A MOHAMMEDAN UNIVERSITY
“_1st January, 1884._
“To-day our visitors were:
“Mohammed Yusuf, a Member of Council, to whom I broached my idea
of a university, but he is of the worldly school, and says he
would rather have his sons educated at the Presidency College. He
dresses, however, becomingly, in dark clothes, and with a gilt
crown on his head.
“A Sheykh from Yemen came next, who brought a letter of
introduction from Arabi, whom he had visited in Ceylon. He talked
about the Mahdi, and told us that all the Arabs in Yemen and in
Hejaz would join him if he crossed the Red Sea. They were weary
of the Turks. The Mahdi had already a Wazir in Yemen, who was
gathering adherents to the great terror of the Ottoman Mushir.
The Turks had lately inveigled the Harb chiefs into Mecca, and
imprisoned them, which was the cause of the confusion in the
country. Midhat was still a prisoner at Taïf. The old man himself
evidently believed in the Mahdi, and explained to us how all the
signs and prophecies had been fulfilled about him. He was delighted
when I said ‘Allah yensoru’; and when he went away I observed that
Mohammed Yusuf, in spite of his English education, reverently
kissed his hand.
“Five friends of Jemal-ed-Din called to express their sympathy
with ‘The Future of Islam.’ They are all young men, students and
enthusiasts, hating England, I am afraid, with all their hearts.
They are readers of ‘Abu Nadara,’ and they told me the address
of the Ceylon Mohammedans had been printed in the last number.
I showed them Sanua’s last letter to me, which interested them
greatly, especially the page in Arabic he had added for Sabunji,
whom they also know in connection with the ‘Bee.’ What, however,
pleased them still better was Arabi’s letter, which some of them
devoutly kissed. Only one could speak English, but they all had
liberal ideas about religion, in fact Jemal-ed-Din’s. These young
students talk with the greatest boldness on all subjects, and I
like them for it.
“Old Mukerji also came, with a great granddaughter, a lovely little
girl with a skin like stained ivory, and lips of coral, and eyes
with the purest white and the brightest black. These Mukerjis are a
family of the highest caste in Bengal.
“Dined at Dr. Hörnli’s to meet some twenty Mohammedans. I am to
speak my ideas on education in India, to-morrow, at the Anjuman i
Islam meeting. It is certainly an experiment, but I know what I
have to say, and, I think, also how to say it.
“_2nd Jan._--Akbar Huseyn called to talk over his translation
of ‘The Future of Islam.’ He is quite satisfied with the new
preface, which I gave him yesterday, but will leave out some of the
passages referring personally to Sultan Abd-el-Hamid. This, I hope,
will satisfy all parties; and the book, to do good, must not be
condemned as unorthodox. It has, however, he tells me, already done
individual good, and he cited the instance of two of his friends
who had been much affected by it, one of them to the extent of
inducing him to abandon atheistic ideas and resume the practices
of religion. This is most satisfactory; he says that he is sure it
will be universally read in its Urdu form. I told him in return of
my intention of visiting Constantinople, and trying to induce the
Sultan to take up the idea of a Pan-Islamic Synod. We both agreed
that, after the defeat in Egypt, Islam could not afford to wait for
a more legitimate Caliph. What is especially gratifying in all this
is that those who are bringing out the translation are members of
the old school, not of the new. By the new school its ideas were
sure to be accepted, but I hardly expected the other to go so far.
We talked also of the Mahdi and his claims. They would all like to
believe in him, but the opinion here is that ‘the only real test of
his mission is its success.’
“Ferid-ed-Din also came, introducing the Nawab Rajah Amir Hassan,
the leading personage of Lucknow. He invited us to come and stay
with him there; and I do not feel quite sure whether this is to be
as representing Prince Suleyman Kadur or not. He did not talk very
good English, however; so there is doubt.
“This constant talking and writing is beginning to affect my
nerves, and we went out earlier than usual for a drive, calling
on the Princes Jehan Kadur and Suleyman Kadur. The first lives
with his uncle, the King of Oude, in Garden Reach, but he was out.
