bridge the divide between traditional Islamic and ‘modern’ education.

But, now the modern educational system operates with the false assumption of the superiority of Western civilisation and the inferiority of Muslim culture. It has led to alienation of modern-educated Muslims from their own community and to an enormous educational dualism.

On one side you have the Seculars, the Communists, the Leftists and Rightists and on the other hand are a few Ulama who continue to hold the traditional Madrasa strongholds. Each group views the other with suspicion , with contempt , with disdain.

Whereas, what we need is a vision, which could unite all these extremes together.

The call for today is the setting up of a Muslim Educational Board to help promote both reforms in Modern schools AND Madrasas.

Sufi shrines and Waqf Boards, with the vast sums of money at their disposal, should set up ‘modern’ educational institutions catering to the poor among the community.

But, in the end it is WE as torch-bearers of Sir Syed, who should have the responsibility of educating our children, as well as children of those who are less fortunate than us.

A movement is needed amongst the products of AMU spread out all over the world to co-ordinate their efforts and not only strengthen AMU, but plant similar saplings all over India to cater to the increasing demands of removal of illiteracy and poverty amongst the Muslims of India.

The second point should be our perception of where the world is headed for today.- The Future.

We observe that throughout major periods of human history the world seems to have excelled only in the art of be preparing for war. It's what humanity seems to know the best. The unlearned lesson of the 20th century is that we've gotten far too good at making war. The structure of our society - government, industry, the media - can gear up for war at a moment's notice, no matter how hateful the idea may be in the souls of ordinary men and women. The will of the majority for peace is displaced by the will of the minority for war.

So we have to train our generation and the next for Tolerance and let not hatred blur our vision, as Sir Syed had said.

That again comes with education. Learning about the life-style, religion and works of others creates an atmosphere of mutual understanding and shows us ways of tolerating the other point of view.

Lessons from History – The Past.

What does History say about the priority Muslims gave to Education in the past?

I will only quote the answer from Will Durant's Story of Civilization. This American philosopher and historian writes, "When Baghdad was destroyed by the Mongols it had thirty-six public libraries. Private libraries were numberless. It was a fashion among the rich to have an ample collection of books. A physician refused the invitation of the Sultan of Bokhara to come and live at his court, on the ground that he would need 400 camels to transport his library. Al-Waqidi, dying, left 600 boxes of books, each box so heavy that two men were needed to carry it. Princes like Sahab Ibn Abbas in the 10th century might own as many books as could be found in all the libraries of Europe combined."

These words of Will Durant, say a lot about Muslims' thirst for knowledge at the time that Islam was at its zenith. I believe, also, these words say a lot about the priority Sir Syed must have given to education. We as individuals, as a family, as a society, should do no less.

I have a healthy respect for Sir Syed, the man.I do not denigrate him, nor do I idolise him.

I feel he was different from the others in the sense that he was a combination of a delightful mixture of a Thinker, a Philosopher and a Practical Man. When you look at people, you find people on one side of the spectrum who are Thinkers and great writers but they don't get off the ground. Then on the other side you just have practical people who want to do things , but do not bother much about any theoretical basis of that work.Very very few have the excellent combination of both .

It is only people who have both these attributes AND the charisma of bringing different people together on a common platform, who are able to do something which History is proud to record.

Dr. Tayyaba Abidin Qidwai
AMU 1978, Muscat, Oman

My Trip to India 2011

Afzal Usmani

My Trip to India 2011

Dear All,

Since 2000 I am living outside of India but I always put my feet on Indian soil on every calendar year. But my recent trip in Aug-Oct 2011 was one of the most meaningful trip I ever had. It was so eventful and fruitful that I was planning to extend it but could not do it due to my professional commitment in my adopted homeland. I came back to US on 15th October and direcly landed in San Francisco area to attend annual Aligarh Educational Endowment Fund fundraiser, Sir Syed Day and International Mushaira. After staying for 2 days in California I arrived to my adopted home in Austin Texas on 17th October 2011. I am thankful to all the hospitality extended by my friends in Aligarh, Delhi and in San Francisco to make this trip a memorable trip. Even though the trip gave me some hard time due to some health issues of my Ammi but thanks to Allah S.W.T. and my respected senior in Delhi to came to my rescue and Alhamdolillah she is doing fine now.

