Wednesday, November 26, 2008

HAZRAT ALI (A.S.) AND JUSTICE

By: Yasir Ali Mirza

Hazrat Imam Ali Ibne Abi Talib (A.S.), usually styled as Murtaza Asadullah Al Ghalib, i.e. the Chosen, the Lion of God, the Victorious, who is the first Imam of Islam and the immediate successor of Holy Prophet, Hazrat Muhammad (P.B.U.H.), posses the unique characteristics in the history of mankind’s civilization. The versatile personality of Ali is broader and multi-faceted in all its aspects and parts. He possessed both and far-reaching mind, and tender and overflowing affections. Brought up under the affectionate guidance and care of his cousin, Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.), Ali had a keen vision and a passionate love for truth and justice. He was an embodiment of the noblest human combined with divine characteristics. He kept alive the revolutionary principles that Islam had ushered in and cherished the values which it had sought to establish. His piety, generosity, his love and fear of Allah, his sincerity and fortitude in following the Islamic Principles were unmatched. He was a perfect model and universal exemplar who guided and illuminated the entire gamut of human behaviour by his comprehensive examples o goodness and virtuous deeds. He had a personality in which opposite qualities had so gathered that it was difficult to believe that a human mind could manifest such a combinations. Thus he called as “Al Insan al Kamil” (The Perfect Man).
Allama Ibne Abil Hadeed-i-Motazali, who wrote an exegesis on Nahj’al Balaghah, comments in his preface:
World cannot quote an example other than that of Ali of a first class, warrior and a marshal who is also a philosopher, a moralist and a great teacher of religious principles and theology. A study of his life shows that his sword was the only help that Islam received during its early days of struggle and its wars of self-defence. For Islam he was the first line of defence, the second line of defence and the last line of defence. Who was with him in the battles of Badr, Ohad, Khandaque, Khyber and Hunain? This is one aspect of his life. While the other phase of his character is portrayed by his sermons, orders, letters and sayings. What high Values of morality they teach, what ethics they preach what intricate problems of Unitarianism they elucidate, how rich they are rich in philosophy; How they try to train us to be kind, good, benevolent and God-fearing rulers and faithful, sincere and law abiding subjects; How They persuade us to be warriors who can fight only for god, truth and justice and not mercenaries murdering and plundering for wealth and riches; and how they instruct us to be teachers who can teach nothing injurious and harmful to mankind. Has history ever produced a more splendid personality incorporating such variegated characteristics of mind and heart?”
The era of Hazrat Imam Ali, the Warrior-Saint of Islam, witnessed the grandest episode in the history of world’s civilization. The lifetime mission of Ali was protection and preservation of the restive values of justice and human rights on which the Islamic faith is based upon and which the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) had infused in his followers. He led his life strictly in accordance with the teachings and tenets of Islam revealed to the world as a perfect code of life and a guide to the man’s submissions to the will of Allah. From his childhood right up to his martyrdom on 21st Ramazan, 40A.H, the entire life pattern of Ali is very prominent on account of his transcending and high qualities. While in worship at night, he cut himself off from everything else, and during the day he was active among the people with all his kindness and altruisms, advices, counsels and wise words. Amongst countless virtues that he possessed, he had a deep knowledge and insight of religious, moral, social and even scientifical matters. His words and deeds bore stamps of nobility, sagacity and courage of convictions. He indefatigably faced all adverse situations but didn’t gave up his mission. In several phase of his life he displayed exemplary strength of body and mind which was due to his firm belief in God and his abiding faith in truth and justice.


