Lecture on Sir Syed’s legacy organized to mark his birth anniversary

ALIGARH : “Sir Syed was a turning point for the independence of India and it was he who first documented the causes of the first battle for the freedom of the country in 1857 and after, and lighted the fire in the hearts of those who carried the baton of freedom and shed their lives on this path.”

This was said by Dr Moidur Rahman (Department of Urdu) while delivering a lecture on “Sir Syed and his legacy” at the Centre of Continuing and Adult Education and Extension (CCAEE), Aligarh Muslim University. The lecture was organized as a part of celebrations marking the birth anniversary of the University’s founder, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan.

While discussing Sir Syed’s stress on the use of logic and rationality in the interpretation of Quran and Hadith, Dr Rahman pointed out that Sir Syed believed there was no distinction between religion and science, rather they were complementary to each other and were necessary for leading a life on rational foundations.

He said that Sir Syed was a Mujtahid who founded the structure of his beliefs on the basis of wisdom, reason and logic, and never compromised with it for traditions, customs and ideas prevalent in his time. He swam deep across the knowledge system of East and West and deduced that the only way ahead for unchallengeable progress was to get acquainted with modern science and technology and compete with the developed societies that rule the world.

Dr Rahman urged the students to imbibe the very core of Sir Syed’s thought which is marked with self-respect, self-reliance and self-help, and tread the path of their career in a self-righteous manner.

Earlier, Dr Shamim Akhtar, Director of the centre, welcomed the guest speaker and later he extended the vote of thanks.