Insha-Allah I am going to write in brief about the different events which took place during the trip. Of course this is not to glamorize my trip but to put forward my experiences and to learn from your comments and suggestions.

Part - IV

Visit to Fatehpur Girls Inter College, Fatehpur Mau (UP)

Part - III

Visit to Aligarh Bachchon Ka Ghar (Aligarh Childrens Home)- Aligarh

Part - II

Death of Prof. Abdul Majid Siddiqi and meeting with Dr. Shahid Jameel

Part - I

Meeting with Dr. Mohsin Raza : Founder of Sultan Jahan Coaching Center

AMU Student Win a Place at the World's Richest and Largest Business Planning Competition

AMU Student Win a Place at the World's Richest and Largest Business Planning Competition

Left to right: Manoj Krishnapillai, Shams Qamar Usmani, Sonu Bubna, Dr Frank Cave and Juan C. Reyes.

A team of Common wealth fellow at Lancaster Environment Centre and Lancaster post-graduate students has won entry to the Rice University Business Plan Competition, the most prestigious of its kind in the world. Forty teams, selected from over 300 entries from around the world, compete for more than $800,000 in cash and prizes. The final takes place at Rice University in Houston, USA, on 15th - 17th April 2010. The competition is judged by venture capital managers, angel investors and other members of the entrepreneurial community. More important than the winners' cash prize of $325,000 is the opportunity to network and receive mentoring from successful entrepreneurs. The team has also been supported by an International Travel Award towards the expenses of participation generously provided by AAI Global Equity one of the competition's major sponsors.

The plan put forward by the Lancaster team describes a company, 'Gaea Naturals Limited', that uses an innovative approach to industrial waste water recycling with minimal consumption of energy to help a variety of industries meet sustainability and regulatory obligations, save costs and reduce carbon footprint. The team combines the entrepreneurial vision and abilities of three members of the full-time MBA class, Manoj Krishnapillai, Sonu Bubna and Juan C. Reyes, with the technical knowledge from the Lancaster Environment Centre, brought by PhD student Shams Qamar Usmani. Shams Qamar Usmani is Ph.D. student of Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh India and at present a Common wealth Fellow at Environment Centre in Lancaster University UK.

Dr Frank Cave of IEED, the team's mentor, said "This is the second time a collaboration between technical graduates and entrepreneurial management students has won a place at the Rice Competition, demonstrating the power of such partnerships. The team have received the encouragement and active support of Chris Saunders, Director of the Full-time MBA and his team in the Management School and of Dr Mark Bacon and Dr Kirk Semple of the Lancaster Environment Centre. We are all very proud of them and wish them success in Houston."

Sources:
http://domino.lancs.ac.uk/INFO/lunews.nsf/I/9EF5740B492F0BF8802576EA0057...
http://www.lec.lancs.ac.uk/news_and_events/news/?article_id=888
http://www.lums.lancs.ac.uk/news/18826/lancaster-mba-students-win-pla/
http://alliance.rice.edu/alliance/RBPC.asp

My visit to Aligarh Modern School, Aligarh(UP) India

By Afzal Usmani

My visit to Aligarh Modern School, Aligarh(UP) India

It was really a pleasure as well as honor to spend couple of hours on 26th July 2010 at Aligarh Modern School(AMS), Aligarh. I knew Aligarh Modern School since its inception in late 80s when it was started next to Medical College in Doharrah Maafi village.

Dr. Asim Rizvi, Manager AMS took me to the school and introduced to the students and staff. It has been a long time for me to be in a school and to interact with so many kids who will be future leaders and flag bearers of Aligarh educational movement. While interacting with the students, Dr. Asim Rizvi asked several random questions and I was amazed with their answers. At the age of 10, I did not have any clue about my future and never thought to be an Engineer or Doctor but now things are changed. The kids were at least thinking to become something. One of the kids who was hardy 10 years old expressed his desire to be a Cricketer and when we inquired about his performance in cricket, he was good at it. One little girl wanted to be a "Painter" and expressed the desire to spread the message of peace through her paintings. We had a special interactive session with Class X students too. Their desire to know more about higher education and coming to America/Europe for higher education was very encouraging. They asked many questions regarding the American Way of life and conditions of Muslims in United States.