APOSTLE OF JUSTICE
Hazrat Ali (A.S.) and justice, these two names are as similar as the two sides of a coin. They can never be fall apart. He was a great standard-bearer of a peace and human rights. We can see justice in all actions of his life whether he is the battlefield or in the farmland or a pulpit. He accomplished the cause of justice with indomitable spirit. Ali’s idea of justice was all based on the laws which had been revealed in the Holy Quran and of Prophet Muhammad. Thus he says:
“By God! If the whole world under the sky and whatever is in it is given to me on condition that I may carry out oppression against an ant and snatch the barley shell (its food) from it, I would not do it”.
Actually Ali wants to say that oppression is that a bad a thing that oppression cannot be carried out against the smallest thing including an ant, even for a rule all over the world. Islam looks at society with honour and respect and thus stresses the need of restoration of justice and fair play and rooting out tyranny and brutality.
He knew that Islam has made it clear that if there is justice, fair-play and balance prevails in society it can remains intact even the people who follows any religion, but no society can prosper or remain intact with oppressions, injustice and social disorder no matter its people are Muslims. He realized that personal traits of character in individuals could exercise an influence over the life of the community. For this reason Ali urged upon the economically strong sections not to transgress the rights of the weaker section and he passed many decrees and established ethical norms to safeguard the interests of dispossessed. He further held that a good government should not only be regulative but also reformative in its implementation. He defined the state as “a community in action” and considered the government as instrumental in achieving “that end”. A righteous government meant a righteous ruler, for the ruler was the head of the community, charged to fulfill the responsibilities imposed on him by its moral laws.
He stresses that only by rightfully carrying out the Huqooq-ul-Aybaad (duties of individuals towards their fellow men) could a man perform Huqooqullah (duties and obligations to God). If men were found wanting in their duties towards God, in his mercy he may forgive them; but the violation of the rights of individuals involved infringements of the laws of society and guilty party could only be forgiven by those whom they had wronged.
In running the state affairs he believed in the administration of justice equality and fairness. He set an unprecedented example of good governance in his historic letter to Malik al Ashtar, his ardent companions and governor to Egypt. That letter is one of the jewels of all letters compiled in Nahj’al Balaghah (Peak of Eloquence) which can be adjudged as best code for the administrators, even in contemporary world too. After reading this letter one can realizes that what type of an impeccable man he was. In his letter he highlighted the duties and obligations of rulers, their major responsibilities, the question of priorities of rights, dispensation of justice, distribution of work and duties among the various branches of administration. He advised Malik al Ashtar to fight corruption and oppression amongst the officers; to control market; to curb evils of profiteering and hoarding and marketing. In it he has also explained stages of various classes of society, the duties of government towards the poor and destitute how are they to be worked after and how are their conditions to be improved; the principles of equal distribution of wealth and opportunities; orphans and their upbringing, crippled and physically handicapped persons and their maintenance, substitutes in lieu of homes for the aged and disabled.
In short this commandments of Ali, in a form of letter, is on one hand the gospel of the principles of administration as taught by Islam; a code to establish a benevolent and welfare state, throwing light on various aspects of justice, mercy and liberalism, where justice is delivering to human being irrespective of class, creed or colour, where poverty is neither an stigma nor a disqualifications and where justice is not tarred with nepotism favouritism, regionalism or religious fanaticism; and on the other hand it is a thesis on the higher values of morality.
The famous Arab Christian, jurist, poet and philosopher Abdul Masih-i-Antakhi, who died sometimes in the beginning of the 20th century while discussing this letter in his book on Ali, writes that it is a far superior and better code than the once handed down by Moses and Hammurabi, it explains what a human administration should be like and how it is to be carried on and it justifies the claims of Muslims that Islam wants to introduce a Godly administration of the people, for the people and by the people, and it wants a ruler should rule not to please himself but to bring happiness to the ruled and no religion before Islam tried to achieve this end; Ali should be congratulated for having introduced these principle in his government and for having writers them down for posterity.
United Nations Legal Committee, member states voted that this particular order of Hazrat Ali to Malik Al Ashtar (Nahj‘al Balaghah, Letter No. 53) should be considered as one of the sources of International Law. The UN urged the Arab nations to use that letter as a model. The UNDP in its 2002 Arab Human Development Report listed six sayings of Imam Ali about the importance of knowledge and establishment of ideal governance. The governments of Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan have accepted that letter as a model code of governance and distributed it to their respective provincial governors.
(Vide: Arab Human Development Report, 2002 pp.82 & 107)
Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (A.S.) writes, some excerpts are:
Malik! You must create in your mind kindness, compassion and love of your subjects. Do not behave with them as you are voracious and ravenous beast and your success lies in tearing them up and devouring them.
Remember Malik that among your subjects there are two kinds of people: those who having the same religion as yours and they are brothers unto you and those who have other religions than yours are human beings like you. Let your mercy and compassion come to their rescue and help in the same way and to the same extent that you expect God to show mercy and forgiveness to you ………………… Do not hurry over punishments and do not be pleased and proud of your power to punish. Do not get angry and lose temperament quickly over the mistakes and failure of those over whom you rule.
Never say to yourself “I’m their lord, their ruler, all in all over them and that I must be obeyed submissively and humbly”. Because such as thought will unbalance your mind, will make you vain and arrogant, will weaken your faith in religion and will make you seek support of any power other than that of God.
So far as your own affairs or those of your relatives and friends are concerned take care that you do not violate the duties laid down upon you by God and usurp the rights of mankind, be impartial and do justice. Because if you give up equity and justice then you will certainly be a tyrant and an oppressor. And whoever tyrannizes and oppresses creatures will earn enmity of God along with the hatred of those whom he has oppressed; and whoever earns wrath of the Lord loses all chances of salvation; he had no excuse to offer on the day of judgement.
……………….. Remember, Malik, that usually these elite classes are mentally the scum of human society, they are the people who will be the worst drag upon you during your moments of peace and tranquility, and the least useful to you during your hours of need and adversity, they hate equity and justice the most …………… While the common men, the poor and apparently the less important section of your subject are the pillars of Islam, they are the real assemblage of Muslims and the central power and defensive force against the enemies of Islam, keep an open mind for them, be more friendly with them and secure their confidence and sympathy.
So far as dispensing of justice is concerned, be fair, be impartial and be transparent. Punish those who deserve punishment through he may be your near relation or a close friend. ………………… You have to be very careful in selecting officers for the same. ………………. They (Judges) must exhibit patience and perseverance in scanning the details, in testing the points presented as true and shifting facts from fictions and when the truth presents itself to them they must pass their judgement without fear, favour or prejudices…………… Let the judiciary be above every kind of executive pressure or influence, above fear or favour, intrigue or corruptions”.

(Vide: Nahj’al Balaghah, letter No.: 53, page No. 246)


In another letter to his collector of taxes and revenues he instructs them: “Treat the tax payers with equity and justice and think over their wishes with patience and kindness, because you are a treasurer of the subjects, representative of the people and the offices on behalf of higher authority. Do not force any body to forsake his requirements and to do without his necessities (so that he may pay the taxes), be they Muslims or Non-Muslims”.
(Vide: Nahj’al Balaghah, Letter No.: 51, Page No. 246)
Ali believed that people and governor have rights over each other and God created these rights so as to equate one another. If the ruled the rights of the ruler and ruler fulfills their rights, then rights attains the position of honour among them, the ways of religion became established, sign of justice become fixed and the Sunnah (Traditions of Holy Prophet) gains currency. He wrote direction for his officials which clearly show what form of regime he wanted to introduce. It was not to be a regime whose officers had an upper hand and were fattened on public money. It was a welfare state working solely for the welfare of the people living under its rule, a dispensation where the rich cannot get richer while the poor are made poorer, a government where religion hold the balance between the governed and the ruler.

