How Sir Syed collected funds for his AMU dream

In 1920, 2 decades aft Sir Syed’s decease connected March 27, 1898, MAO College would go Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). Over a period later, connected November 8 this year, the Supreme Court underlined that the determination of the “minority character” of an instauration is not a rigid conception and, successful a constrictive 4-3 bulk verdict, overruled its 1967 ruling that had held that AMU was not a number institution.

The assemblage traces its root to the founding of the Madrasatul Uloom successful Aligarh by Sir Syed connected May 24, 1875. On January 7, 1877, the Madrasatul Uloom became MAO College. Then, aft the AMU Act was passed successful 1920, astir 4 decades later, MAO College got its existent name.

MAO College’s travel to becoming AMU was realised owed to Sir Syed adopting a multitude of ways to cod funds for his vision. MAO College was patterned connected the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, which Sir Syed had visited successful Britain. His nonsubjective was to physique a assemblage successful enactment with the British acquisition strategy — but without compromising connected Islamic values.

While Sir Syed had a “dream” and a “team of dedicated friends and well-wishers to assistance him successful this mammoth exercise”, helium had “no money”, Jahan-e-Syed states. The book’s section connected fundraising for MAO College states that “he ran from pillar to station to rise funds for gathering MAO College. He met nobles and aristocrats, Rajas and Nawabs, and mean men and women connected the thoroughfare to make resources for the college”.

As per a java array publication published by AMU successful 2020, its centenary year, Sir Syed collected funds though each imaginable means and methods — donations, lotteries, and merchantability of pictures and books, among others. “In the Aligarh Exhibition, an yearly feature, helium acceptable up a publication stall and sold books. He adjacent enactment connected a beggar’s jholi and begged for money,” says the book.

Rahat Abrar, a retired AMU prof and the erstwhile manager of the Urdu Academy, says Sir Syed devoted his full beingness to ensuring acquisition for the Muslim community.

“He recovered innovative ways to cod money. Instead of seeking funds from the government, helium wanted to cod wealth from the people. In 1875, helium announced that those who gave Rs 25 would person their names written connected the bound partition of the Madrasatul Uloom (which aboriginal became MAO College and past AMU). Similarly, the names of donors who gave Rs 300 were written connected the partition of a schoolroom oregon hostel. The names of those who contributed Rs 500 were written connected the partition of the Central Hall (later the Strachey Hall). Till date, 285 names are written connected AMU’s bound walls,” Prof Abrar tells The Indian Express.

In 1891, helium says, Sir Syed talented Mir Mahboob Ali Khan, the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad, a painting. “The Nizam bought the coating for a handsome amount. That wealth excessively went for the operation of the college,” Prof Abrar says.

Sir Syed had a fewer much aces up his sleeves. “When helium travelled crossed the state to cod funds for MAO College, helium would garbage to devour feasts prepared by his patrons. He would accidental that alternatively of feeding him, the wealth should beryllium donated to MAO College,” says Prof Abrar.

AMU’s 2020 java array publication mentions the lengths that Sir Syed went to successful bid to cod wealth for the college. “It became his signifier that connected each juncture of household festivities and ceremonies, helium donated the wealth which helium would person spent connected the feasts, to the assemblage fund. It is absorbing to enactment that helium did not springiness a walima (reception) enactment connected the juncture of the matrimony of his lad Justice Sayyid Mahmood; alternatively contributed Rs. 500 to the assemblage fund,” the publication states.

Sir Syed’s lad studied instrumentality successful England connected a scholarship. An author, Mahmood excessively dedicated his beingness to the origin of Muslim education. Mahmood, who died connected May 8, 1903, would spell connected to go a justice successful the tribunal successful the North-Western Provinces (now the Allahabad High Court).

A money named “Sir Syed Fund” was started aft Sir Syed’s decease successful 1898, says Prof Abrar. In 1920, the British authorities demanded Rs 30 lakh to crook MAO College into a university. A committee headed by Sir Agha Khan, nether the aegis of the Aligarh Movement, continued to cod funds from radical from antithetic walks of life. “While astir of the funds were provided by the Muslim community, Hindus excessively came guardant to donate for the cause…the names of respective Hindu rulers are inactive written wrong the AMU premises. The sum of Rs 30 lakh was paid to the authorities and AMU came into beingness done the AMU Act, 1920,” says Prof Abrar.