At the end, it was very inspiring to listen to the Tarana-e-Aligarh Modern School and which was not same as Tarana-e-Aligarh but was realy inspiring and motivating. I personally requested Dr. Asim Rizvi to send me the transcript of Tarana-e-Aligarh Modern School. While departing from the School, I made a promise to pay more visits to the school in future and also promised to make sure when our fellow alumni go to Aligarh, we can arrange their visit to the school too.

Tarana-e-Aligarh Modern School

The Silence of Aligarh Intellectualism ???

The Silence of Aligarh Intellectualism ???

Dear all,

This question is haunting me for many years and the recent email from Dr. Sajjad prompted me to reassert the concern. From last 2 decades I am following AMU affairs, first as a student and now as Alumni.

Either it was Shila Nyas and Save Babri Masjid Movement in AMU campus from 1989-92 or a police firing in AMU Campus in 1993 or "SAVE AMU" convention in Delhi in 1994 or protest of JN Medical College Students in Delhi against the assault on members of JDO by the henchmen of the then VC of AMU or protest against the illegally arrested student Dr. Mohammad Mobin from AMU campus in September 2000 or Solidarity Protest against the Batla House Encounter in 2008 or First World Alumni Summit in 2008, AMU intellectuals/Academia are always quite. The only time you see them or read them when either they are opposing a Vice-Chancellor or supporting a Vice-Chancellor or demanding for their rights and benefits as faculty members. They have all the rights to do all of these but they have some other responsibilities being as a member of Indian Community or Muslim Community or as AMU community.

A gathering more than 3000 well educated Muslims within a radius of 5 kilometers of AMU Jama Masjid is the biggest intellectual assets of Muslims of India and supposed to be a nerve center of Muslims of India. If you are attending any event either Quranic Seminar organized by Idarah Ulum Al-Quran, or Allama Iqbal Day by University Polytechnic or some lecture by well know academicians/politicians in Kennedy Hall or Arts Faculty Lounge, the participation is really low and the intellectual participation are even lower.

Apart from socio-political participation of intellectualism, even in the research its diminishing. Barring few, most of the intellects are busy in either supporting or opposing the Vice-Chancellor.

While reading "Naqoosh - Shakhsiyaat Number (published from Lahore Pakistan in 1956)" I found that a lot of names from Aligarh younger generation intellectuals were mentioned and most of them including Prof. Mukhtaruddin Ahmad, Prof. Nazir Ahmad and Prof. Asloob Ansari were in their early 30s in 1956. Even long before his retirement, Prof. Shaharyar's poetry was included in the syllabus of graduation in many Universities including University of Bombay(Mumbai).

Now, no more Mohd. Shafi on the editorial board of National Geography or Dr. Obaid Siddiqi to be a fellow of National Academy of Science. No more Prof. A.R. Kidwai who can take over the rein of UPSC or Prof. Hashim Kidwai who can join the rank of Member of Parliament to take the cause of the community to the Rajya Sabah.

Aligarh Movement was the leader of Muslims of South East Asia and played a key role to shape up the future of millions and now the nerve center of Aligarh Movement has no role to play to shape up the future of its followers.

--
Afzal Usmani
Austin TX

Committee of Deans Submitted the Report Regarding Grievances of Students

Dear Br. Irfan Khan,
Secretary, AMU Students' Struggle Committee.

Good to see your email. I personally always support any peaceful, democratic protest to demand fundamental rights of citizens in general and here students in particular. The ugly incidents in last week of October followed by a sine-die (converted to winter vacation even before winter) is definitely not good for AMU community. There have been a series of emails in support of AMU Students or AMU Administration or to oppose both. Even I wrote a very strong email on the subject. Let me reiterate few things and comment on few of your comments and express few of my suggestions which I am keep writing to AMU Administration for years personally as well as via AMUNetwork.

1. When Mr. Adil Hossain started writing on AMUNetwork long before this October, I personally talked to him over the phone to get a first hand assessment from him. Here I am quoting a very strong observation of Mr. Adil Hossain, "Any small incident in campus can trigger a turmoil".

