Aligarh Movement 1875: Causes, Objectives, Impact and More

In the second half of the nineteenth century, along with religious and social reforms in various parts of India, Islamic revivalist movements also gained a place in Indian society. Among the Islamic reform movements, the aligarh movement was started by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was one of the most important steps. Through this movement, he made significant contributions to reforming Muslim society and developing modernity. Below is a discussion of the causes, policies, objectives, steps taken, and impacts of the Aligarh Movement on Muslim society.

What is Aligarh Movement

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, through various steps, removed anti-British sentiments from Muslim society, created interest in Western education, and infused new life among them. The social, cultural, and political thoughts of Muslim society evolved around his established Aligarh College. This awakening religious and social reform movement of the Muslim community is known in history as the ‘Aligarh Movement.’ He started the Aligarh Movement in 1875 at Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. Some notable leaders of this movement were Chiragh Ali, Altaf Hussain Ali, Nazir Ahmad Dehlvi, Maulana Shibli Nomani, and others.

Causes of the Aligarh Movement

• At the beginning of British rule in India, Hindu society welcomed British rule and civilization, and by receiving English education, they were appointed to various high government positions. On the other hand, the Muslim community was strongly opposed to British rule from its inception because British rule was established by undermining Muslim influence and power. Therefore, they kept themselves away from Western education, culture, civilization, and life ideals, and as a result, they fell far behind in government jobs, socially, and economically.
• Their reaction against British rule was seen through the Wahabi Movement, Faraizi Movement, and Titumir’s movement. Later, both Hindu and Muslim communities participated in the Great Revolt of 1857, but it was the Muslims who fell victim to the British. After this revolt, the British government began to view them with suspicion.
• In this way, the Muslim society, lagging behind in education, influence, and government jobs, and being bound by various superstitions, gradually sank into darkness. In this situation, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan emerged as the savior of Muslim society. He realized that the only way to improve this backward Muslim society was to receive Western education and remain loyal to the British government. This was the main reason he started the Aligarh Movement.

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Objectives of Aligarh Movement

The main objective of the Aligarh Movement was to infuse new consciousness into the orthodox and conservative Muslim society. Additionally, it aimed to make directionless and misguided Muslim youth interested in Western education and turn them into conscious citizens. Through the Aligarh Movement, Syed Ahmad Khan wanted to spread the light of education among the backward Muslim community and create an atmosphere of modernity, trying to instill a superstition-free, intellectual, and rational mindset and attitude. So that Muslim society could become equal to Hindu society.

Policies of the Aligarh Movement

The Aligarh Movement was conducted based on four fundamental policies. These policies were:

• Hindus and Muslims are two separate nations with opposing interests and at war. He also did not approve of the plan for appointments to high government positions through self-governance or competitive examinations, because this would benefit Hindus who were ahead in English education, not Muslims, which was against Muslim interests.
• Muslim interests were secure and safe in the hands of the British government; therefore, they would stay away from all kinds of anti-government political movements, and the final policy was that since Muslim interests were safe in the hands of the British government, they would engage themselves only in cultural development and would participate in politics only to diminish the power of Hindu political protesters.

Steps Taken in the Aligarh Movement

• Among the important steps of the Aligarh Movement was establishing harmony with the Britishers. Because he realized there was no possibility of British rule ending in India in the near future. Therefore, it was wise to maintain goodwill with the British rather than opposing them. He even believed that only the Britishers could protect the interests of the Muslim community in India. Moreover, he published the book “On the Loyal Mohammedans of India” to remove anti-British sentiment among Indian Muslims. He advised Muslims to abandon unnecessary hatred towards the British government and said that Muslim interests were secure and safe through cooperation with the British.
• On the other hand, he was able to convince the Britishers that Muslims were never anti-British and there is no mention of declaring a ‘religious war’ against the Britishers in Muslim scriptures. Even the Great Revolt of 1857 was not organized by Muslims, and if any Muslims participated in it, they did this only out of misconception. Needless to say, the steps taken by Syed Ahmad Khan to properly manage and make the Aligarh Movement a success were largely successful. However, looking at it, the British government extended their hand of cooperation to use Muslims against educated and politically knowledgeable Hindus.

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Impact of the Aligarh Movement on Islamic Society and Education

The influence of the Aligarh Movement not only impacted Muslim society but also made deep impressions in the field of education. Below are the social and educational impacts of this movement.