The second has taken a house in the Circular Road. We took him,
I expect, by surprise, for we found him in his shirt sleeves, in
which state he entertained us. He seems an amiable, good man,
but as he talks no English, and there was no interpreter, our
conversation was in dumb show.
“Then we went to the Exhibition, where we met old Siva Prasad,
and had a long conversation with him. Though he begins by the
proposition that he entirely approves the administrative system
of the British Government, in practice he complains of nearly
everything which other people complain of. He says they don’t
understand the people’s wants, that they overtax them, and are
perpetually raising the assessment. He holds land under them, and
says it is impossible so much as to dig a well without the rent
being raised. Reduced to its simplicity his argument is purely an
historical one--namely, that India was worse off in the matter of
peace and order before they came. ‘For the sake of this,’ he said,
‘let them strip us to the skin. So long as body and soul hold
together, and we have a rag to our loins, we will be thankful,
only we would ask some permanence in their revenue demands--fifty
per cent., eighty per cent., ninety per cent. if they will--but
not always an increase for every improvement we make.’ He then
described the action of the assessment officers, just as others
have done. Yet, for his English views and anti-National attitude,
he has been burnt in effigy in his native town. This speaks volumes
as to the ‘loyalty’ of the Hindus. He had written to the Maharajah,
who will entertain us at Benares.
“The meeting of the Anjuman i Islam was a great success. All
present, some two hundred, were in strictly native dress, with the
single exception of Abd-el-Latif’s son. The proceedings began with
what seemed a very able lecture or sermon in Hindustani, delivered
by Ferid-ed-Din, a man of the old stamp, but full of intellectual
vigour. He explained, it would seem, his ideas of the wants and
needs of Mohammedans in the matter of education, and described my
views of reform as contained in the ‘Future of Islam,’ from which
he made quotations, and mentioned the fact of Anne’s knowledge of
Arabic as an example for all Mohammedans to follow. (We were both
there.) And he also mentioned the university scheme. All this was
very well received. Then Abd-el-Latif spoke, attacking Seyd Ahmed
and his school, and then I, too, made my discourse, Abd-el-Latif
translating it sentence by sentence, as I went on. It is rather
difficult to be eloquent under such circumstances, but after the
first I got on well. I told them how I had travelled up the country
from the south, and how at Madura I had heard the Mohammedans
complain that they had no one to teach them English, and no one
to teach them their religion. I likened their position to that of
the Catholics in England, and told them what efforts had been made
by these in the way of founding colleges on a religious basis,
and a university. I next described the ideas the Nationalists had
entertained at Cairo of reforming and extending the university
education of the Azhar, and I urged them, now that circumstances
in Egypt had interrupted this great idea, to take it up in India.
I believed a great opportunity was offered them thus of assuming
the intellectual leadership of Islam. I then explained in detail my
plan that a university on a religious basis should be founded in
some city where living was cheap, and which should be sufficiently
central to serve the wants of all India. I did not mention
Hyderabad, as the idea ought to come from the Nizam himself. I
urged on the Princes present (for there were representatives
of every reigning Mohammedan house) to come forward and endow
professorships, and poorer men scholarships. It would be an act of
religion, not only an act of philanthropy, and so would gain them
merit in this world and the next; and by connecting their names
with the endowment they would perpetuate themselves in the memory
of good men. I then stated my intention of myself founding such an
endowment, a professorship of religious history, and lastly thanked
them for the welcome they had given us. When I had landed in India
I did not know whether the Mohammedans there would understand the
sincerity of my sympathy, but the result had surpassed all my
expectations. I begged them to believe that I would give my life,
if need was, to help their cause, and begged them to remember me
when I was gone, as I would remember them.
“The speech seemed much appreciated, and a vote of thanks was
proposed to both of us for our services in the cause of religion.
All the principal people of the old school were present, and I
noticed some of our poor student friends, Jemal-ed-Din’s disciples,
one of them acting as shorthand writer of the proceedings. I shall
repeat my argument in the towns of the north to whosoever will
listen; and I fancy the idea will be taken up. But the rich men
sitting in the front row looked a little uncomfortable, especially
an old fellow with his feet tucked up on his chair, who is said to
be the possessor of millions. I must now try and get Amir Ali’s
countenance also, for it is essential that we should unite all
parties.
