Sir Syed Ahmed’s ideal

IN his speech at the Aligarh University on Monday, the Viceroy gave a picturesque and on the whole correct exposition of Sir Syed Ahmed’s ideal, both as a Mussalman and an Indian. After pointing out that his immediate ambition was to educate and advance his own community to take an honoured place worthy of their past tradition and history in India, His Excellency said: “Behind and in front of his immediate object was the conception that India could only become great and honoured if all the communities united to work for her welfare. He saw his community shining as a separate star of remarkable purity and brilliance, which would notably add to its brilliance and power if it formed, with other stars each contributing their quota of light and beauty, a great stellar system illuminating the world’s firmament with the rays of civilisation and progress. His vision pierced the mists of the future, and he saw an India where his own important community stood side by side with other leading communities working in harmony with all classes and creeds for a united India, for a greater India, for an India strong in her own strength and stronger by her connection with and part in the powerful British Empire.” This is at once the explanation of Sir Syed’s famous insistence upon the necessity of his community holding aloof from the Congress in its early stages, and his equally famous saying about the Hindus and Muslims to grow strong before they joined the more advanced communities in the task of national regeneration.