Deputy Nazir Ahmed: Urdu Novelist and Pioneer, Advocated Women's Education and Social Reform
By
Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam
12 July 2024
Nazir
Ahmad's Contribution to Women's Education
Main
Points:
1. Deputy Nazir Ahmed was a
multifaceted figure, advocating for education, children's well-being, and
national reform.
2. His literary works focused
on women's education, parenting, and social reform.
3. His first novel,
"Mirat-ul-Uroos," addressed backwardness in women's education through
a fictional story comparing literate and illiterate women.
4. He believed that educated
and conscious women would guide future generations better, besides handling
household affairs.
5. Despite historical
misguided views, women's education is still viewed as antisocial and worthless.
6. Nazir Ahmad was a brave
academic to write about women's education in his time, highlighting the
sanctity and respect of women but not their individual identity.
7. Nazir Ahmad emphasized the
importance of education for women to overcome personal and private faults and
to bestow good character in terms of education and society.
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Deputy Nazir Ahmed was a versatile
individual who advocated for education and children's well-being. He was a
translator, novelist, orator, and national reformer. His literary works focused
on education, parenting, and social reform. Ahmed's move to Delhi after
finishing his education under his father, Deputy Nasrullah, was a significant
moment in his life, providing him with opportunities for intellectual growth
and enlightenment. His dedication to bringing about positive social change was
evident in his literary works.
Nazir Ahmed, despite financial constraints,
excelled academically at Delhi College and pursued various fields during the
failed Indian revolt against British colonialism. He recognized the importance
of modern sciences and arts in uplifting society and emphasized the
significance of education and societal transformation, shaping his stance on
these issues.
Following the 1857 failed revolution,
Muslims faced marginalization and oppression in education. Deputy Nazir Ahmed,
aware of these disparities, actively advocated for women's education and gender
equality, echoing Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's sentiments. His efforts led to
transformative reforms and progressive ideologies in society.
Deputy Nazir Ahmed acknowledged the lack of
women's education in his children's education, citing the lack of quality
textbooks available at the time. He acknowledged this in the preface of his
book "Mirat-ul-Uroos". (Deputy Nazir Ahmad: Mirat-ul-Uroos, Lucknow,
Tejkumar, 1978, pp. 1-2)
Deputy Nazir Ahmad expressed
dissatisfaction with traditional education and the poor state of women's
education during the post-revolutionary era. He argued that to overcome
political and social decline, the nation should focus on improving educational
awareness and social deterioration. Some thinkers supported education, while
others opposed it. Nazir Ahmed believed that educated and conscious women would
guide future generations better, besides handling household affairs. He aimed
to ensure that women were educated and conscious to guide their future
generations.
Nazir Ahmad, a prominent figure in Urdu
literature, was dedicated to women's education. His first novel,
"Mirat-ul-Uroos" was written to address backwardness in women's
education. The book combines the virtues of educated women with the
disadvantages of lack of education through a fictional story, comparing
literate and illiterate women. This novel serves as a powerful tool for
educating girls and promoting gender equality.
Alternatively put, it could be claimed that
this book covers every need of the feminist education methodology. Nazir
Ahmad's "Mirat-ul-Uroos" was written to support and advocate for women's
education. It uses the fictitious story of two sisters to highlight the value
and significance of women's education.
Akbari plays the elder sister in this
novel, whose actions after marriage—resulting from her lack of training and
education—make her father-in-law's home unpleasant. Asghari, on the other hand,
is a character who makes the house seem like heaven because she received
attention for her education and training from an early age. In this novel, the
character of Akbari is presented in brief, but the character of Asghari is
fully developed. It would be more accurate to state that Nazir Ahmed has used
the character of Asghari to convey his views on women's education.
Not that Nazir Ahmad just believed that
women should pursue education—he also believed that boys ought to do the same.
The majority of the letters in his collection known as “Maueza Hasanah” make this clear. However, Nazir Ahmed has adhered
to the tenet of "get education from birth to grave" by placing a
strong emphasis on women's education, given that a person receives their first
education from their mother. It goes without saying that if a person's mother
is illiterate, they cannot attend their first school and obtain an education.
This explains why Nazir Ahmad appears to place a strong emphasis on women's
education.
The significance of education and
qualifications for women can be deduced from Nazir Ahmad's book. However, since
Nazir Ahmad's time until now, our culture has been misguided when it comes to
women's education. But the state of education and society in India is rapidly
declining, and some members of the public still believe that women should not
pursue higher education because it is antisocial and worthless. Throughout
history, the argument that women's education will lead to a rise in immorality
and bad behaviour has been used to stifle the advancement of women's education.
It is a well-known fact that morality is prevented by knowledge.