I knew and very strongly felt the frustration of Student community but this event which took place outside of campus and the aftermath was uncalled for such a massive agitation. The agitation could have been started prior to this incident or sometime after this to demand all the genuine demands including Students Union Election. The timing of the agitation made us think that you were waiting for something to happen to launch the agitation.

Mr. Adil Hossain's comment came true and I started believing that even we do not respect a dead body and can play politics over dead people. Does AMU Students Struggle Committee ever try to find out what happened to the family of Late Shahnawaz, how can his be helped and how to fill the wounds of the family of the deceased. Maybe you have tried but at least I am not aware of your findings.

In 1996, Mr. Nadeem Alam was killed in a police firing near VC lodge and a section of students wanted to carry the dead body to different Halls of residence to charge-up the students to launch a massive agitation against the then Vice-Chancellor Mr.Mahmudur Rahman, but due to sensible intervention of some senior students/Teachers , the situation was averted and the body was moved to Late Nadeem's native place Azamgarh to be buried.

Immediately after the opening the AMU campus, all those who wanted to carry the dead body of Late Nadeem to Hall-to-Hall to ignite the situation and to launch a campaign against the Vice-Chancellor Mr. Mahmoodur Rahman were in the lap of then then Vice-Chancellor Mr. Mahmudur Rahman and got appointed as Proctorial Monitors and later Adhoc Office Beares of AMU Students Union and ruled over the campus as long as Mr. Rahman was Vice-Chancellor and all those who opposed to politics over a dead body of fellow students were kicked out of the University.

I pray to Allah the same should not be repeated this time in AMU campus.

2. By no means, Electric Heater was allowed in the past and should be never allowed as University has to pay the electric bills. I agree that the enforcement of the Heater Ban was not very strong and was at different levels in different Hostels.

It is a common myth that Pandit Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India made AMU Electricity free but this is not at all true. If its true, we will love to see any document in this regard.

But AMU Administration needs to make sure or allow the use of Air Cooler,Computer, Cell phone is the residential Halls and necessary power outlets needs to be enabled.

This does not make any sense to ban the use of above articles in AMU Campus.

Proper Cafeteria/Canteen needs to be open till mid-night or at least till 11:30 pm as AMU is a University Campus, not a School Campus.

3. Jammers in MA Library should be a must. Not only in MA Library, it should be place in all libraries, like Engineering College Library (Book Bank), JNMC Library, Abdullah College Library and if possible, all Reading Rooms of Halls of residence.

4. Visiting Fathers/elders/brothers/friends should be allowed for couple of days with proper permission from Warden. If they have plans to stay for a longer period, Old Boys Lodge could be one of the option None of us wants our mother/sisters to stay in Boys Hostel and same is true for father/brother in Girls Hostel.

5. This is the last but most important point;

Some form of evaluation should be considered for AMU Teaching/Technical Staff otherwise the situation in AMU will never improve. I know this will be toughest task for any Vice-Chancellor, but someone has to bite the bullet.

6. AMU Court, Executive Council has to be restructured.

7. Tradition of Introduction (Not ragging) has to be revived. Some Orientation Program can be arranged in the beginning.

8. Literary/Cultural/Sports Activities needs to be promoted. These activities gives a fresh air and kills a lot of frustration from the students community.

I will keep writing as something else comes to my mind. I will request others also to share their thoughts which can improve the overall condition of AMU Campus.

