e-Makalat Mezhep Araştırmaları Dergisi

Abstract

This study examines the political leanings of Sayyid Ahmad Khan (d. 1898), the founding figure of the Aligarh Movement, a prominent contemporary Islamic movement and pioneer of modernist religious thought among Indians. Sayyid Ahmad Khan was a prominent figure among Muslims in colonial India, particularly in light of his political identity. In the existing literature on the subject, he is often characterized as a patriot or nationalist. However, his political trajectory, which became increasingly aligned with the British colonial administration in India, and his departure from the prevailing sense of social belonging among Indian Muslims of his time, prompt the question of whether his political ideology can be considered genuinely nationalist. The role of religion in his political thought is evidenced by the prominence of concepts such as the Caliphate and the Ummah in the debates surrounding his legacy. This suggests that his political inclinations exerted a significant influence on the development of his religious views. Furthermore, the political direction he sought to instill in Indian Muslims appears to have gradually evolved into a nationalist vision with narrower boundaries. This development is also linked to the British colonial policy of "divide and rule" (Divide et Impera) on the subcontinent. In this context, the research aims to explore the nature of the nationalist vision associated with Sayyid Ahmad Khan and the political stance he sought to consolidate among Indian Muslims. This research will be set in the context of the British policy of "divide and rule" in India, using a methodology that links ideas to historical events.