4.2.1 ALIGARH MOVEMENT OBJECTIVES IN EDUCATION

If we go through the speeches made by and writings of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, the following objectives of the Aligrah Movement come to light, namely:

I) To prepare Muslims learn English and Science

To do away with the hatred the Muslims generally harboured for the British and to prepare them for learning English and the modern European sciences. In one of his speeches, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan stressed the need for combining the crescent and the cross.

II) To enable Muslims to face realities

To enable the Muslims to be prepared to live with the bitter realities of life rather than continuing to boost about their glorious past.

III) To benefit facilities of Science and Technology

To enable them to benefit from the modern facilities and comforts being available due to western science and technology.

IV) To develop scientific outlook

To develop among the Muslims a scientific outlook with a view to exterminating superstitions to which they had been a victim since long.

V) To preserve national identity

To raise the level of consciousness among the Muslims to enable them to safeguard and preserve their national identity.

VI) To revive the spirit of ljtehad

To revive among the Muslims the spirit of authoritative interpretation (Etihad) to enable them to harmonize religious education with the modern issues of practical life.

VII) To introduce western life style of living

To introduce and then popularise among the Muslims the western style of living by relinquishing the outmoded and useless customs and rituals being practice by them since ages.

In short, in Sir Syed's Own words the aim of his educational movement was that philosophy would be in our right hand while the natural sciences would be on the left and the Muslims creed (Kalima) in form of testimony would rest on the heads as the crown.