SyedAmeerAli

8/7/2019 SyedAmeerAli

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SYED AMEER ALI

(18491928)

Presented by

Nor Adriena Amiz Abdul Mutalib

Nooriimah Ahmad Termizi

Naheed Azhari

Nik Liyana Fathi

Edited by

Dr. Md. Mahmudul Hasan

International Islamic University Malaysia

2010


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Biography

Political and Social Reform

Syed Ameer Alis The Spirit Of Islam


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Syed Ameer Ali was born in Orissa on 6 April 1849. He is the fourth of five sons of

Syed Saadat Ali. He was a great Indian Muslim jurist of Bengali descent,

political leader, and author of a number of influential books on Muslim history

and the modern development of Islam. He made enormous contributions to

the Law of India, particularly Muslim Personal Law, as well as the development

of Islamic political philosophy. Also, he was a signatory to the 1906 Quran

Petition and founding-member of the All India Muslim League, and was a

contemporary of Muhammad Iqbal.

Syed Ameer Ali traced his lineage through the eighth Imam, Ali Al-Raza, to

Muhammad. His forefathers are known to have held office under Shah Abbas

II of Persia and taken part in Nadir Shah's arrival in India. His ancestors finally

settled in the subcontinent. When his grandfather died, his father was broughtup and educated by his maternal uncle. His father eventually moved to

Calcutta with his family. Ameer Alis family took advantage of the educational

facilities provided during the British colonial period.


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Early education

Syed Ameer Ali was brought up in a religious atmosphere. At a time

when many Muslim families were reluctant to make use of British

government educational facilities, Syed Saadat Ali, who had many English

friends, took advantage of the new opportunities for his sons. So, since

childhood, Ameer Ali had read a good deal of English Literature. He had his

schooling in the Hoogly College. With the assistance of his British teachers

and supported by several competitive scholarships, he achieved

outstanding examination results, graduating from Calcutta University in1867. He obtained MA with Honours in History and the LLB in 1869. He then

began legal practice in Calcutta. By this point he was already one of the few

outstanding Muslim achievers of his generation.

Influences

Principal Mr. Robert Thwaytes (his teacher) and Syed Karamat Ali (a

esteemed Muslim personality) are the two great men who influenced him a

lot in his education and works.


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Higher education in England

He lived in London between 1869 and 1873 and made contacts with the elite of

the city. He had contacts with almost all the administrators concerned with India andwith leading English liberals such as John Bright and the Fewcetts, Henry (18311898)

and his wife, Millicent Fawcett (1847-1929). In 1873, he resumed his legal practice at

Calcutta High Court on his return to India. The year after, he was elected a Fellow of

Calcutta University and appointed a Lecturer in Islamic Law at the Presidency College. In

1878, he was appointed a member of the Bengal Legislative Council.

In 1880, he revisited England for one year. In 1883, he was nominated to the

membership of the Governor General Council. In 1881, he became a Professor of Law at

Calcutta University. In 1890, he became a judge in the Calcutta High Court. In 1877, he

founded the National Muhamedan Association in Calcutta. The Association played an

important role in the modernisation of Muslims and in creating a political consciousness

among them. Then, in 1908, he established the London Muslim League, an independent

body and not a branch of All India Muslim League. In 1909, he became the first Indianto sit as a member of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and became entitled

to be addressed as The Rt Hon. In 1910, he established the first masjid in London. In

doing so he formally co-established the London Mosque Fund, alongside a group of

prominent British Muslims, to finance the building of a masjid in London. In 1904, he

retired and decided to settle down in England. He died in Sussex on August 4, 1928.


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Political Ideas & Social Reform

He was a prodigious writer.

His writings at that time stressed the need for Muslims to

come to terms with some of the changes caused by

colonization and Westernization.

He fought to save the Muslim community from social

evils.

He was deeply involved in numerous political and social

reform activities. He discussed the problems of IndianMuslims with the Secretary of State for India.

He provided solutions to political problems confronting

Muslims in India at that time.


