Syed Ameer Ali Hall,University of Rajshahi,Bangladesh.

About Syed Ameer Ali


Born :1849

Died :1928

Era :Modern era

Region :Muslim scholar in British India

Notable ideas: The Spirit of Islam,



Syed Ameer Ali is the sprit of Islam. He was a prominent political leader, and author of a number of influential books on Muslim history and the modern development of Islam, who is credited for his contributions to the Law of India, particularly Muslim Personal Law, as well as the development of political philosophy for Muslims, during the British Raj. He was a signatory to the 1906 Quran Petition and founding-member of the All India Muslim League.


His personal beliefs:

Syed believed that the Muslims as a downtrodden nation could get more benefit from the loyalty to the British rather than from any opposition to them. For this reason he called upon his followers to devote their energy and attention to popularizing English education among the Muslims. This perception and consequent activism have been known as the Aligarh Movement .Referring to the concept of progressive social laws Syed Ameer Ali wrote:
"each age has its own standard. What is suited for one time is not suited for the other" Opinions of the man
David Samuel Margoliouth in the preface of his book Mohammed and the Rise of Islam wrote:
"The charming and eloquent treatise of Syed Ameer Ali, The Spirit of Islam, is probably the best achievement in the way of an apology for Mohammed that is ever likely to be composed in a European language"
A comparison was made between Mahadev Gobind Ranade and Syed Ameer Ali, who both held similar positions economically and socially. However historian Yasser Latif Hamdani commented:
"Syed Ameer Ali’s impact, though profound on the Turks, has been marginal on the Muslims of South Asia."
In 2005 he was listed in the list of the top 100 great Muslim leaders of the twentieth century under the category of ulema and jurists.



Books:

• The Personal Law of Muhammedans (1880)
• The Spirit of Islam (1891)
• Ethics of Islam (1893)
• Islam (1906)
• The Legal Position of Women in Islam (1912)
• A Short History of Saracens (1898)