Leaders

Syed Ahmed Khan
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Sir Syed Ahmed Khan |
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Full name | Sir Syed Ahmed Khan |
Died | March 27, 1898 (aged 80) |
Era | Modern era |
Region | South Asia |
School | Mughal |
Main interests | education, politics |
Notable ideas | Aligarh Muslim University, Two-Nation Theory |
Influenced by[show]Queen Elizabeth, Western education |
Influenced[show]Muslim League, Lord Mountbatten of Burma |
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, KCSI [1] (also Sayyid Ahmad Khan) (Urdu: سید احمد خان} (October 17, 1817 – March 27, 1898), commonly known as Sir Syed [2], was an Indian educator and politician, and an Islamic reformer and modernist[3][4]. Sir Syed pioneered modern education for the Muslim community in India by founding the Muhammedan Anglo-Oriental College, which later developed into the Aligarh Muslim University. His work gave rise to a new generation of Muslim intellectuals and politicians who composed the Aligarh movement to secure the political future of Muslims in India.
In 1842, Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II revived upon Syed Ahmad Khan the title of Javad-ud Daulah, conferred upon Syed Ahmad’s grandfather Syed Hadi by Emperor Shah Alam II in about the middle of the eighteenth century. The Emperor added to it the additional title of Arif Jang. The conferment of these titles was symbolic of Syed Ahmad Khan’s incorporation into the nobility of Delhi.[5]
Born into Muslim nobility, Sir Syed earned a reputation as a distinguished scholar while working as a jurist for the British East India Company. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857 he remained loyal to the British and was noted for his actions in saving European lives.[3] After the rebellion he penned the booklet Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind (The Causes of the Indian Mutiny) — a daring critique, at the time, of British policies that he blamed for causing the revolt. Believing that the future of Muslims was threatened by the rigidity of their orthodox... [continues]

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