Launch of www.aligarhmovement.com by Er. Zakir Ali Khan

Launch of www.aligarhmovement.com by Er. Zakir Ali Khan

On the occasion of Sir Syed Day Celebrations-2009 in Long Island New York , a new website ( www.aligarhmovement.com ) on Sir Syed and his mission "Aligarh Movement" was launched by a true Aligarian and one of the flag bearer of Aligarh Movement, Er. Mohammad Zakir Ali Khan . Er. Mohammad Zakir Ali Khan was there to attend the auspicious occasion of 192nd birth anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and the annual celebration of Sir Syed Day by Aligarh Alumni Association of New York Tr-State and receive annual "Sir Syed Lifetime achievement" conferred on him by Aligarh Alumni Association of New York Tri-State. The proceddings started with a brief introduction of the website and its its developer, Mr. Afzal Usmani by Dr. Shaheer Khan. He emphasized the need of a website where introductory information and Sir Syed, Aligarh movement and prominent Aligarians is easily accessible. Dr. Khan said that this new website will fill the vaccumm and will inspire others to work in this direction. After his brief comments, he requested Er. Muhammad Zakir Ali Khan to inaugurate the website by clicking the mouse on the link of the website. While inaugurating the website, Er. Mohammad Zakir Ali Khan , who is a Co-Founder of Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, expressed the need of a such website which can fulfill the void in cyberspace to carry on the mission of Sir Syed and Aligarh Movement. This is an era of information Technology and people look for information on internet because its easy and accessible from anywhere on a click of a button. He congratulated Mr. Afzal Usmani, the brain behind this website and his team and extended his support to make this website as a reference portal for all the information of Aligarh Movement to carry on mission of Sir Syed. Prof. Waseem Barelvi, famous Urdu poet also spoke on the occasion. He appreciated the efforts of Afzal Usmani for making the material on Sir Syed, his associates, and Aligarh movement available at one place.

Prof. Waseem Barelvi, Mr.Meraj Faizabadi Tahir Faraz, Mr. Manzar Bhopali (Urdu Poets from India), Saleem Kausar, Abbas Tabish (Urdu Poets from Pakistan), Zamin Jafri (Urdu Poet from Canada) and Humaira Rahman (Urdu Poetess from NY) were also prent on the occasion. Former President of The Federation of Aligarh Alumni Association (FAAA) Mr. Muzaffar Habib, Treasurer Mr. Riazuddin Alvi and member of Board of Trustees of FAAA, Mr. Ahsan Fazli, President of AMUAA, NY, Mrs. Anis Khan, and many other distinguished guests were also present.

While addressing the function via teleconference, Afzal Usmani expressed his gratitude to all those who helped him to make this website a reality and he also expressed his happiness over the inauguration of the website by Er. Zakir Ali Khan, to whom he considers among the best who are living on this planet to carry on the mission of Sir Syed and his Aligarh Movement. He dedicate the website to the greatest educational and social reformer of modern time, Sir Syed Ahmad Khanand who is dear to all Aligarian and followers of Aligarh Movement. He also requested everyone to share any information which they consider will be relevant for the website. He promised to publish them with due acknowledgments. Dr. Shaheer Khan proposed vote of Thanks and presented the first day cover of Indian postal stamp on legendary Aligarian Asrarul Haq "Majaz" to Zakir Ali Khan. The distinguished apprecited the gift and said it will be a wonderful addition to his library.

Er. Mohammd Zakir Ali Khan Inaugurating the website www.aligarhmovement.com
(Sitting)L-R: Prof. Waseem Bareilvi, Er. Zakir Ali Khan, Mr. Meraj Faizabadi (Standing)L-R: Mr. Riaz Alvi, Mr. Muzaffar Habib, Mr. Manzar Bhopali, Dr. Shaheer Khan and Mr. Ahsan Fazli
Er. Mohammd Zakir Ali Khan writing his comments and good wishesfor the website
Inaugural Message from Er. Zakir Ali Khan

AMU elegance and ethos at peril

AMU elegance and ethos at peril

Syed M. Naseem*

The atmosphere at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has been vitiated over the last several months by controversies on the issue of the Vice-Chancellor's use or abuse of power and gross disruptive behavior by few students who possibly are motivated by Aligarh mafia (a nexus of students, staff, and goons of Aligarh). Clashes, abusing, fighting, dharnas, strikes etc has become a common affair at AMU these days. University has become a political field, for irresponsible students, pathetic retired teachers, and spent politicians of regional political parties. Persistent interference of student leaders in AMU management should be blamed for deteriorating law and order situation and conditions at AMU. A real power struggle is on the move and is on horizon.

Appointment of incompetent teachers along with recruitment of exemplary-hard-working teachers in administration and management, and the poor intake quality of the students lead to a proportionate rise in indiscipline and a depressing slide down in the university reputation. Uninterrupted and serious disturbances in the campus created an image in the country that AMU is one of the institutions always a center of unrest or chaos.

A brief description of disruptive activities of AMU student’s leaders under various VCs administration is as follows:

Under severe pressure from the University staff and students, Vice Chancellor Prof. Naseem Farooqui (Oct. 15, 1990 to Nov. 15, 1994) called general election without any valid union constitution. The outcome of the election was disastrous. Prof. Naseem Farooqui, himself became the prisoner of the students. University staff started playing students against vice chancellor and vice versa. The office bearers of the union virtually took control of the university, especially, admission and examination. They humiliated and beaten teachers publicly and vice chancellor could not come to their help.

