SirSyedAhmadKhanBiography

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was a 19th century Muslim philosopherand social activist. This biography of Sir Syed Ahmad Khanprovides detailed information about his childhood, life,achievements,works&timeline.

QuickFacts

AlsoKnownAs SyedAhmadTaqvi

Famousas FounderofAligarhMuslimUniversity

Nationality Indian

Bornon 17October1817AD

ZodiacSign Libra

Bornin Delhi

Diedon 27March1898AD

Placeofdeath Aligarh

Father MirMuttaqi

Mother Azis-un-Nisa

Spouse: ParsaBegum

Children SyedHamid,SyedMahmood,Amina

Founder/Co-Founder AligarhMuslimUniversity

Awards OrderoftheStarofIndia(1869)

SirSyedAhmadKhanwasaMuslimphilosopher,socialactivistand educator who founded of the Anglo-MohammedanOrientalCollegeatAligarh,UttarPradesh,India.Hewasdeeplydevotedto the cause of education and believed that widespreadeducation was the only way to enlighten the masses. Adistinguishedscholar,hewasaprogressive thinkerwhoplayeda major role in promoting social, scientific, and economicdevelopment of Indian Muslims. Even though he religiouslyfollowed Islam, he was troubled by the rigidity of the orthodoxoutlook of the Muslims. His life-long interest in religionmanifested itself in the form of several volumes of amodernistcommentary on the Quran. In addition he also began asympathetic interpretation of the Bible. But above everythingelse, it was his dedication towards the cause of education thatdefined him as a person. He believed in promoting Western–style scientific education and was instrumental in setting upseveralschools for implementing thispurpose.HewasaBritishloyalist and formed the Muslim League to promote pro-Britishattitudes and activities, thus raising suspicion in the minds ofIndian politicians. Nonetheless, he commanded great respectfrom both Hindus and Muslims for his progressive views anddedicationtowardsthecauseofeducation.

Childhood&Early LifeHewasbornasSyedAhmadTaqvion17October1817 inDelhi. His father, Mir Muttaqi was highly regarded by theMughaldynasty,andmanymembersofhisfamilyhadheldpositionsintheMughalcourt.

He was raised in a large house in a wealthy area, inaccordance with Mughal traditions. His mother Azis-un-Nisa was a strong-willed religious woman who ensuredthat Syed and his brother received a disciplinedupbringing.

He was trained in Persian, Arabic, Urdu and orthodoxreligious subjects, and was also taught mathematics andastronomy. He was an active boy and participated in anumberofsportslikeswimmingandwrestling.

He began his study of medicine but did not complete thecourse. His father died when Syed was still young andthus he had to abandon his formal education due tofinancialdifficulties.

He was offered positions in the Mughal court which hedeclinedandenteredtheEnglishcivilservice.Lateronheattended the East India Company College from where hegraduatedwithadegreeinlawandjudicialservices.

CareerHewasappointedasaclerkatthecourtsoflawinAgrain1838, and promoted to the title of ‘Munshi’ in 1840. Hisposition in the judicialdepartmentgavehimample time todevotetohisotherinterests,whichincludedwriting.

Hebeganhisliterarycareerbywritingreligioustracts.Hisbook‘Āthāraṣṣanādīd’(“MonumentsoftheGreat” ),ontheantiquitiesofDelhiwaspublishedin1847.

When the Indian Mutiny of 1857 broke out, he remainedloyal to the British and even saved the lives of severalEuropeans. He was serving as the chief assessmentofficerat thecourt inBijnorat thetimewhentherebellionbrokeoutandwaspersonallyaffectedbyitsaftermath.

Hepublishedthebooklet ‘Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind’(TheCauses of the Indian Revolt) in 1859 in which hefearlessly outlined what he believed to be the causes ofthis revolt. He rejected the common belief that theconspiracy was planned by Muslims and blamed the

British East India Company’s thoughtless actions for therevolution.

Religionwasoneof his great interests, andhehadgreatrespects forall religions,not just Islam.Hestartedaworkon a commentary on the Bible in which he stated thatIslam and Christianity both share a common lineage fromAbrahamicreligions.

During the 1850s he developed a strong passion foreducation and realized the advantages of Western-styleeducation. He believed that scientific education was theneed of the hour and set about establishing modernschools for the children, at Muradabad (1858) andGhazipur(1863).

He was transferred toAligarh in 1864 where he foundedthe Scientific Society of Aligarh which was the firstscientificassociationof itskind in India.TheSocietyheldconferences,disbursed funds foreducationalcauses,andpublishedscientificjournalsinEnglishandUrdu.

Hepublishedmanywritingspromoting liberal and rationalinterpretations of Islamic scriptures as he felt thatorthodoxy was threatening the development of theMuslims. However, his liberal views were met withcriticism by theMuslim clergy and thus Sir Syed decidedto stop discussing religion and focused on promotingeducation.

After having established schools for children, he foundedtheMuhammadanAngloOrientalCollege in1875,seekingtopromotesocial,scientific,andeconomicdevelopmentofIndian Muslims. Today, the institution is known as theAligarhMuslimUniversity (AMU)and ranksamong the topuniversitiesinIndia.

Awards&AchievementsHe was awarded the Order of the Star of India from theBritishgovernmenton6August1869.

PersonalLife &Legacy

HemarriedParsaBegumin1836,andthecouplewentonto have three children: Syed Hamid, Syed Mahmood andAmina.

Hewasatirelessworkerwhodevotedhisentirelifetothepromotion of education for the masses. A highlyknowledgeable man and a prolific writer, he wrote on anumberofsubjectsincludinghistory,politics,archaeology,journalism,literature,religionandscience.

He lived the last two decades of his life in Aligarh anddiedon27March1898,at theageof80.His funeralwasattended by thousands of people, including Britishofficials,Muslimleaders,andhisstudents.