“ALI IS THE BEST JUDGE AMONG YOU”.
Whenever such a need arose, the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) used to refer cases to him. At the time of conquest of Yemen, Ali was appointed as the chief justice. He said to the Prophet, “O Prophet! There might crop some new questions, and I don’t have much experience, how I’ll take them?”. The Prophet replied, “God will strength them your heart and provide you the power of sustenance”. Ali stated that after it he never hesitated in awarding his decisions.
(Vide: Masnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Vol.I, Pg.83 & Al Mustadrak al Hakim, vol III, pg 135)

The Prophet, who himself the best judge, the apostle of truth and righteousness, who had the unique ability to recognize the mettle of a person, had already realized Ali’s supreme calibre regarding this matter. He said about Ali:
(Ali is the best judge among you)
(Vide: Al Musatadrak al Hakim, Vol. III, Pg. 134)
This is the best certificate about Ali’s justice that has given to him.
Hazrat Omar used to say:
(
Ali is the best judge amongst us)
(
Vide: Tabaqat Ibne Sa’ad, Vol. II, Pg.102)
During his tenure as the Chief Justice of Yemen, a decision on a case considered very famous. Once a case came to his court that some persons dig a well to capture a lion. When the lion fell in it some other people were jokingly teasing each other near the well. By chance, one person was about to fell. To save his own life, he held the third person and consequently the third one held the fourth. The lion killed all the four persons. The heir of all the four persons started quarreling with each other.
When the case tabled before Hazrat Ali, he decided it like this: He ordered to collect the blood-money (khoon-baha) of these people from the four tribes who were involved in digging well, because they were real culprit who dug the well near a dwelling of the people to capture the lion. The person who fell and killed first be given one fourth of blood-money, heir of the second one get one-fourth, the third one get half and the last one be given full compensation because he didn’t pulled any person either by chance or intentionally. But, the people generally did not like this strange judgement. They, however, approached to the Prophet. The Prophet however, sustained his decision.
(Vide: Masnad Ahmed Ibn Hanbal, Vol.I, Pg.77)
In another incident when Ali assumed the worldly rulership as Caliph in 36A.H. He resumed the land which had been granted by his predecessor and sweared to resume whatever some elites had taken before him. He opposed the centralization of capital control over provincial revenues and favoured an equal distribution of taxes and booty among the Muslims; in contrast to the Second Caliph he distributed the entire revenue of the treasury among Muslims without keeping anything in reserves. When asked to pay more money to elite class he said, “
Do you command me that I should seek support by oppressing those over whom I have been placed? By Allah, I won’t do so as long as the world goes on, and as long as one star leads another in the sky. Even if it were my property, I would have distributed it equally among them, then why not when the property is that of Allah.”
(Vide: Nahj’al Balaghah, Sermon No.129, Pg.96)
Once during Ali’s caliphate, he heard that faithful follower and governor of Basra, Osman Ibne Haneef, invited to a function at dinner by a wealthy person of the place and no other people of economically weaker section were invited. When Ali heard of this he wrote him a very severe letter, criticising his action saying that “
you went to a dinner where only rich people were invited and poor were scornfully excluded?”
(Vide: Nahj’al Balaghah, letter no.45, Pg. 241)
On embezzlement of the public exchequer, he said angrily:
By God, if I had found that public money had been squandered even in celebrating marriage and in purchasing slave-girls I would have taken them back and would have handed them over to the country, because functions and responsibilities of justice and equity are far reaching and far extending. One who does not boldly act according to the dictates of justice and fairness, will feel very nervous in facing tyranny and oppression”.
(Vide: Nahj’al Balaghah, Sermon No.19: pg.15)
Ali’s idea of social justice was all based on Quranic laws. However, soon the tide of events began to turn against Ali. One of the problems that beset him was his own forthright nature and straightforwardness. He refused to allow political expediency to dictate him where he felt a matter of principle was at stake. He set about immediately trying to put right every aspect of the life of the community that he felt had deviated from the intention of the Prophet. He pressed ahead with this regardless of the fact he was making powerful and influential enemies among many who had benefited under the previous caliphs. Certainly, he was the only ruler who was killed for his justice.
George Jourdac, the famous Christian scholar from Lebanon, and the author of multi-volume “The Voice of Human Justice, which is considered as one of the best scholarly work depicting the character of Ali, after being a Christian writes:
Ali possessed the perfect feature and his every act displayed the high quality of morality. It is Ali, upon whom the water was denied (in the Battle of Siffien) by his enemies, but when Ali captured the river he invited his opponents to collect water and quench their thirst.”
(Vide: Voice of Human Justice, Vol.V, pg-369, Translated from Persian text)
Here Ali is following that particular Sunnah (Traditions of Holy Prophet) when Muslims forces laid down the siege, now they were trying to prevent the entry of food materials into the fort of combatant Jews in the battle of Khandaque (Moat). When the Prophet informed about that event he gave order to his followers to let them go. Now, Ali along with the Prophet is trying to teach us that no one should debarred from their fundamental rights and no one have the monopoly on the natural resources created by God, but it is for everyone.
He further writes:
Ali never abused the rights of his enemies and never indulged him in illegal and immoral activities for his friends and allies”.
(
Vide: Voice of Human Justice, Vol.V, Pg. no. 390, Translated from Persian Text)
This statement is proved by two events. First, when he was on the deathbed and his assassin Abdur’ Rehman Ibne Muljim was brought before Ali. His hands were tightly tied behind his back. When he saw hat the ropes were cutting into the flesh of his murderer, he forgot his own fatal wound, all that he saw was a human being subjected to inhuman torture. He quickly ordered his companions to loosen the hands of Ibne Muljim and offer him a cup of milk and said, “Was I a bad imam of you? And the second one is, when his brother Aqeel Ibne Abi Talib was financially in a vulnerable condition, he asked for something more than his share and before the time was due. Ali refused it saying that he could not resort to dishonesty because he fear Allah the most and said he must bear the sufferings patiently.
The entire life of Hazrat Ali stands out as a beacon; radiating its light into the darkness of this world. A world torn asunder by strife, struggle and wan, a world in which the value of human life is regarded as next to nothing. In the world of today his multi-dimensional spiritual precepts might help to solve some of the problems with which the world is facing today; be it political hegemony, imperialism, globalization in the name of economic liberalization, poverty, starvation, corruption, injustice, exploitation, extremism and terrorism. The dirty game being played in Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan and war mongering and threats being hurled on numerous countries for teaching them a lesson they deserve only one reply and this all will have to learn the lesson from Ali Ibne Abi Talib (A.S.) whose saying written with golden words even today: “
By God! This mended shoe of mine is dearer to me than ruling over you people but that through this rule, I may restore the right of the people and root out any evil rule, objective of Ali is none other than that”.
His ideas were conciliatory and his message was always one of peace He lived for justice and killed for justice. He was very firm in his belief that everyone should have a right to live in security, that there should be food, shelter and clothing for all. Humanity he considered as one family where there should be tolerance for all irrespective of race, creed and colour or wealth. His ideal encourages us to move forward on the path of “dialogue among civilization” not on the path of clash. The difference in Ali’s pious life is that it gives a reflection of struggle in restoring righteousness and justice. Expressing that similar view, Former Chief Secretary of Bihar, Lakshmeshwar Dayal, in his article, “Modern Voice in Medieval Times” published in Hindustan Times dated November 27th, 2000, that he was an indefatigable leader of oppressed and dispossessed. But the biggest irony is that the apostle of peace and justice himself denied from justice and his legitimate rights.
But it is not a cause to worry because the Awaited Saviour, son of Ali ------- Imam al Mahdi (A.S.) will rise like a phoenix from the ashes and fill the world with truth and justice as it was filled with oppression, evil and injustice.