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He urged Muslims to organize themselves

educationally to regain their rightful place in

India. He regarded education as the key toachieve that.

He called upon his followers to devote theirenergy and attention to popularizing English

education among Muslims.

He contributed to the Aligarh Movement.


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Aligarh Movement

It was led by Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan.

It was aimed to educate the Muslims of the

Indian subcontinent after the foiled and first

war of independence of 1857.

Its most significant achievement was the

establishment of Muhammedan Anglo-

Oriental College in Aligarh, which later

became Aligarh Muslim University.


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Ameer Ali served the interests of Indian

Muslim morally and materially.

He formed the National Mohammedan

Association to combat the educational

backwardness of the Muslim community.

He quotes the Quran and Hadith in Chapter XI

of the Spirit of Islam to establish theimportance of education in Islam.


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Feminist

He emphatically talks about the need for social change,particularly concerning the position of women.

He rejects the idea of purdah that relegates women to the

four walls of the house.

According to him, the purdah system crippled the Muslim

community as it prevented well-educated women from

contributing to society.


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He wanted Muslim women to embrace westerneducation.

He was different from Sayyid Ahmad Khan whoworked for mens education only.

Similarities between Syed Ameer Ali & RokeyaSakhawat Hossain:

Both struggled to establish womens rightthrough the Islamic framework.

Both were against the strict Indian purdah.

Both highlighted the importance of education forMuslim women.


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Memoirs and Other Writings of

Syed Ameer Ali

Edited by Syed Razi Wasti

Delhi, 1968


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He was versatile both in writing and speech

[but]much of what he wrote has been unknownor unavailable.

This publication is an attempt to collect his worksfor the general reader.

It consists of TWO volumes:

I. Memoirs, articles, and letters to The Timesmostlyon socio-political problems of contemporary Indiaduring his time.

II. His writings on Islam, Islamic History and Islamicculture.


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Syed Ameer Ali: An Outstanding South

Asian Writer in English

His wonderful command of English renderedhim a formidable opponent, while his keenperception made him quickly see the gaps in

his adversarys armor. He argued like apracticed fencer wielding a light and elegantrapier against the clumsy blows of a heavybroadsword. He was rarely betrayed into

sarcasm.

Ernest H. Griffin


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The Unrest in IndiaIts Meaning

Nationalism vs. foreign domination.

The English influences (through language,education, facilities, etc.) create solidarityamongst sections indirectly.

The English language in India has become thelanguage of modern democracy to those keenon English education and influences.


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Quotes

What is needed is a consistent policy based on a trueunderstanding of the causes of the unrest.

Every miserable fool who has nothing at all of which he canbe proud, adopts as a last resource in the nation to which

he belongs.

Strong nationalistic feeling [if] wisely directed, mightbecome great means to the people.

We know that when justice is on the alert, the mischief-maker lies low; the moment its watchfulness is relaxed, his

machinations begin again.


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Personal Views

Every nation faces the time where nationalismis the means to predicament and unrest.

Nationalism can be negative or positive basedon the way government directs it, the samegoes with foreign influences.

Justice and good conduct are the basis ofpolitical and social solidarity.


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Part One

The life of the Prophet Muhammad

Chapter 1: The Life and Ministry of the Prophet

Chapter 2: The Hegira

Chapter 3: The Prophet as Medina

Chapter 4: Hostility of the Koreish and the JewsChapter 5: The Invasion of Medina

Chapter 6: The Prophets Clemency

Chapter 7: The Diffusion of the Faith

Chapter 8: The Year of DeputationsChapter 9: Fulfillment of the Prophets Work

Chapter 10: The Apostolical Succession


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Part TwoDifferent aspects of Islam

Chapter 1: The Ideal of Islam

Chapter 2: The Religious Spirit of Islam

Chapter 3: The Idea of Future Life In Islam

Chapter 4: The Church Militant of IslamChapter 5: The Status of Women in Islam

Chapter 6: Bondage in Islam

Chapter 7: The Political Spirit of Islam

Chapter 8: The Political Divisions and Schisms of Islam

Chapter 9: The Literary and Scientific Spirit of Islam

Chapter 10: The Rationalistic and Philosophical Spirit of Islam

Chapter 11: Idealistic and Mystical Spirit in Islam


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Introduction

Bactria was the original place of the human race. The people migrated to other places due to

overcrowding.

