Aligarh Movement
The War of Independence 1857 ended in disaster for the Muslims. The British chose to
believe that the Muslims were responsible for the anti-British uprising; therefore they
made them the subject of ruthless punishments and merciless vengeance. The British
had always looked upon the Muslims as their adversaries because they had ousted
them from power. With the rebellion of 1857, this feeling was intensified and every
attempt was made to ruin and suppress the Muslims forever. Their efforts resulted in the
liquidation of the Mughal rule and the Sub-continent came directly under the British
crown.
After dislodging the Muslim rulers from the throne, the new rulers, the British,
implemented a new educational policy with drastic changes. The policy banned Arabic,
Persian and religious education in schools and made English not only the medium of
instruction but also the official language in 1835. This spawned a negative attitude
amongst the Muslims towards everything modern and western, and a disinclination to
make use of the opportunities available under the new regime. This tendency, had it
continued for long, would have proven disastrous for the Muslim community.
Seeing this atmosphere of despair and despondency, Sir Syed launched his attempts to
revive the spirit of progress within the Muslim community of India. He was convinced
that the Muslims in their attempt to regenerate themselves, had failed to realize the fact
that mankind had entered a very important phase of its existence, i.e., an era of science
and learning. He knew that the realization of the very fact was the source of progress
and prosperity for the British. Therefore, modern education became the pivot of his
movement for regeneration of the Indian Muslims. He tried to transform the Muslim
outlook from a medieval one to a modern one.
Sir Syed’s first and foremost objective was to acquaint the British with the Indian mind;
his next goal was to open the minds of his countrymen to European literature, science
and technology.
www.thecsspoint.com Page 1
The War of Independence 1857 ended in disaster for the Muslims. The British chose to
believe that the Muslims were responsible for the anti-British uprising; therefore they
made them the subject of ruthless punishments and merciless vengeance. The British
had always looked upon the Muslims as their adversaries because they had ousted
them from power. With the rebellion of 1857, this feeling was intensified and every
attempt was made to ruin and suppress the Muslims forever. Their efforts resulted in the
liquidation of the Mughal rule and the Sub-continent came directly under the British
crown.
After dislodging the Muslim rulers from the throne, the new rulers, the British,
implemented a new educational policy with drastic changes. The policy banned Arabic,
Persian and religious education in schools and made English not only the medium of
instruction but also the official language in 1835. This spawned a negative attitude
amongst the Muslims towards everything modern and western, and a disinclination to
make use of the opportunities available under the new regime. This tendency, had it
continued for long, would have proven disastrous for the Muslim community.
Seeing this atmosphere of despair and despondency, Sir Syed launched his attempts to
revive the spirit of progress within the Muslim community of India. He was convinced
that the Muslims in their attempt to regenerate themselves, had failed to realize the fact
that mankind had entered a very important phase of its existence, i.e., an era of science
and learning. He knew that the realization of the very fact was the source of progress
and prosperity for the British. Therefore, modern education became the pivot of his
movement for regeneration of the Indian Muslims. He tried to transform the Muslim
outlook from a medieval one to a modern one.
Sir Syed’s first and foremost objective was to acquaint the British with the Indian mind;
his next goal was to open the minds of his countrymen to European literature, science
and technology.
www.thecsspoint.com Page 1
