MUSLIM EDUCATION IN BENGAL 1837-1937

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182 SYED MURTAZA ALI from pursuing other useful branches of leaming."(l) The Arabic school of Delhi founded by Shah Waliullah had a modified course in which Ijadit& and Tafsir, the fountain head of Islamic learning, found its due place. The NizHmiah Syllabus however continued to be popular in Bengal. Calcutta Madrassah founded. 3. A scholar named Majduddin arrived in Calcutta in September, 1780. A considerable number of Muslims approached Warren Hastings, the Governor General, requesting him to use his influence in persuading the Maulana to remain at Calcutta for instruction of Muslim students. At their request Warren Hastings founded Calcutta Madrassah in October 1780 at his own expense. It was taken over in 1782 as a Government institution. Majdadddin was appointed preceptor of the Madrassah on a salary of Rs. 3001- per month. Warren Hastings considered it expedient that the administration of the criminal courts and many of the important branches of the police should continue in the hands of Muslim Oficers. He therefore recommended the Calcutta Madrassah to the Directors E.I. Co., as recruiting ground for native public servants. The Ntib NZzim or the principal Officer of the native courts of law was also instructed that whenever vacancies should arise in the fauzdari courts, they should be sled up by the students of the M~drassah upon production of certificates from the Principal that the persons nominated were qualified for the appointments. 4. In 1835, the Council of Education at Calcutta inaugurated the policy of English Education. Lord Bentinck after considering the minutes of Lord Macaulay passed the celebrated Education Resolution of Govern- ment of India of 7th March ,1835 in favour of English Education. This policy proved disastrous to the Muslims and dealt a death-blow to their political and economic supremacy in Bengal. It was followed by the abolition of Persian as Court language in 1837. In 1844 Lord Hardinge, Governor General, declared that in all Government appointments prefe- rence would be given to persons with a knowledge of English and that this policy would extend down to the lower posts. The Muslims bitterly resented this policy and could not reconcile themselves to the changed circumstances as the new system was divorced from religious instruction, a thing unknown to Islam and they felt that it forced them to learn not only the language of their foreign rulers but the language of their subject race as Sanskritised Bengali was thought to be. A petition signed by
MUSLIM EDUCATION 183 8312 Muslims including all the responsible Moulvis and leading gentlemen of Calcutta was submitted protesting against the Government policy. In 1839, 481 leading residents of Dacca District (Including 179 Hindus) fXed a petition to Government through the District Judge of Dacca in favour of continuance of Persian for conducting public business2 Lt. Col. Morrison, a member of the Surpreme Council, thought it advisable to allow use of English in Courts of Justice along with Persian for many years to come.3 This was a sound and reasonable proposal. If this advice had been followed Muslims would have got time to learn English and retain hold on the legal and civil branches of Government service. But Persian was abolished only two years after Government decision in hot haste without any previous notice. This decision was most unfortunate as till then no adequate provision for English education of Muslims had been made by Government. On the other hand Hindus of Bengal who had for many years to learn a foreign language like Persian to get Govern- ment jobs hailed the decision and zealously began the study of English. The distaste with which the Hindus had regarded the Muslim domination made them welcome Engiish Rule with relief, while the Muslims in their anger at having lost position and power held aloof for a long time from the benefits of western education and ideas. The different attitude of the two communities towards learning English led to the vast disparity in their educational progress, a disparity which has seriously affected the position of the Muslims in Bengal and has been most baneful to the interests of the country as a whole. 5. The statistics regarding students in Government institutions in Bengal in 19th century reveals a sad position. The number of Muslim students in Government Colleges and Schools in 1841 was 751 against 3188 Hindus. The figures came down to 606 as against 3846 Hindu students in 1846. Hindu Muslim 6. With the inauguration of the new policy in 1835 Calcutta Madrassah lost its importance as recruiting ground for public services. Henceforth the state policy was to promote education through English which was to
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MUSLIM EDUCATION IN BENGAL 1837-1937

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