Allama Iqbal Open University Level BS Code#9352 Ideological Foundations of Pakistan. Q#1:How did Sir Syed Ahmad Khan manage to convince Muslim to obtain western education?what were the main postulate of his argument Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1817–1898) emerged as the primary architect of Muslim modernization in India following the 1857 War of Independence. At a time when the Muslim community was deeply suspicious of the British and retreated into isolationism, Sir Syed recognized that survival depended on a radical shift in mindset. How He Convinced the Muslim Community Sir Syed utilized a multifaceted approach to break the barrier of resistance against "infidel" (Western) education: • Practical Demonstration: Instead of just debating, he established the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental (MAO) College in 1875 (now Aligarh Muslim University). By creating a curriculum that combined modern sciences with Islamic theology, he proved that a Muslim could learn English and science without losing their faith. • Vernacular Accessibility: He founded the Scientific Society in 1864 to translate Western scientific and historical works into Urdu. This demystified Western knowledge, making it appear as a tool for progress rather than a religious threat. • Media and Reform: Through his journal, Tahdhib-ul-Akhlaq, he challenged the conservative clergy (Ulema). He used the journal to criticize stagnant social customs and advocate for a "New Life" based on intellectual inquiry. • The Educational Conference: He established the All India Muhammadan Educational Conference in 1886, which served as a mobile platform, taking the message of educational reform to every corner of the Indian subcontinent. Main Postulates of His Argument Sir Syed’s arguments were built on logic, theology, and political pragmatism: 1. The Unity of Truth (Science and Religion) His most famous postulate was that there is no contradiction between the "Word of God" (The Quran) and the "Work of God" (Nature/Science). He argued that since God created both, they could not be in conflict. Therefore, studying science was actually a way of understanding God’s creation. 2. Ijtihad (Rational Interpretation) He argued that Muslims must exercise Ijtihad (independent reasoning) rather than blindly following centuries-old interpretations (Taqlid). He posited that Islam is a rational religion that encourages the pursuit of knowledge, wherever it may come from. 3. Economic and Social Survival Sir Syed argued that the British were the new masters of India, and their language (English) was the language of administration. If Muslims did not learn it, they would be excluded from government jobs and relegated to a permanent, impoverished underclass. 4. Political Empowerment He believed that political rights would be meaningless for an uneducated community. He argued that Muslims must first achieve educational parity with the Hindu majority to be able to compete fairly in a future democratic or representative system. 5. Reconcil

1. Allama Iqbal Open University
Level BS Code#9352
Ideological Foundations of Pakistan.
Q#1:How did Sir Syed Ahmad Khan manage to
convince Muslim to obtain western education?
what were the main postulate of his argument
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1817–1898) emerged as the
primary architect of Muslim modernization in India
following the 1857 War of Independence. At a time
when the Muslim community was deeply suspicious of
the British and retreated into isolationism, Sir Syed
recognized that survival depended on a radical shift in
mindset.

2. How He Convinced the Muslim Community
Sir Syed utilized a multifaceted approach to break the
barrier of resistance against "infidel" (Western)
education:
 Practical Demonstration: Instead of just debating,
he established the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental
(MAO) College in 1875 (now Aligarh Muslim
University). By creating a curriculum that
combined modern sciences with Islamic theology,
he proved that a Muslim could learn English and
science without losing their faith.
 Vernacular Accessibility: He founded the Scientific
Society in 1864 to translate Western scientific and
historical works into Urdu. This demystified
Western knowledge, making it appear as a tool for
progress rather than a religious threat.
 Media and Reform: Through his journal, Tahdhib-
ul-Akhlaq, he challenged the conservative clergy
(Ulema). He used the journal to criticize stagnant
social customs and advocate for a "New Life" based
on intellectual inquiry.

3.  The Educational Conference: He established the All
India Muhammadan Educational Conference in
1886, which served as a mobile platform, taking the
message of educational reform to every corner of
the Indian subcontinent.
Main Postulates of His Argument
Sir Syed’s arguments were built on logic, theology, and
political pragmatism:
1. The Unity of Truth (Science and Religion)
His most famous postulate was that there is no
contradiction between the "Word of God" (The Quran)
and the "Work of God" (Nature/Science). He argued
that since God created both, they could not be in
conflict. Therefore, studying science was actually a way
of understanding God’s creation.
2. Ijtihad (Rational Interpretation)
He argued that Muslims must
exercise Ijtihad (independent reasoning) rather than
blindly following centuries-old interpretations (Taqlid).
He posited that Islam is a rational religion that
encourages the pursuit of knowledge, wherever it may
come from.

4. 3. Economic and Social Survival
Sir Syed argued that the British were the new masters
of India, and their language (English) was the language
of administration. If Muslims did not learn it, they
would be excluded from government jobs and relegated
to a permanent, impoverished underclass.
4. Political Empowerment
He believed that political rights would be meaningless
for an uneducated community. He argued that Muslims
must first achieve educational parity with the Hindu
majority to be able to compete fairly in a future
democratic or representative system.
5. Reconciliation with the British
He sought to dispel the British perception that Muslims
were inherently rebellious. By obtaining Western
education, Muslims could bridge the cultural gap,
remove British mistrust, and regain their lost social
status.
Conclusion
Sir Syed’s "Aligarh Movement" successfully shifted the
Muslim trajectory from nostalgic mourning of the

5. Mughal past to a pragmatic embrace of the future. His
efforts ensured that the Muslim community produced a
new class of leaders, thinkers, and professionals who
would eventually lead the movement for a separate
state.