ADDRESS:
YASIR ALI MIRZA
M.A. (PREVIOUS)
JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION
ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY
ROLL NO. 07-MJM-18
ENR. NO.: GC-7311
Mobile: 9897863490
ALIGARH-202002,(INDIA)

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan


A Legendry Educationist and Social Reformer of Modern India

After the ‘squashed rebellion’ of 1857, the Muslim community bore the brunt of British imperialistic designs and was assumed as the sole perpetrator of that bloody episode. They were declared, in present term the “axis of evil.” Not only their homes were ransacked but their hopes also and not only their blongings were looted but their courage too. The whole community was swaying on the threshold of present, that was complete darkness and the future, that was too bleak. Their visions was hemmed in on all sides by the dust of their ‘crumpled to earth’ havelies. They had to answer the call of their past but were bound to move to an extreme opposite direction.
At this time a man came to show the way to that flummoxed group of people. A man who resurrected them from the smouldering ashes of defeat, fear, anger and hoplessness. That man is known as ‘Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.’
Sir Syed, the stout-hearted man who not only dared to take the challenges of outsiders but fought with inner voices of his own co-religionists who were crying foul for resentment against the Britishers was riding high on the minds and touching new water-marks with every passing day. The memories of bodies, hanging from the branches of trees, were engraved in every minds and the stench of rotten corpses was not faded away yet. At this time he decided to pull chestnuts of the fire and made a call to get familiar with the western sciences, a diplomatic feet to pay the Britishers back in their own coin, but it was not an easy task to make the Muslims convinced in that unfathomable condition. But he did it.