“_3rd Jan._--Old Sheykh Abd-el-Rahman Ibn Hassan Ibn Abd-el-Mari,
of Marawa, near Hodeida, looked in again, and gave me a deal of
valuable information about the horses in Yemen. He says the best
breed is called ‘Beit el Khamaïs,’ and belongs to the Sherifs of
the Ahl Hsaidar, formerly kings of Yemen. They live in the town and
district of Abu Arish, near the seaport of Ghizan, and near the
Assir frontier. These horses are generally bays, with black points
of medium height, and ‘mutlakh el shimal.’ ‘They are better,’ he
said, ‘than any of the horses of Nejd, even those of the Anazeh.’
A year or two ago the Sherif, Ali Ibn Mohammed el Barad, had a son
who was taken as a hostage by the Turks, and shut up in prison at
Hodeida. His father sent men secretly to Hodeida, with five mares,
and they got the boy out of prison by dressing him as a girl. They
rode away without stopping to Abu-el-Rish, which is one hundred
and fifty miles by the map, and the boy and one other arrived, on
the fifth day, on two mares of the Khamaïs breed; the other three
being of inferior blood, died on the road. These horses are not to
be bought even for 1,000 or 2,000 dollars. But the Sheykh thinks
Ali el Barad would give me one if I went to see him. The next best
breed is in Jôf el Mareb, where Sidi Huseyn, a Sherif of Jôf, has
_asil_ horses of the breed ‘el Zahir.’ These are very tall, some
bay, and some white. There are also Kehilans, and Abeyans, and
Hamdanis, as in Nejd. The old man invited us to stay with him at
Marawa, and then pulled a letter from his pocket, which proved to
be a very ingenious begging letter, in verse, calling upon me as
protector of the Moslems to help him, a poor Sherif, to build three
houses for his three sons to settle them in life. I gave him one
hundred rupees, whereupon he rose and politely departed.
“Two young Mohammedans next called, Mohammed Abd el Gaffar and
another. The former wanted permission to translate the ‘Wind and
the Whirlwind’ into Urdu verse, which I readily gave him. I shall
put him into communication with Sidi Lebbe, at Kandy, as he seems
good with his pen, and is correspondent of the ‘Abu Nadara.’
“Kazi Raza Huseyn also came with a friend from Patna to invite us
to stay with him while there. He is Kadi of Patna, and we shall
thus enjoy Mohammedan hospitality, the first, I should fancy, that
for many years has been offered to an Englishman in India. Our
other visitors were Abd-el-Rahman Ibn Abd-el-Latif, Ferid-ed-Din,
and Akbar Huseyn. Ferid-ed-Din will announce our arrival at
Allahabad on the 10th, and will receive us at Cawnpore on the 14th.
“Rajah Nil Krishna, son of the Maharajah of Krishna, came to invite
us to attend a meeting on Indian education at his father’s house
on Saturday. He talked strongly and bitterly of the disappointment
of the Indians at receiving no practical help from Lord Ripon.
‘Why did they teach us to read about liberty and justice and
self-government,’ he said, ‘if after all we are to have none of
these things?’
“We called in the afternoon on Mrs. Ilbert, but missed seeing her
husband. Hunter, the statistician, was there, and I tackled him
as to his figures on the land assessment. He maintained them to
be correct, and said that, as to the Madras Presidency, he had
taken them from official reports. But like everybody else he did
not know Madras. He admitted, however, that the land assessment
of the Deccan was a blot on our Indian administration. I said: ‘A
very large blot,’ for the Deccan is half India. He then referred
me to Mr. Quinton, who was sitting near, as the first authority on
land assessment. But, on inquiry, I found he, too, knew nothing
of Madras, and seemed to have his ideas confined to Bengal, the
North-West Provinces, and the Zemindar system prevalent there.
