In 2010, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed 1st week of February as “World Interfaith Harmony Week’’. The resolution, UNGA pointed out, is a mutual understanding and inter-religious dialogue that constitutes an important dimensions of a culture of peace.
Promoting harmony regardless of the faith people follow is the key motive of observing this week. This organisation responsible for peace processes across the globe recognised the dire need for a dialogue among different schools of thought to promote mutual understanding and cooperation.
UNGA encourages people associated with varying places of worship to spread the message of goodwill, a much-needed favour .
While leafing through the pages of past, I felt a great sense of pride in knowing that India produced Sir Syed Ahmed Khan – a reformist who realised the importance of communal harmony way back in 19th century.
He was an unparalleled crusader, the champion of the cause. He used religion to knit the tangled threads together.
He believed neither in Hindu India nor in Muslim Hindustan. He was a global ambassador of interfaith peace. The greatest example of communal harmony in Modern India – Sir Syed Ahmad Khan is a philosophy in himself.
AMU is not just his brainchild. It is not only a place of learning and a temple of brilliance; it is a sensation shining like a bright shaft of sunshine over the Indian Subcontinent.
AMU is not exclusively meant for any particular religion but the doors of light are open for all. To shut the doors of darkness has been the message of the founder.
The recent remark from the Prime Minister calling AMU as ‘’Mini India’’ is technically what Sir Syed is all about. AMU functions everyday on this principle. Sir Syed immersed his existence into establishing an educational Institute. Why? He wanted his country to prosper by leaps and bounds. His vision and mission are sacred. I am reminded of an African proverb:
“Until the lion learns to write, every story will always glorify the hunter.” This deems fit on the status and stature of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. I must explain the relation. Sir Syed – the visionary, knew education is the only weapon to erase the slave mentality of the citizens. A pragmatic and rational approach is what learning can bring. He was a progressive mind. Today, a section of India is busy scripting success stories.
A class on whose backbones India rests; who are running the country in real. Sir Syed merits special mention. Somewhere, it is because of his efforts that the educational institutions are churning the cream of the country.
The lion’s body may be lowered in the grave but he must be smiling from the skies to see that his idea of pluralism is being translated into reality. AMU was just one of his efforts to see his dream come true.
The iconoclastic invasion by the British commonwealth put India in troubled waters. They kept on fueling and fanning the fire. They proposed and promulgated the idea of ‘the great communal divide’. This sectionalising activity posed a great threat to the country.
The communal lines were palpable and Sir Syed fought it like a warrior. It was due to the efforts of the likes of Sir Syed who fought the communal forces of this place, the finest example of how the challenges posed by British could be answered. AMU stands tall as a testimony to Sir Syed’s patriotism and pragmatism alike.
Sir Syed proved it in his teaching and preaching. He was committed to gathering India under one roof. His 1884 speech is a testament to the same. On January 27 1884 , he addressed a mammoth gathering at Gurdaspur and pressed for Interfaith Harmony. His roar reverberated in the air to shut the mouths of his detractors.
In the initial days, he faced strong criticism, even from his community, for establishing an English medium institute of learning. He stood firm on his belief in brotherhood and unity. He invited both Hindus and Muslims and tried to adopt some novel techniques to “lure” youngsters towards education.
Since it was quite difficult to accept the new normal for the traditional Muslim line of thinking, without listening to his side of the story, the decree of “Infidel” was issued in his favor by some custodians of faith.
He bounced back with the same intensity and tried to convince his community to accept the western ideology of education to flourish. One quarter with ‘’cocooned vision’’ and ‘’orthodox approach’’ did criticize him for his style of working . He could not be cowed down.
His pioneering contribution to his nation has been appreciated and acknowledged by global icons. Barbara Metcalf, the famous American calls this towering figure the “father of Muslim intellectual renaissance.” Very true. He awakened docile Indian Muslims from a deep slumber ; to stand up and change their fates. For survival and success, the English Education system had to be adopted.
Sir Syed used AMU – India’s first modernist Islamic Institution as a space to unite Hindus and Muslims and raise awareness about the importance of unity. Many rejected his theory but he beautifully braved the pulls and pressures. He didn’t please anyone in this process.
He faced his share of criticism, adopted his own strategy, and emerged victorious. Sir Syed’s key focus was modern education. The positive offshoot of his thrust on this was Inter-community harmony. English is a universal language .
Its introduction not only widened the horizons but filled the void between two communities. Otherwise labelled as ‘Raj Loyalist’, this social reformer reframed the educational contours of the country not only for Muslims but for all and sundry.
For habitual Sir Syed bashers, the subject may sound exciting, but the truth about his national sensitivity cant be denied.
Many accused him of having more proximity/affinity towards the people from the religious majority. A baseless allegation it is. He never subscribed to the ideology of the likes of Muhammad Ali Jinnah who called for partition on religious lines.
He was a strong opponent of the two-nation theory and not a proponent of bifurcating India. Many call him as ‘’the man who knew tomorrow’’. Political disagreement apart, he led a nation to an educational awakening.
Sir Syed’s family was known to have amicable relations with Hindus. Religion never bothered their cordial friendship. His grandfather Nawab Farid-ud-Din Khan is believed to have shared his property not just with his sons but he gave an equal share to his Hindu diwan, Lala Maluk Chand.
Where can we find this perfect example of Hindu-Muslim brotherhood? He was the epitome of unity. He knew how to knit alliances. As an example, the residents of Ghazipur were surprised to witness Raja Dev Narayan Singh, a Hindu, having been invited to lay the foundation stone of a madrassa (Islamic seminary).
However, Moulana Mohammad Fasih was also present on the occasion but Singh’s presence helped bridge the gap if there was any. This is not an isolated incident.
His Scientific Society had no religious affiliations. He made sure that everyone, irrespective of the faith he/she belongs to, should quench the thirst for knowledge and witness self growth.
A man of method, he used every trick in the book to persuade communities to give up acts that hurt the sentiments of other communities. He didn’t even know an iota of bias.
His love for his homeland can be gauged from the fact that he could simply migrate soon after the Revolt of 1857 but he decided to stay put for the sake of his fellow countrymen. He wanted to rebuild the nation since it was reduced to rubble and ruins.
Sir Muhammad Iqbal enjoys a ubiquitous presence while Sir Syed has almost disappeared from the public view in Pakistan. Why is it so? The answer is quite simple. He was a staunch Indian who never propagated anything on religious or sectarian lines.
Now, given his Himalayan contribution, one can proudly claim that he was to India what eye is to body. His movement led the educational caravan shining over Asia. Born in dirgeful Delhi, his work and life, lying in the obscurity of the musty pages of dusty bookshelves, need to be unlocked.
Fast forward to the 22nd year of the 21st century, when some fringe elements want to keep the pot boiling for their petty gains; divide communities by forging details and spreading wrong narratives, it is high time to read and re read what a profound protagonist of Interfaith dialogue Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author.
The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK