The Philosophy of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan of Reli...

The Philosophy of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan of Religious Tolerance, Communal Harmony, Multiculturalism & National Unity

Author Name : Muhammad Azeemuddin

ABSTRACT

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1898-1817) is a great and historical figure of the Indian subcontinent, whose fans and critics have no shortage. He is criticized by both rights and left groups based on ideological ignorance or misunderstanding. On the one hand, he had rational religious views, which were very different from the traditional pictures of Islam, and for that reasons, a large section of Muslims deny that he was a true Muslim. On the other hand, some people present him as a strict Muslim and a Two Nation Theory founder. Thus, he wholly ignores all his literary, educational, and social reform work. However, the reality is the opposite because Sir Syed never preached conservatism in religious, social, educational, institutional, and literary matters. His whole life was a true manifestation of the principles of peace, tranquility, brotherhood, and religious tolerance of all humanity. He believes in the unity of all religious followers and communal harmony so that all sections of society can work together and strive for free development. He often emphasized Hindu-Muslim unity through his writing, literature, organizational work, and movement. When religious extremism and fundamentalism are on the rise all over the world with India, we need to re-read Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, who himself was a symbol of sectarian harmony and sectarianism. Moreover, he was a staunch opponent of sectarianism. The purpose of this article is to highlight Sir Syed's philosophy of religious tolerance, sectarian harmony, and multiculturalism.