I told him that every native, without exception, put the land
assessment at from forty to fifty, or even sixty per cent. on the
_gross_ produce. But he would have it that it must mean the net
produce. In districts of the north, where the permanent settlement
does not act, the assessment is calculated on the _rent_ received
by the Zemindar. They do not seem, either of them, to understand
that in three parts out of four of India there are no Zemindars,
and the Government is sole landlord. Also they talk as if the
irrigated districts were the rule, not the exception. Hunter is,
nevertheless, evidently a very able man, and anxious to hear the
views of outsiders. He offered to show me the whole of the land
question in Bengal in a single afternoon’s visit to some villages
near Calcutta.[9]
“At night there was a full dress party at Government House, all
the native nobility and notability present. I made acquaintance
with several new people, among others the Maharajah of Krishna,
an intelligent and distinguished man, besides meeting most of our
native acquaintance. I noticed that both Abd-el-Latif and Amir Ali
were rather shy of being seen talking to me, the latter especially,
but, as I had something to say, I took possession of him and made
him sit down with me. I told him my university plans, and found him
at first rather huffy about it. He said that no Mohammedan in India
cared for a merely religious education, but was vexed when I hinted
that there were some of them who cared only for success in life.
He did not believe anybody would subscribe. He had tried to get
subscriptions for educational schemes and had failed. While we were
talking Lord Ripon came by, and Amir Ali jumped up and pretended
not to belong to me. But when he saw that Lord Ripon stopped to
talk to me he became more cordial. And, afterwards, I got him into
good humour by telling him, as a great secret, of the Hyderabad
scheme. He first objected that the Hyderabad State was going to
ruin; but I told him that would be soon set right, and that the
Nizam was interested in the university, and he said, if that was
the case it would succeed, and promised to help it on in every way
in his power. I told him that my idea was that great latitude
should be given to religious differences of opinion, and he might
have a school of rationalism there if he chose.
“Lord Ripon was very amiable, and expressed a hope that he might
see us at Hyderabad on the occasion of the installation; so I
conclude the Nizam has told him we are expected. Salar Jung also
told me he had spoken to the Nizam, and found him ready to support
the university scheme. Keay made a successful speech this afternoon
at the Town Hall, but I did not go, as he did not specially ask me
to be there, and I had heard all his arguments already.
“_4th Jan._--We had no visits to-day, but went to Government House
at 11 o’clock to hear the Ilbert debate. It was a tame affair, but
not altogether uninteresting. The Viceroy and Councillors sit round
a large table, and the spectators, allowed in by ticket, sit also
round, at a little distance, on chairs. Ilbert, who is a little,
rather young looking man, related the history of the bill, slurring
over the compromise as much as possible. Mrs. Ilbert was sitting
next to us. Then Hunter spoke, quoting some words of Malabari’s in
the ‘Indian Spectator’ as an evidence that native opinion accepted
the compromise. I asked him afterwards if he really thought this
sentence represented either the general opinion, or even Malabari’s
own opinion, and he said he supposed so. Amir Ali next gave his
opinion in a speech which, I think, was the best made, though it
was wonderfully different from his private talk. He introduced,
however, very cleverly a letter the Queen had written at the time
of the Proclamation, which was very effective, and he reserved
his attack on the compromise for the Select Committee. He told
me afterwards that he had been promised to have his amendments
paid attention to if he would only support the Bill. I think
he would have done better to speak his mind. Kristodas Pal was
as unsatisfactory. He dared not speak out and tell the Council
how angry his people, the Hindus, were, and though he made some
pertinent remarks on details, his speech was feeble. Hunter told me
they had got hold of him with difficulty, but he would vote with
them. All this is very disappointing, though I was not prepared for
much, and I confess the commercial man representing the planters’
interests stood out well in contrast, for he threatened the Council
with new agitation if the letter of the compromise was not adherred
to. We then adjourned to luncheon, and after luncheon somebody
discovered that an important clause in the Bill might be read in
two contradictory ways, and the debate was again adjourned to
Monday. The Nizam and his court were present--very much interested,
as it seemed, in all that was going on. I had talk with several
members of the Council, and found them all with the idea that there
was no real excitement among the natives on the question. They will
never see anything until the fire breaks out.