The Revolt of 1857: Turning Point
To understand the social reforms initiated by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan should be seen in their history of socio-political context. He had been an eye-witness of the great upheaval and its aftermath indiscriminate killings and blood-curdling hangings perpetrated by the British forces where countless men and women were put to death on the slightest suspicion of disaffection, with unprecedented ruthlessness and savagery.
The first 5 to 10 years after later half of the 19th century the situation was very much alarming and chaotic. The socio-political and economic conditions of the Indians, that of Muslims in particular, was deplorable at that time. The Muslims were backward and conservative in their outlook and traditional in their approach, unaware of the ongoing changes and developments elsewhere in the world. The Muslims were standing on the crossroads and they didn’t know to where they have to proceed. The problem of educational backwardness was much acute amongst the Muslims than amongst the Hindu community because the Muslims psyche had not willing to move with the times and had remained in the hangover of the hey days of Mughal Empire. The Muslim society was passing through, at some extent we can call it as, the dark ages. They were lagged behind their non-Muslim brethren in all spheres of life including education and employment because of the indiscriminatory policies of the British rule.
After internal deliberations he reached the conclusion that ups and downs lies in the logic of history and the solution, he thought wisely and judiciously, did not lie in further confrontation with the Britishers, but in rapprochement in forging bonds of mutual understanding because the conditions are not favourable for further taking up arms. He was a great farsighted man whose ‘vision told him that if Muslims qualified themselves they would sit beside Britons at the level of decision makers.’
[1] He concluded that Muslims society needed a reform to be existed with dignity and honour. Sir Syed took up the challenge with indomitable spirit and embarked on the path of educational advancement and social upliftment of the Indian masses. He believed that education is the sole panacea to all backwardness — social, political and economic — of the contemporary Indian society.
For the overall development of the society Sir Syed accepted the framework of educational and social reform. He proposed and worked out a three pronged agenda: establishment of modern educational institution based on Western style with Oriental essence (a target achieved in Aligarh in 1977), organisation of Scientific Society and formation of an apex body (All Indian Mohammadan Educational Conference) to look after the educational affairs of the Muslims in India.

Establishment of the Scientific Society:
The establishment of the Scientific Society on 9th January, 1964 at Ghazipur is one of the milestone in the educational movement of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. The objective of this society was to acquiring proficiency in English language which might be helpful in transmission of knowledge from the West to the East and become a source of enrichment. In 1863, he published and appeal regarding improvement in educational system of the country. The aim of this appeal was to persuade people to establish an organization for translating standard classical works of English into Urdu language and thus attract the people to the study of English literature. This would help the Indians to develop a sense of respect for western literature and scholarship. This, he argued, would also provide mutual understanding and co-operation between the British and Indians.
In order to propagate the aims and objectives of the society Sir Syed regarding the importance of Scientific Society, he delivered a speech one at the Mohammedan Literary Society at Calcutta:
The reason, gentleman, why we are all also backward nowadays, is that while we are learned in and benefited by the philosophy, sciences, and arts of antiquity, we are almost entirely ignorant of those of modern times, which the youths of the present age seems so much to admire. Many grand works have been written in German, French and other languages. These, however, are all to founded translated into English. Now, as we are not likely to become proficient in German, French and as Hindustan, is governed by the English. I think it very clear that English is the language to which we ought to devote our attention. Is it any prejudice that prevents us from learning it? No, it can be so with us. No religious prejudices interfere without learning any language spoken by any of the many nations of world. From remote antiquity have we studied Persian, and no prejudice has ever interfered with the study of that language: How, then, can any religious objection be raised against our learning and perfecting ourselves in English?”
[2]
Two months after the establishment of the Scientific Society, Sir Syed established a school at Ghazipur with the help of Raja Dev Narain Singh and Maulana Muhammad Fasih. On this occasion he delivered a historic and vigorous speech, describing the new venture as a means “of spreading the light of learning amongst our countrymen and removing the clouds of darkness and ignorance which were enveloping us and this great country. This noble work will be not only profitable to ourselves and our contemporaries but to the coming generations, our sons and sons’ sons. What gives me greater happiness and an occasion to congratulate you is the fact that this school has been brought into being by you without outside help.”
[3]
In the same year he transferred to Aligarh. Although since he was the driving force behind the Scientific Society, it could not survive at Ghazipur without his presence and was shifted to Aligarh. Sir Syed made Scientific Society as a very active institution. Its meetings were held several times a month and papers were presented on various topics of popular and academic interests. The society also established a department of translation, where many important and valuable English works were translated into Urdu. On mathematics alone he assigned 17 books for translation to Maulvi Zakaullah, one of his close friends. The subjects on which Sir Syed gave more importance included Mechanics. Electricity, Pneumatics, Natural Philosophy, Agricultural Sciences, Physiology, Masonary. History had a great emphasis for him because he looked upon history as a living and breaking account of human achievements and failures which could help in avoiding conflicts and errors in our present day life.
As Sir Syed formed the Scientific Society as a part of his mission to awaken the people from their slumber and sloth, simultaneously he also felt the urgent need of a journal to communicate the messages to masses. In this regard, he started Aligarh Institute Gazette (earlier know as Indian Institute Gazette) in 1866. The Gazette discussed all issues pertaining to human interests. Religion, ethics, agriculture, commerce, health, social problems were discussed with profound insight. The journal started by Sir Syed made a sustained effort to keep sentimentalism at bay and introduced a new spirit of enquiry. In this discourse, “Sir Syed blazed a new trail in journalism when his bilingual weekly proffered a full discussion on the fundamentals of life.”
[4]
On 1st of August, 1867, 15 days prior to his transfer from Aligarh to Banaras, he made a request in a memorandum to the Governor-General of India for the establishment of an institute of higher learning, in which the instructions in different branches of arts and science could be given in the vernacular languages. He demanded, examinations should also be taken in the medium of Indian languages along with the English language and no discrimination should be happened in granting degrees in this regard. And that either an Urdu faculty should be established in North Western Province for imparting education in Indian languages.
The most interesting aspect of Scientific Society is that after few years, the branches of the Society were spreading out beyond the borders of North Western Provinces. One of them was Bihar Scientific Society which was established on 24th May, 1868 at Muzaffarpur by one of the Sir Syed’s friend and counterpart Nawab Syed Imdad Ali Khan, who was also a Sadr-i-Amin of Muzaffarpur. Numerous developments were initiated by this very society.
[5]

Encounter with the West:
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan’s journey to England (1869-1870) was a landmark in the formulation of his educational programmes to be implemented in near future. This sojourn made a deep impact on the whole academic life of Sir Syed. His first face-to-face encounter with the western civilization happened during his stay in England. There he visited many educational institutions such as Oxford and Cambridge, studied their organizational set up and met large number of scholars. These interactions gave him a thorough insight into the educational system of the Western World. He compare it with the Indian scenario which was in a worsening position. He strongly felt that the secret of Europe’s supremacy lay in the sciences and technology developed during the period of renaissance after coming into contact with Muslim Arabs.

