Kerala governor releases collection of Sir Syed’s work
He congratulated AMU vice chancellor prof Tariq Mansoor and Sir Syed Academy for publication of “Maqalat-e-Sir Syed” and other writings of Sir Syed, for benefit of readers.
Governor of Kerala Arif Mohammad Khan released four volumes of the collected works of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, the founder of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), at India Islamic Cultural Centre, New Delhi on Friday.
“Sir Syed was a brilliant thinker, a foresighted leader and a man of action. His writings have the potential to take us out of inertia and generate institution-building minds,” said the governor.
He congratulated AMU vice chancellor prof Tariq Mansoor and Sir Syed Academy for publication of “Maqalat-e-Sir Syed” and other writings of Sir Syed, for benefit of readers.
He said that Sir Syed started his reformist and educational movement in an era when English and modern education were considered bad by a large section of the Indian population.
He said, “Sir Syed had a great understanding of the Quran and he emphasised on obtaining modern education. He preferred reason and rationalism over passion and emotion”.
The governor further said Sir Syed called geography the basis of the concept of ‘nation’ and emphasized on living in harmony with people of all religions.
AMU vice-chancellor prof Tariq Mansoor said Sir Syed had a multi-faceted personality who wrote on diverse topics. “We have provided all support to Sir Syed Academy for the publication and promotion of Sir Syed’s writings, and any further suggestion will be seriously considered”.
The vice chancellor informed that Sir Syed Academy has published more than 35 books since the bicentenary celebrations of Sir Ahmad Khan. “Digitization of 100,000 pages out of 1.25 lakh pages has been done by the Sir Syed Academy, and the remaining pages are also expected to be completed in the next three months,” the VC said. The vice chancellor also informed that a proposal to set up Sir Syed Chair has been submitted to the University Grants Commission.
Earlier, in his keynote address, professor Saud Alam Qasmi (dean, faculty of theology, AMU) said that Sir Syed started writing from an early age and his passion for writing never diminished.
Delivering the welcome address, professor Ali Mohammad Naqvi (director, Sir Syed academy) said, “rationalism, scientism, freedom and liberalism, and non-violence are the four prominent features of Sir Syed’s thought.”
Dr Mohammad Shahid (deputy director, Sir Syed Academy) proposed the vote of thanks and also described the future publication plans of Sir Syed Academy.