“Later we went to a party at Belvidere, and again met the Hyderabad
party. I had five minutes’ talk at last, alone, with the Nizam,
and asked him to put himself at the head of a movement for a
university. He was the leader of the Mohammedans in India, and the
people looked to him for their redemption. He promised most readily
and emphatically that he would do so, and I suggested to him that
he should speak to the Viceroy about it the day he was installed,
and say that he wished to commemorate his accession by a great
act in favour of education, and I cautioned him to say nothing
about it to any one but Lord Ripon. This too he promised; and I
am to send him, through Salar Jung, a draft scheme for approval,
between this and our meeting him again at Hyderabad. Thus my plan
in visiting India is working itself out in a surprising manner. _El
hamdu l’Illah!_ I had also talk on the same subject with Prince
Ferukshah. He is a great friend and admirer of Amir Ali, whom he
extols as a truly patriotic and disinterested Mohammedan, and I am
glad to hear it. I spoke to him about the university. Like Amir
Ali, he at first said it was impracticable; but when I explained
it, and told him that I had already had promise of support from
several eminent persons, he became more interested, and ended by
wishing it all success. He is Europeanized, but wears a black cap
instead of a hat, and is a most civilized and intelligent man. It
is a pity they hate each other so that they cannot join in any
common action. While I was speaking, Abd-el-Latif came up; and I
noticed that Prince Ferukshah did not speak to him, but turned
away. Fools!
“_5th Jan._--Seyd Mohammed, Abd-el-Latif’s son-in-law, called, a
much cleverer young man than Abd-el-Latif’s son. I like him much,
as he is thorough-going and outspoken. We talked about Shiahs and
Sunnis, and he told me that here, in Calcutta, there is no kind of
ill-feeling between them, or any important difference of ideas. The
Shiahs are not numerous, perhaps five per cent., but they have some
men of high position, such as the King of Oude and his family and
Prince Ferukshah. I asked him whether the Shiahs sided with Amir
Ali, he being a Shiah; and he said on the contrary they were nearly
all of the Conservative Party. Prince Jehan, I remember, was at
the Literary meeting. He then explained the course of education
received by a Bengal Mohammedan. He begins at a vernacular school
at seven years old, in which the language is Bengali only. Then
he goes for three years to the Madrasa at Calcutta, where the
education is in English for four hours, and Arabic or Persian or
Urdu or Bengali, for one hour daily. At fifteen or sixteen, or
later, he passes, by Entrance Examination, into the University.
At none of these places is he taught religion. At the vernacular
school the teacher is generally a Hindu. At the Madrasa, the
Arabic and Persian teachers are Mulvis, but they are chosen by the
Government from among the least religious and most loyal of the
Ulema. Also the Government know nothing of their qualifications in
Arabic or Persian, as they do not understand those languages. In
the University the education is again almost wholly in English, so
that those who have passed the whole course seldom know any other
language, to read and write it with ease. They then become cut off
from the mass of Mohammedans, regard them with contempt, and are
so, by them, regarded. They consequently lose all influence with
ninety-nine per cent. of the community.
“While we were talking, Mohammed Yusuf joined us and asked me where
he should send his children to school in England, and I answered
him with the story of the advice to those about to marry. This
pleased Seyd Mohammed amazingly, and Mohammed Yusuf also promised
to follow my advice. We agreed that there was no objection to
young men visiting England when their ideas and their principles
were formed, but to send a Mohammedan boy to an English school was
simply to sacrifice his religion. I then explained to the new comer
the university scheme, and I hope his boys may join it later. It
was Seyd Mohammed who sent Abd-el-Gaffar to me yesterday about
the ‘Wind and the Whirlwind,’ and no better proof could be given
of the feeling of this section of Mohammedans towards the English
Government. I told them of my intention to visit Constantinople and
to try and induce the Sultan to head a reformation, and they warmly
approved.