Tahzibul Akhlaq:
On his return to Indian in October, 1870 with full of exuberance and new vision he started a journal named as Tahzibul Akhlaq (The Mohemmadan Social Reformer) which was intended to persuade Muslims to come out of its medieval thinking and putting them back on the road to progress. The first issue of the paper was started on 24th December, 1870 and the price was fixed to 4½ rupees per annum.
Earlier, on 07th May, 1870, Sir Syed wrote a letter to his compatriot Nawab Mohsinul Mulk Mahdi Ali Khan from England in which he expressed his desire to publish a newspaper on lines of similar to the Richard Steele’s Tattler and Joseph Addison’s Spectator, which worked as a catalyst and an effective instrument to revolutionize eighteenth century English society by creating socio-political awareness, with the objective of making the Muslims realizes the need of change in thinking and develop a positive attitude towards western education.
The sole objective of Tahzibul Akhlaq was to overcome to those religious prejudices and dogmas which were preventing the society from advancing and which, really had nothing to do with Islamic practices. His aim, as he made clear in the very first issue wrote:
“The aim of publishing this magazine is to persuade the Muslims of India to adopt the values of a perfect civilization, to remove all those vagaries for which they are looked upon by the civilized nations, so that they also may be regarded as one of the respected and civilized people of the world. It is true that sometimes a religion which are hindrance to civilization. We have to analyse whether the religion of Islam is one of them? Those customs and habits which are unfortunately adopted and assimilated as a part of progress should be given up. All this should be compared with the original teachings of the religion and checked whether omission or reform is in conformity with the injection of the Sharia. In this way we and our religion many escape the contempt of other religions.”
[6]

