Sir Syed was an enlightened thinker who advocated the national unity : Abu Sufyan

KARACHI: Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology organized a seminar on the topic of “Sir Syed Ahmed Khan’s Concept of Education and Grooming in the Context of the Modern Era” in which eminent scholar and former head of the Arabic Department of Aligarh Muslim University, India, Professor Abu Sufyan Islahi, gave a thought-provoking talk and explained about how we can apply Sir Syed’s concept of education and grooming in the present era, says a Press release.
Speaking on the auspicious occasion, the renowned scholar and former Chairperson of the Arabic Department of Aligarh Muslim University, Professor Abu Sufyan Islahi, said that Sir Syed was an enlightened thinker who advocated national unity. Sir Syed presented the truth of the Quran in his writings.
He said, people, especially scholars and thinkers, misrepresented Sir Syed, and not only made wrong interpretations but also made him a target of criticism without reading Sir Syed’s writings. He was a true devotee of Islam. In his book “Khutbat e Ahmedia”, he gave a logical reply to Sir William Peacock’s slander against the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Nation’s advancement shouldn’t be only in education but also in civic and moral values, and ethics. Merely gaining access to modern sciences is not enough; the nation should have its own identity that is acquired through grooming and character-building. Sir Syed gave Muslims of the subcontinent an identity.
Presenting a welcome address, the Chancellor of Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, Jawaid Anwar, said that the process of education and character-building are two important aspects of human life.
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan served humanity by transcending contradictions and ideologies because he knew that positive change in human life does not come from revolution but with reform and evolution. You need to be rational and sensible if you want to grow and succeed in life, which is linked to the best education and grooming. Character building was of fundamental importance in Sir Syed Ahmed Khan’s education system.
Personality development was given top priority in his academic institutes. This is the reason why the students who came out of Aligarh Muslim University were equipped with their unique identity including sound character and education. The training of children is a continuous process. A righteous and virtuous society is formed through proper training and grooming.
Presenting a vote of thanks, Vice Chancellor SSUET, Dr. Munawar Hussain said that we should not compromise on our principles. The purpose of education is not only to acquire knowledge but also to build a character. In today’s era where social media and modern technologies are having an impact, we need to adopt a balanced approach to training the youth.
While conducting the event, Dr. Ammad ul Haque, Chairperson of the Business Administration Department, said that modern technologies, social media, and materialism have almost destroyed the ethics and social norms of our society.
The event was attended by Registrar SSUET, Cdre. (Retd) Syed Sarfraz Ali, Senior Alig Adil Usman, Senior Alig Cdre. (Retd) Saleem Siddiqui, Senior Alig Mumtaz Kazmi, Senior
Alig Mukhtar Naqvi, Senior Alig Shajar Ali Hashmi, Senior Alig Hanif Khan, Dean Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering Prof. Dr. Muhammad Amir, Dean Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture Prof. Dr. Mir Shabbar Ali, Dean Faculty of Computing and Applied Science Prof. Dr. Muhammad Asif, HODs and others.