New races were formed as a result of

amalgamation of different tribes.

People in Arabia worshipped idols, and that led to

the need of religion.

The arrival of Muhammad (s.a.w.) was a necessityof religious development. He was sent down to all

humankind.


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The Status of Women in Islam

1. Polygamy

Hindus (earliest times), ancient Medes, Babylonians,Assyrians, Persians, Israelites supported polygyny.Israelites also practised polygamy before the time of Moses. There was no limit in number of wives but in latertimes, the Talmud of Jerusalem restricted the number of

wives, granted that the husband is able to maintain thewives properly. As for Persians, religion offered a premiumon the plurality of wives. Athenians considered the wivesas mere chattel. They can be sold and transferred toothers. The men are allowed to have as many wives they

want. The Spartans however were not allowed to havemore than one wife unless they were under specialcircumstances. Etruscans considered polygamy as aprivileged custom.


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This was the same case for the Romans. There was nolimitation of number of wives. Even some priestsmarried and some were engaged in pre-marital sex.

There was no concrete evidence saying that Jesusexplicitly forbade polygamy. The greatest and mostreprehensible mistake committed by Christian writersis to suppose that Muhammad either adopted orlegalised polygamy. Muhammad found polygamy

practiced, not only among his own people, but amongthe neighbouring countries. He then reformedinstitutions that improved the status of women[].Polyandry however was practiced by the half Jewish,half Sabean tribes of Yemen. The Prophet Muhammad

had great respect for women. He prohibitedconditional marriages and at first tacitly allowedtemporary marriage and later prohibited it after 3rd

year of Hijrah.


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2. Prophets marriages

The Prophet married a number of women and

seven of them were Khadijah, whom he

married at the age of twenty-five, Aishah

(daughter of Abu Bakar), Hafsa, Zainab,

Juwairiya, Safiya and Maimunah. Some ofthem were held captives and prompted

Rasullulah to marry them[]. Most

importantly, he married them to unite the

warring tribes and bring them to harmony.


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3. Divorce

Women had no rights to demand a divorce whereas

men could do as they liked. Women were

considered mere chattels and could be sold by

their fathers or husbands. In Roman times, a man

could sentence his wife to death in case of poisoning, drinking and substitution of a spurious

child. The Prophet was not agreeable with this.

He permitted to divorced parties 3 distinct and

separate periods where they might reconcile. Healso gave women the rights of obtaining a

separation on reasonable grounds.


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4. Womens personhood

Syed Ameer Ali suggests that women should beentitled to inherit along with her brothers. A

woman should not be married without her

consent and after marriage, she is still entitled

as an individual. There should also be ante-nuptual agreement. A husband is not entitled

to his wifes property or possessions. A wife

should be allowed to sue her debtors in opencourt without having to use her husbands

name.


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The Literary and Scientific Spirit of Islam

Islam had produced many scholars in the field of astrology,

mathematics, architecture, sciences, medicine and many more.Baghdad was the cradle of education and many Christian people

went to study in Islamic institutions. They were in Baghdad, Cairo and

Spain. Spain had received a lot of contributions from the Muslims in

terms of culture, food and facilities. Islamic architecture can be seen

in Seville, Toledo, Cordova, Granada and Murcia. They had receivedplants and vegetations like ginger, saffron and myrrh. They were also

introduced to staples like rice, sugar and fruits. Apart from that, the

Muslims managed to establish culture of silk, the manufacturing of

paper and other textile of fabrics, porcelain, earthenware, iron, steel

and leather. Music was confined to the slaves of both sexes importedfrom Syria and Persia but later under the Abbasides and the Spanish

Arab kings, music was prominent to the rank of science and

recognized as a form of art.

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