Towards Establishing a College:
At the same time, when he was engaged with the publishing of Tahzibul Akhlaq, Sir Syed along with his compatriots formed a committee known as “The Committee for the Better Diffusion and Advancement of Learning Among the Mohammadans of India” at Banaras on 26th December, 1870. The objective of this committee was to find out the causes that why so few Muslim students were enrolled at Government educational institutions; secondly, why the old learning was on the verge of decline amongst the Muslims; and thirdly, why the Muslims had not taken to new sciences and learning. The most important finding which came out after extensive deliberations was that it was necessary to establish their own institution for education if they were to acquire knowledge. The British government promised of their assistance in its implementation. The work of collecting funds for the proposed college was then taken up and Sir Syed was elected life secretary of a committee, Khazinat al Bazaat La-Tasis Madrasat al Muslamin, formed for the purpose of launching a nationwide campaign for the collection of funds.
The time has came to establish Madrasatul Uloom-i-Mussalmanan which had been propsed earlier by the committee. When all the members were unanimously agreed on selecting Aligarh for proposed institution, in January, 1873, later a committee was formed to choose a proper place suggested that the institution should be establish as quickly as possible and the sub-committee headed by Moulvi Samiullah Khan at Aligarh also endorsed the decision. They took up this project on high priority and went on with full commitment. Syed Mehmood, son of Sir Syed, drafted a detailed blue-print under his guidance about the organization of the institution and submitted it to the committee. After two and half years of hardwork and painstaking job the Mohammadan Anglo-Oriental College was established on 24th May, 1875 and regular classes were started a week later. One year after this event Sir Syed decided to retire from government service and devote himself exclusively to look after the affairs of the college—his sole concern. On 08th January, 1877, Lord Lytton, the Governor General of India, laid the foundation-stone of the college.
This was a historical event which is going to ready for playing a crucial role in the future course of history. This was, according to famous orientalist, H.A.R. Gibb, organiz“
The first modernist ation in Islam
[7]. This event, we can say, was a very remarkable one in the life of Sir Syed because it was a life long desire of him to set-up an educational institution for the social upgradation of the Muslims in India has been fulfilled. In lauding Sir Syed, Maualana Abul Kalam Azad, himself a great visionary, while delivering the convocation address to Aligarh on 20th February, 1949, said:
“Sir Syed Ahmed Khan established in Aligarh not only a college but an intellectual and cultural centre in time with the progressive times.”
Though M.A.O. College was established, primarily, for the education of Muslims, but Sir Syed always kept its doors wide open to all people irrespective of their caste or creed and affiliations. He worked for the betterment and upliftment of all Indian people and not merely the Muslims. After two years of its inception the number of students on roll at that time was 158 out of which 129 were Muslims, 27 Hindus, one native Christian and one Parsi in the college. How Sir Syed was very much secular in his outlook, it has been corroborated by this statement when he addressed a meeting of the Indian Association of Lahore in 1884, he said:
My friends! You have alluded to Mohammadan Anglo-Oriental College at Aligarh in your address. I would be sorry if anyone were to think that this college was, founded to mark a distinction between the Hindus and Mohammadans. …………….. But I am happy to be able to say that both brothers receive the same instruction in that college. All the rights at the college which belong to one who calls himself a Mahomedan, belong without any restriction to him also who calls himself a Hindu.………………There is not the least distinction between the Hindus and the Mahomedans. I regard the Hindus and Mahomedans as my two eyes.”
[8]
In 1882, Sir Syed appointed as a member of the Education Commission constituted by the British Government but he resigned from it later. In 1883, Sir Syed’s ambition went further and he formed Mohammadan Civil Service Fund Association for helping Muslim Students to go to England to appear at the Civil Service Examinations or to study there. In 1886, he realized that only one institution (M.A.O. College) was not enough for the education of the entire community of India. So, Sir Syed strengthened and consolidated his movement through an extremely strong vehicle called the All India Muslim Education Conference. Through this agency, Sir Syed wanted to extend the scope of Aligarh’s influence to Muslims throughout India.
In his gigantic task of making social and educational enlightment, he faced strong resistance from many quarters, especially from the clergy. Nothing could demoralized him and he never deviated from the axis of his ‘silent revolution’ and moved ahead fearlessly in the same proportion as the opposition was.
Sir Syed’s whole life spanning 81 years (from 1817 to 1898), witnessed the most decisive period, a period characterized by transition in almost every sphere of life. He was a great visionary and reformer of 19th century who appeared on the social horizon as a boon for a community. He was one of the shining star of the galaxy of reformers who realized the decadence in Indian society at that time and made a pragmatic approach by setting off the Aligarh Movement. He merely not founded the institution but create a healthy scientific attitude of mind, without no human progress is possible. He was among the early pioneers of modern India who dedicated his whole life to what he thought to be the supreme need of the hour – education for the emancipation of Muslim society by convincing them to maintain its social and political clout in the British Empire. He worked tirelessly day and night to spread awareness among Muslims who had been in the clutches of obscurantism, superstition, ignorance, inertia and conservatism. The Muslims, ‘were helped by the fresh memory of a man who had restored the morale of a crushed qaum’.
[9] Certainly, his great endeavours make him a “legendary educationist and social reformer of modern India”.
The tulip that saw Autumn and languished,
Syed once again gave it moisture of morning tears.
(Iqbal)
References:
[1] Raj Mohan Gandhi, Understanding the Muslim Mind, Penguin Books, New Delhi, 1987, p.45.
[2] Graham, G.F.I.; Life and works of Sir Syed Ahmed, Edinburgh, William Blackwood, 1885, p.p.:74.
[3] Quoted in K.A. Nizami, Sayyid Ahmed Khan, Publications Division, New Delhi, 2002, p.57.
[4] Shafey Kidwai, “Sir Syed as a Journalist” in Asloob A. Ansari (ed.) Sir Syed Ahmed Khan: A Centenary Tribute, Adam Publishers, New Delhi, 2001, p.389.
[5] For details see: Dr. Mohammad Sajjad, Sir Syed’s Movement for Muslim Education in Muzaffarpur (Bihar); [ed.]: Shahabuddin Iraqi, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan: Vision and Mission, 2007, Manohar Publishers, New Delhi, p.p.:181-197.
[6] Tahzibul Akhlaq, 1870; Tamheed, Vol. I, pp.:1-2.
[7] Gibb, H.A.R., Mohammadanism, P.181
[8] Sayyid Iqbal Ali, Sir Syed ka Safar Namah-i-Punjab, Aligarh, pp.:159-160.
[9] Raj Mohan Gandhi, Understanding the Muslim Mind, Penguin Books, New Delhi, 1987, p.45.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Bismehi T'ala
07th September,2008
Muzaffarpur