• The role of this movement and Syed Ahmad Khan in the revival of Muslim society and the spread of modernity was immense. He realized that without Western education, social reform, and the spread of modernity, the progress of Muslim society was impossible. Therefore, declaring ‘jihad’ against Muslim conservatism, he called upon Muslim society to embrace modern knowledge, science, and Western education.
• He said that the holy ‘Quran’ is the source of all knowledge and the only holy scripture for Muslims. Through this movement, he instructed not to follow traditional customs, ignorance, irrational social practices, superstitions, and all directives of society’s orthodox and misguided mullahs. According to him, any interpretation of religion that was against reason and science should be abandoned.
• To encourage both Muslim youth and common people to receive Western education and science education, he said that the holy Quran did not impose any prohibition against English and science education. Moreover, the area where this movement had the most social impact was the rapid spread of women’s freedom and women’s education in Muslim society. Through the Aligarh Movement, he protested against the purdah system, polygamy, and divorce of wives. He tried to strengthen Islam in the light of humanity and reason.
• To spread Western education among Muslims, he established an English school in Ghazipur in 1864. He also established the ‘Scientific Society’ at Ghazipur in 1864. The aim was to popularize science among Muslims and make them scientifically minded. Later, this scientific society was transferred to Aligarh. Under the initiative of the ‘Scientific Society,’ many important books on physics were translated into Urdu language. In 1866, the Aligarh Institute Gazette was published under the initiative of ‘The Aligarh Scientific Society.’ In 1870, he published an Urdu magazine called ‘Tehzeeb-Ul-Akhlaq’ to benefit Muslim society with his independent thinking and established an organization called “Committee for the Better Diffusion and Advancement of Learning among Muhammadans of India.”
• In 1875, he established the ‘Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College or Aligarh Anglo-Oriental College’ in Aligarh, which became Aligarh Muslim University in 1920. The current Viceroy of India, Lord Mayo (1869-1872 AD), provided much cooperation in establishing this college. Additionally, two Nawabs, Mohsin-Ul-Mulk and Waqar-Ul-Mulk, and famous scholar Nazir Ahmed and poet Altaf Hussain Hali, among other progressive Muslims, provided wholehearted cooperation. Lord Northbrook (1872-1876 AD) donated 10,000 rupees for the improvement of Aligarh College. In 1886, Syed Ahmad Khan organized an “All India Muhammadan Educational Conference.” The purpose of this organization was to promote the educational expansion program of the Aligarh movement. This way, he improved education through the Aligarh Movement.

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Role of Theodore Beck in Aligarh Movement

• Theodore Beck, the first principal of Aligarh College and a friend of Syed Ahmad Khan, played an important role in spreading the communal attitude of the Aligarh Movement. Under his leadership, Aligarh College became the center of various political propaganda activities. The college magazine ‘Aligarh Institute Gazette,’ edited by Ahmad Khan and Principal Theodore Beck, was used to propagate anti-Hindu, anti-Bengali, and anti-Congress sentiments.
• Through the joint initiative of Syed Ahmad Khan and Theodore Beck, the ‘United Indian Patriotic Association’ was established in Aligarh in 1888. It had Hindu members, and the purpose of this organization was to prove that the Indian National Congress was not solely a Hindu organization. In 1893, Syed Ahmad Khan, with Theodore Beck’s cooperation, established another organization called the ‘Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental Defense Association’ exclusively for Muslims. Protecting Muslim interests and strengthening British rule were the main objectives of this movement and the organizations formed around it. Therefore, after Syed Ahmad Khan’s death, the Aligarh Movement continued to be conducted according to these ideals.

Outcomes of the Aligarh Movement

As a result of the Aligarh Movement, the Muslim community became initiated by the mantras of self-confidence and self-reliance. The modern rational mentality was born instead of the religious orthodoxy of uneducated mullahs. As a result of this movement, many talented and meritorious students emerged from Muslim society.

Limitations of Aligarh Movement

• Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s reform movement was not particularly fruitful. The scope of the Aligarh Movement was limited. When orthodox Muslim clerics and mullahs opposed this reformist effort, all his attempts at religious and social reform failed. This Muslim reform movement could not influence the countless poor Muslims of India. The common poor and backward Muslims had no connection with this movement.
• The social foundation of this movement was mainly based on the interests of some landlords, wealthy, and upper-middle-class service holders. Therefore, millions of poor, oppressed Muslim farmers showed no enthusiasm for the Aligarh Movement. Moreover, this movement was limited to certain areas of Uttar Pradesh. It can be said that the Aligarh Movement did not influence Muslims in other parts of India. However, despite these limitations of the movement, the contribution of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and the Aligarh Movement in spreading Western education among Muslim society cannot be denied.

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