Based on the recommendation of the Electoral College, Mr. Mahmoodur Rahman reconstituted the student's union on August 28, 1997. He gave very stern warning to students for immediate dismissal of the union, for interference in the university affairs.

Mr. Mohammad Hamid Ansari sahib time was also a very turbulent period because of so-called leaders of AMU students. Many incidents happened and were all published in various National and local newspapers. Hamid Ansari sahib decided not to renew the Union partly due to lack of approved Union constitution and he also realized that the Union might not serve the purpose for which it was established. Student leader’s aspirant for Union leadership did not shy away from their continuous demands for the restoration of union. Many serious mishaps happened during his tenure at AMU.

Revolver fight in Shamshad Market, couple of students injured, followed by murderous attack on Mr. Saeed-ur-Rahman, Proctor AMU, one proctorial staff injured by bullet, city police raided AMU hostels and confiscated guns and other lethal armaments. A student was kidnapped and kept in Sir Syed Hall; ransom money was demanded from the parents. University Engineer also received a threatening letter in which a large sum was demanded. Prof. Jafri, former Pro Vice Chancellor was dragged from the Arts faculty and a senior professor in Engineering College was publicly beaten by student leaders on the University Road. On gunpoint students asked teacher to improve their grade in Psychology Department. A heinous murder was committed on the university road; robbery and theft by students were frequent. Student leaders (commonly known as Admission Mafia) were very active at AMU campus. Professor Aziz Khan, controller of the Admission and examination was beaten by those hooligans. Semester examination was postponed because of the student's demand. Hooligans destroyed University properties. Unauthorized people were back in the hostels. One provost was willing to pay 5, 000 rupees to anybody who could take out those miscreants from Sulaiman Hall or any Hall of the residence. Proctor, Saeed-ur-Rahman resigned due to fast deteriorating law and order situation at campus and replaced by Proctor Ajmal Khan.

Vice Chancellor Mr. Naseem Ahmad sahib also decided not to hold the election in his first year of his office, mostly because of total lack of interest among majority of students who want to concentrate on their studies rather than get involved in union politics. However he stumbled to the pressure and called for election (November 10, 06). Mr. Nafees, from his own district of Azamgarh was elected President, he was a well known ruffian, who publicly snubbed and detained, the whole AMU administration in a room for several hours demanding leniency of attendance requirement for his friend in F/O Management. Unfortunately, Naseem Ahmad sahib succumbed and ceded to his demand and command. Once again, Students Union through Mr. Nafees started abusing the AMU administration including VC, who was made powerless by the students union. Finally student’s mafia gave him and his wife looming death, he escaped to Delhi and resigned a week before his actual retirement.

Current Vice Chancellor Prof. Aziz is now the victim of AMUSU leaders. He will pay dearly for his mistake to concede to the demands for the Union election. This resulted in the occupation of student's union by detrimental group of students, and the Union platform became a source of agitation and unrest. Evidently uncompromising students are back on scene and will continue their dharna and disruption of AMU functioning till admission is completed. I hope the university administration this time will take stern action to bring peace in the campus and to put the university back to normalcy for 80% students who are career-oriented and serious in their studies.

*Syed M. Naseem is an AMU alum based in Washington DC USA and can be reached at syed_naseem2003@yahoo.com

Response - Part I 1990-94 - Afzal Usmani

Closer Look: Aligarh Movement

Closer Look: Aligarh Movement

By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net

There are three myths about the Aligarh movement: it was simply a movement for education, Aligarh Muslim University IS the movement, and that the movement is long dead. Syed Ahmed Khan’s concerns, visions, and efforts for the Indian Muslims came to be later known as the Aligarh Movement but it was not simply a movement to make Muslims learn Western education or even the establishment of a university. It was a movement to give mission to a community that seemed to have lost its bearing in the fast-changing world, to prepare them for new challenges, and give them new tools to connect back to their religion and history. Incredibly, Muslims of India still face these issues and the need for Aligarh movement is still alive.