Azeez az jaan Misam sallamahu,
Assalam Alaikum !Bad dua'e tarraqqi-i-hayat o daraja'at maloom ho ke ba'fazl-i-khuda humlog ba'khair o aafiyat hainsab kuchh theek thak chal raha hai.Rozana ki zindagi hasb-i-mamool apni raftar se chalti rehti hai.Al'batta tumhari ghair maujoodgi behad geraan guzarti hai.Bahut kami mehsoos hoti hai.Tumhari ammi ko har lamha tumhari yadein aur tumhara khayal aata rehta hai.Yasir Miyan Sallamahu bhi akele-akele rehte hain, kuchh badlay-badlay se dikhayi dete hain.Muslim Miyam bhi to ab yahan nahi hain isliye tanhayi aur bhi khalti hai.Qareeb-qareeb muslim ka phone rozana aata hai.Abhi isi saneechar ko(2nd September,2006) Dilli (Delhi) Doordarshan par "GEN-NEXT" ka jo programme 'Rajiv Remembering' ke unwaan se telecast hua tha.Uske shorka(attendants) mein Muslim Miyan bhi thay.Un'hone pehle se programme ki it'tela de di thi.Humlogon ne yeh programme dekha tha, bahut achha laga.Electronic Media mein ghaleban unka yeh pehla-pehla 'exposure' tha.
12 Rajab ki mehfil bhi bahut hi kamyab rahi.tumhari ghair-maujoodgi bahut be-had khal rahi thi.intezamat ke silsile mein bar bar tum yaad aa rahe thay.Saamayeen hazraat mein se bhi mutaddid sahebo ne poochha.Kafi achha aur bada majma tha.Maulana Shabib Saheb in dino dilli mein thay.Isliye jab shoara hazraat padhh chuke to Assad Yawar Saheb ne ek mukhtasar magar badi achhi taqreer ki.aaj saat september(07th september) hai.tumhein yahan se gaye hue dedh(1 1/2) maheenay hone ja rahe hain.itne lambe dino tak is se pehle kabhi alag alag rehna nahi pada tha.tum kaise ho?dil lag raha hai na?shuru shuru mein to dil zaroor ghabrata hoga.magar jaise jaise din guzarte gaye honge maahaul se hum-aahangi, sathi tolaba aur shanasaon se qurbat badhti jati hogi , to khud khud ba'khud woh beganapan, doori aur ajnabiyat ka ehsaas kamzor padta hua mehsoos hota hoga.aur tumne in tabdeel shuda halaat ke sath mafahemat kar li hogi.is se parey ek khush khabari ki baat yeh hai ke tum Aligarh (muslim university) ke tolaba mein shamil ho gaye.aligarh ka ilmi maahaul,uska shandar tradition,hindustan ke muslim ma'ashre par uske hamageer asaraat,ummat-i- muslema' ke nishat-i-saaniya(rannaisance), uska kaleedi kirdar (key role).in sab ne mil kar aligarh ko jo ek image diya hai woh ek apne aap ko wabasta pana ba'jaye khud ek fakhr ki baat hai.mujhe yaqeen hai ki is se puri tarah faiz-i-yaab hoge.khoob mehnat aur lagan ke saath kaam loge.apne target ko kabhi bhi ojhal na hone doge.apni hausla-mandi aur khuda-i-zul jalal ki zaat par bharosa rakhoge.ek baat aur ...Jinnah Sahab(mohammad ali jinnah) ke un ta'assuraat ko zehen mein rakhoge jiska izhar unhone apne career ke shuru'aat ke liye apne shahar ko khairabad kehte waqt kiya tha:
"I set out to conquer the world equipped with nothing but youth,faith,courage and ambition !"
Azeezam sallamahu! meri dua hai ke khuda wand-i-alam ba'tufail-i-muhammad wa'aley muhammad alaihimus'salam tumhare iradon mein, azm-o-istiqlal mein,karzar-i-hayat mei ki sargarmiyon meinkamyab o faiz-i-yaab kare aur tum apne aap ke liye, apne waladain ke liye, qaum o millat ke liye, deen o mazhab ki khidmat ke liye ek geraan qadr sarmaya ban jao.aameen,summa aameen !!
mein achha hoon.tabiyat theek hi rehti hai.rozana ka maamool ba'dastoor wahi rehta hai.guzishta hafte Yasir sallamahu ke humrah Dr.Dubey ke yahan gaya tha.aaj chhata(6th) din hai.dawayein chal rahi hain.kuchh kuchh afaqa sa lagta hai.khuda ki zaat se ummeed hai zaroor fayeda pahunchega.inshallah! tumhari ammijan ko tumhari fikr lagi rehti hai.zahir hai unke paas maan ka dil hai.kaisa khana khate honge..........kapdo ki dhulayi kaise hoti hogi..........itni shiddat ki garmi pad rahi hai........dhoop mein kahan kahan jana hota hoga..........
mein apne khat ko abhi yaheen tak likh chuka tha ki isi dauraan Yasir miyan ne aakar sa'eed sallamahu ke hathon bheja hua tumhara dasti khat la kar diya.fauri taur par badi musarrat hui.khat ko padha to dil aur bhi khush ho gaya.thodi si tafseel se agahi ho gayi .khushi aur itminaan ki baat hai ke tum rafta rafta kar ke badalte hue mahaul ke sath hum-ahang hote gaye ho.apne logon se doori to khatakti hi hai aur khatakti hi rahegi.yeh taqaza-i-fitrat hai.magar inhi halaat ke sath compromise karke insan qadam aagay badhata hai.zindagi ek challenge hai aur inhi ke sath fatehana andaaz se panja-aazmayi karna hauslamand insano ka turra-i-imtiyaz hai.tumhare khat ko padh kar bada achha laga.jee chahne laga ismein abhi kuchh aur bhi likha hota.hum sabo ne ek sath is khat ko padha.chhotay miyan rozana aate hain.tumhein poochha karte hain.annu kabhi-kabhi aa jate hain.uske manjhle bhai ka rishta berhampura ke abrar jafari sahab ki sahabzadi ke sath tay pa gaya hai.isi 4 september ko mangni ki rasam ho gayi.tumhari ammi aur yasir gaye thay.ek khushi ki baat hai ke tumhara passport wala kaam ho gaya hai.zeeshan sallamahu ki shadi ho gayi.da'awat-i-walima mein humlog 10 september ko patna ja rahe hain.tum apne khane-peenay ka khayal rakha karoge.horlicks aur chyawanprash waghairah ka istema'al rakhoge.dekho kotahi nahi karna.achha ab rukhsat hota hoon.abis sallamahu ke yahan humlogon ki taraf se sab ko poochh lena.duayein pahuncha dena.jin dosto ka apne khat mein tumne naam liya hai unse ek tarah ka dhundhla sa ghayebana ta'aruf sa lagta hai.meri taraf se unhein nek khwaheshat aur duayein pahucha dena.ibnul hassan ko tumhari taraf se poochh liya gaya hai.hum sab logo ki duayein tumhare sath hain.jawab zaroor dena.apna khayal rakhna.
Faqat
Abbi
(MIRZA ABID HUSSEIN)