Khwaja Muhammad Yusuf
Encyclopedia
Khwaja Muhammad Yusuf was one of the top lawyer
s and landowners of Aligarh, a small but historically significant town in the ‘doab
’ region of the state of Uttar Pradesh
in northern India
. He was among the first Indian Muslims to understand the nature and gravity of the issues posed by contemporary European colonialism
. He was an Islamic liberal
who believed that modern, Western-style education was essential for the survival of Indian Muslims in the contemporary world.
His elder son Yahya died as a young man, but Khwaja Yusuf made sure that his other son, Abdul Majeed Khwaja
, got the best possible English education. Abdul Majeed went on to study at Christ's College Cambridge, University of Cambridge
, in England
. There he forged a close friendship with, among others, Jawaharlal Nehru
, the first Prime Minister of India
.
Jawaharlal's father, Motilal Nehru
, was a practicing lawyer at the Allahabad High Court
and a prominent and early advocate for India's freedom from British colonial rule. Motilal Nehru
and Khwaja Muhammad Yusuf had a close personal and professional relationship. Abdul Majeed Khwaja went onto play a significant role in India's struggle for freedom
from British colonial rule. He was a close and trusted confidant of Mahatma Gandhi
, India’s founding father. Abdul Majeed was also a founding member of the Jamia Millia Islamia
, which is now a full-fledged university. He died in 1962.
Khwaja Muhammad Yusuf was also very close to his relative and friend, Maulvi Samiullah Khan, a scion of the Muslim elite of Mughal
Delhi. Maulvi Samiullah was an accomplished oriental scholar and later District and Sessions Judge in Rae Bareilly, also in Uttar Pradesh
, India.
Both Khwaja Muhammad Yusuf and Maulvi Samiullah were early and influential supporters of Syed Ahmad Khan, the visionary founder of the Muhammadan Anglo Oriental College, which eventually (1920) became the famous Aligarh Muslim University
. Khwaja Muhammad Yusuf played an active role in the affairs of the Scientific Society formed by Syed Ahmad Khan to translate Western works into Urdu
. Khwaja Yusuf was a major donor to the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College Fund Committee.
His nephew, Khwaja Abdul Hamied
, an industrial chemist and ardent Indian freedom fighter, was the founder of CIPLA
(1935), the pre-eminent fully indigenous pharmaceutical company of modern India.
Khwaja Muhammad Yusuf died in 1902 and was buried in the family graveyard adjacent to the shrine of the Sufi
saint, Shah Jamal, on the outskirts of Aligarh.
http://www.archive.org/details/mylifebeingtheau031135mbp
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
s and landowners of Aligarh, a small but historically significant town in the ‘doab
Doab
A Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
’ region of the state of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
in northern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He was among the first Indian Muslims to understand the nature and gravity of the issues posed by contemporary European colonialism
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
. He was an Islamic liberal
Liberal movements within Islam
Progressive Muslims have produced a considerable body of liberal thought within Islam or "progressive Islam" ; but some consider progressive Islam and liberal Islam as two distinct movements)...
who believed that modern, Western-style education was essential for the survival of Indian Muslims in the contemporary world.
His elder son Yahya died as a young man, but Khwaja Yusuf made sure that his other son, Abdul Majeed Khwaja
Abdul Majeed Khwaja
Abdul Majeed Khwaja Indian lawyer, educationist, social reformer and freedom fighter, was born at Aligarh, a small but historically significant town in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh....
, got the best possible English education. Abdul Majeed went on to study at Christ's College Cambridge, University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. There he forged a close friendship with, among others, Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
, the first Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
.
Jawaharlal's father, Motilal Nehru
Motilal Nehru
Motilal Nehru was an early Indian independence activist and leader of the Indian National Congress, who remained Congress President twice, and...
, was a practicing lawyer at the Allahabad High Court
Allahabad High Court
The Allahabad High Court or the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad is a high court having jurisdiction over the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh since 1950...
and a prominent and early advocate for India's freedom from British colonial rule. Motilal Nehru
Motilal Nehru
Motilal Nehru was an early Indian independence activist and leader of the Indian National Congress, who remained Congress President twice, and...
and Khwaja Muhammad Yusuf had a close personal and professional relationship. Abdul Majeed Khwaja went onto play a significant role in India's struggle for freedom
Indian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
from British colonial rule. He was a close and trusted confidant of Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
, India’s founding father. Abdul Majeed was also a founding member of the Jamia Millia Islamia
Jamia Millia Islamia
Jamia Millia Islamia is an Indian Central University located in Delhi. It was established at Aligarh in United Provinces, India in 1920. It became a Central University by an act of the Indian Parliament in 1988...
, which is now a full-fledged university. He died in 1962.
Khwaja Muhammad Yusuf was also very close to his relative and friend, Maulvi Samiullah Khan, a scion of the Muslim elite of Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Delhi. Maulvi Samiullah was an accomplished oriental scholar and later District and Sessions Judge in Rae Bareilly, also in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, India.
Both Khwaja Muhammad Yusuf and Maulvi Samiullah were early and influential supporters of Syed Ahmad Khan, the visionary founder of the Muhammadan Anglo Oriental College, which eventually (1920) became the famous Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University ,is a residential academic university, established in 1875 by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan as Mohammedan Angelo-Oriental College and later granted the status of Central University by an Act of the Indian Parliament in 1920...
. Khwaja Muhammad Yusuf played an active role in the affairs of the Scientific Society formed by Syed Ahmad Khan to translate Western works into Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
. Khwaja Yusuf was a major donor to the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College Fund Committee.
His nephew, Khwaja Abdul Hamied
Khwaja Abdul Hamied
Dr. K. A. Hamied was a vehemently nationalist Indian Scientist who graduated from Allahabad University and held M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the Humboldt University of Berlin ; he was a disciple of M.K. Gandhi and former founder professor along with Dr. Zakir Husain of the Jamia Milia Islamia in...
, an industrial chemist and ardent Indian freedom fighter, was the founder of CIPLA
Cipla
Cipla Limited is a prominent Indian pharmaceutical company, best-known outside its home country for manufacturing low-cost anti-AIDS drugs for HIV-positive patients in developing countries...
(1935), the pre-eminent fully indigenous pharmaceutical company of modern India.
Khwaja Muhammad Yusuf died in 1902 and was buried in the family graveyard adjacent to the shrine of the Sufi
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
saint, Shah Jamal, on the outskirts of Aligarh.
External links
- http://www.JamalKhwaja.com
- Christ's College, Cambridge|Official Christ's College website
- My Life Being The Autobiography Of Nawab Server-Ul-Mulk Bahadur
http://www.archive.org/details/mylifebeingtheau031135mbp