“Mulvi A. M. called to say good-bye. He was under the impression,
not having been there, that my speech about the university had not
been well received, and this is probably the view taken by Amir
Ali’s party, but I am certain the contrary is the case. A young
university student, Seyd M., who came, also assured me all the
Mohammedan students would take up the idea, especially if I could
get Jemal-ed-Din as a professor. These students are an independent
body between the two great parties, and they worship Jemal-ed-Din.
It is, therefore, to them that the direction of religious thought
will fall as they grow older. Thus has the persecution in Egypt
spread the doctrine of reformation far and wide.
“While we were talking, Cordery was announced, and the others went
away. Poor Cordery! I am sorry for him, as he is terribly down on
his luck about all this business. I told him at once that I had
seen Lord Ripon, and spoken to him about the state of things at
Hyderabad, for I thought it unfair, as I had stayed in his house,
to leave him ignorant of this. He said he was sure it was Laik Ali
who had had the thing published in the ‘Statesman’; but I assured
him that to the best of my belief it was not so. I cannot conceive
that Laik Ali should have done anything so foolish, especially
when he knew from me that Lord Ripon was going to give him a
full hearing, and was favourably inclined. But I fear it has done
him harm, as some of the information, at least, must have come
originally from him, though he probably never meant it to be
published, at least not till the last extremity. There the matter,
however, stands. I forgot to say that Mrs. Clerk told us yesterday,
as a great secret, that the Nizam had asked for Laik Ali as Diwan
from Lord Ripon, and that they considered the matter as settled.
I have a fancy, from things I have noticed in Salar Jung’s manner
the last few days, and also in Vikar-el-Omra’s, that they have been
talked to, probably by Stewart Bailey, about me, as a dangerous
acquaintance, and one in whose company the Government of India
might not like them to show themselves. This struck me after going
to the railway station this afternoon to wish the Nizam good-bye.
Vikar-el-Omra was certainly odd in his manner. I missed seeing
Salar Jung, or I should have spoken to him on the subject, and as
it is I shall write to him before deciding to go back to Hyderabad.
There were a couple of thousand poor Mohammedans come to see the
Nizam off. One of them rushed after the carriage, and, in spite of
outriders and aides-de-camp, climbed up and touched the Nizam’s
knee, the old Peishkar poking at him meanwhile with his stick. We
had agreed to stay at the Clerks while at Hyderabad; but Cordery
has asked us to go to the Residency if we do go, so I have made
excuses to Mrs. Clerk. Hyderabad is such a nest of intrigue, that,
unless I can do good to the university scheme by so doing, I shall
not go back there. I attended a Debating Club meeting at Maharajah
Krishna’s at 4 o’clock, and heard Dr. Ghose lecture, and Bannerji
speak. The latter is certainly a wonderful speaker. He took up
each point of the lecture, and treated each in masterly fashion.
Otherwise the proceedings were uninteresting.
“Dined at home with Walter Pollen.
“_6th Jan._--Our last day at Calcutta. Abd-el-Latif came, and we
had a long talk. He urged me strongly to go to Hyderabad to see the
university scheme started. He assured me of the goodwill of all
the Mohammedans of Calcutta towards me. His tone was cordial, even
affectionate. He came to see us off at the railway station, and we
arranged that I should send an account of my speech at the Anjuman
meeting to the ‘Times,’ so as to show that my ideas were accepted
by the Mohammedans of India.
“Later I called on Hunter and argued the land revenue question
with him again, and he told me he had given great offence by
bringing the matter of over-taxation forward. His book on India
was considered so unfavourable to Government that it had cost him
his post at the Statistical Office. Lord Ripon has sent for him on
more than one occasion, and begged him to moderate his language in
Council--this I was not to repeat. On the whole I like Hunter. He
is more honest than most of them, but after all he is an official.
Going to the station, we stopped at Amir Ali’s to say good-bye,
but heard he was ill with fever. I wonder whether this is to avoid
voting on the Ilbert Bill. On the whole, I leave Calcutta much
satisfied with all I have done, heard and seen, though not sorry to
be once more on the move.”
FOOTNOTE:
[9] See Sir William Hunter’s letter in Appendix.