Rarely history offers such a sharp divide as in 1857 when medieval India came to a close and a modern India emerged from the ruins. Syed Ahmed understood the new power and new rules that will shape the future of India. British saw Muslims as a threat and a challenge to the British rule in India. They held Muslims responsible for the brutal 1857 war between British and Indian forces. In this situation Muslim centers of learning and culture in North India were uprooted or abandoned. At that time Syed Ahmad was in the employment of the British. He wrote “Asbab-e-baghawat-e-hind” (The Causes of the Indian Revolt) to show that events of 1857 was a result of British high-handedness in India and not a conspiracy by the Muslim feudal elites. It was an attempt to tell the rulers of India that we understand that you are here to stay but we want to be a partner in this new system.

Foundation stone of the Scientific Society. Society was set up in 1864 in Ghazipur

Modern or Western education was a tool for Syed Ahmed Khan to make sure that Muslims are playing their roles in the new world that was quickly shaping up in front of them. They had to be part of it or be swept off of their religious and cultural bearings in the new tide of modernism. Syed Ahmed Khan did indeed establish a college that eventually became Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) but it is wrong to think that it was his only contribution or his sole vision. He also started a scientific society, a magazine for social reform, wrote commentaries on Quran- all in his attempt to reform the Muslim society.

Muslims rightly believe that AMU is his greatest achievement but focus on this university comes at a cost. Aligarh movement has become synonymous with the AMU which meant that the movement has stagnated for the last few decades. Some individual efforts have been made by AMU alumni in establishing schools and giving scholarships. AMU alumni religiously observe Sir Syed Day dinner and annual mushaira but is this the best way to remember founder of this movement?

New AMU branches being established in Mallapuram and Murshidabad and a few more proposed in other places can be called extending Aligarh movement to new geographical regions. It is a welcome step but as long as Aligarh movement remains attached to the AMU it cannot reach its full potential. This movement starts with education but doesn’t end there.

It is time to delink movement from the university at Aligarh. Delinking it will immediately open up the Aligarh movement to people who never went to AMU and may not have the same passion for the University as others. It will also mean that not all problems or issues of AMU will be something that this movement needs to respond to. Aligarh movement can continue to benefit from the intellectual capital that comes out of AMU and can tap into the amazingly wide-spread and resourceful network of AMU alumni. It will give a purpose and mission to thousands that graduate each year from AMU and a platform for millions of educated Muslims to contribute back to their community in a much more organized and planned way.

Envision an Aligarh movement that inspires our students to go in colonies, small-towns, and villages and make our young and old literate; our graduates to devote their time to find solutions to our problems; and our educated and professionals to give time and money to invest in community projects and articulate community issues and aspirations to people in the larger society and to the world. This will be a community that will have the confidence to face its challenges and come up with resources to help chart a new path that will make hundreds of universities and thousands of colleges in its wake but its greatest contribution is making of a Muslim who is equally aware and proud of his or her Indian and Muslim heritage.

--
http://twocircles.net/2011feb14/closer_look_aligarh_movement.html

Closer Look is a monthly column by TwoCircles.net editor Kashif-ul-Huda. For publication permissions please contact kashif@twocircles.net

Why to celebrate Sir Syed Day ?

Dear Aligs,

17th October, the annual festivity seasons for Aligs around the world is on the corner. Most of us are in a process to celebrate it in one or the other form. Some of us agree with these celebrations and others don't. I agree with both the sides. Even though I am a strong beliver to enjoy this festivity but with the following questions in my mind;

1. Do we ever try to reason the reasons of this festivity ?
2. What is the be the best way to pay our tributes to the grand old man of our community ?
3. Do we ever think, what would have been the reaction of Sir Syed, if he sees the festivities on his birth anniversary around the globe ?
4. Even though Islam is against the birth or death anniversaries, why we celebrate Sir Syed Day even though majority of the participants in the celebrations are Muslims or followers of Islam ?
5. Does the lavish Dinner, Awards, Mushairas and other social and cultural activities will please Sir Syed or his mission ?

May be some of us might be thinking that either I am a cynical or hypocrite, but trust me, I do not mind what ever you think about me. Even I don't not have the answers to the above question. Just wanted to know what others feels about my feelings and anxiety or does they feel the same way.