Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1817-1898), the great pioneer of Muslim reform in the 19th century is remembered every year around this time of his birthday (October 17). His contribution is all the more important, given the Muslim clergy’s utter hostility to modern education.

Justice Syed Mahmood, in a lecture delivered at Aligarh in 1893, observed that when the government established a Sanskrit College in Calcutta in 1824, it did not find favour with the leading Hindus of the city; who asked the government to start as many English colleges as possible. On the other hand, in 1835, when the government announced a programme to start English teaching in all schools, more than 8000 moulvis submitted a signed petition to stop it.

The government responded by making formal announcements of strict religious neutrality, but the Muslim clergy persisted in their objections and declared that the philosophy and logic taught in the English language was at variance with the tenets of Islam. They interpreted the government declarations as a cunning device to deprive them of their faith, and exhorted Muslims to keep away.

In 1882, Sir Syed appeared before the education commission and produced evidence to show that Muslims had derived the least benefit from European sciences and literature. From 1858 to 1878, the number of Muslims graduates was only 57, as against the total of 3155. It was clear to Sir Syed that the factors responsible for Muslim abstention from English education and science was the bigotry of the professional clergy. This explains his foray into social and religious reforms before he launched his school in 1875 at Aligarh.

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