People who are against women being educated
might not be aware that we live in a time of significant technological
advancements. Nowadays, men and women share more necessities in life than they
did in the past. While males are making progress in the modern sciences
compared to earlier eras, it is disheartening to witness what women ought to
have been able to achieve. How far has society come, yet we still don't
understand why feminism is thought to bring about social evil? Recall that
morality and education are unrelated. Considering that immorality can persist
even in contexts where women lack education, what classification would be
appropriate?
Nazir Ahmad was the only academic with the
guts to write about women's education in his time. The social and cultural
climate of nineteenth-century India makes it abundantly evident that while everyone
was convinced of the sanctity and respect of women, but no one bravely
supported their individual identity. Women's educational conditions in that
century were not improved, which made their social circumstances worse and led
to a variety of oppressions against them. Nobody attempted to speak up about
this important matter. During that time, it was widely believed that a woman
should dwell in an enclosure because she is nothing but an ornament of a house.
However, the question of whether their
rights within the boundary wall are not being violated also comes up in this
situation. These issues, which include a lack of social freedom, violations of
individual rights, the murder of unborn children, the refusal of widows to
marry, and other issues, can be traced back to the ignorance of a
male-dominated culture towards women. One can accurately assess Nazir Ahmed's
position on women's rights and education. He elevated the feminist voice in a
time when men ruled society. For this reason, he was an advocate for women's
education; nevertheless, he also stated that women should first receive a
proper education because it is difficult for them to obtain their rights in the
existing social environment. Nazir Ahmad alone writes here:
" Learn to read so that you can travel
around the world while sitting behind the veil. Acquire knowledge so that you
may know the things of the ages in your house.” (Mirat-ul-Uroos, p. 25)
In order to help women, overcome their
faults in their personal and private life and to bestow upon them blessings
like good character in terms of education and society, Nazir Ahmad was also an
advocate for women's education. These days, no one can dispute the necessity of
education for women, since children too need to go through a certain stage of education
and training. Parents bear the primary responsibility for their children's
education; mothers bear this obligation to a greater extent. It is clear that
she cannot effectively guide her children if she lacks the skills necessary to
educate and train them.
In his letters, Nazir Ahmad also reflects
his vision of feminist education. In reference to women's education and
training, he once asserted that males should educate women in their homes so
they may properly raise the next generation.
In the 19th century, objections were raised
regarding how Muslim women were restricted by the tradition of veiling,
resulting in them facing barriers to accessing higher education opportunities.
Despite these challenges, Nazir Ahmad's resolute stance on this contentious
issue stands out as truly commendable. Residing in a society where the concept
of women's education was practically non-existent, advocating for the provision
of higher education for women seemed as inconceivable as suddenly burdening
someone who could barely lift a feather with ten kilos. Certain individuals
argued that the veil, deeply ingrained in Muslim society, was the primary
factor impeding women's progress. However, Nazir Ahmad vehemently dismissed
this claim as invalid, recognizing that the veil, far from being a hindrance,
bore no correlation to hindering women's advancement. Through his enlightened
perspective, he shed light on the fallacy of attributing lack of progress
solely to the veil, thereby emphasizing the importance of challenging societal
norms and stereotypes to empower women towards achieving their full potential
and contributing meaningfully to society.
Deputy Nazir Ahmed's stance on the
importance of women's education shines through with undeniable clarity. His
firm belief in the necessity of educating women was deeply rooted in the
acknowledgment of the prevailing societal needs and the essence of the era.
Understanding the pivotal role that women's education plays in the cultural and
social evolution, he embarked on a noble mission from within the confines of
his own home.
Recognizing that true progress cannot be
achieved without the empowerment of women through education, Deputy Nazir Ahmed
took proactive steps to lay a solid foundation for this cause. His commitment
was not merely theoretical; it manifested in concrete actions as he undertook
the task of educating his own daughters. In a display of unwavering dedication,
he authored insightful literary works tailored to enlighten and uplift his
daughters, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of education.
Among his literary contributions, the works
'Mirat-ul-Uroos' and 'Banat al-Naish' stand out as exemplary
testaments to his foresight and dedication to the enlightenment of women.
Through these works, Deputy Nazir Ahmed not only championed the cause of
women's education but also set a precedent for future generations to follow.
His pioneering efforts in promoting women's education resonate with a timeless
relevance, serving as a guiding light for those who understand the transformative
power of education in shaping a more equitable and enlightened society.
From this thoughtful analysis, one can
glean valuable insights into the underlying philosophy driving Nazir Ahmad's
theory on the education of women. It becomes evident that Nazir Ahmad perceived
the education of women to be a vital component, a perspective shaped by the
socio-political milieu of his time. This is exemplified by the extensive body
of work he dedicated to the subject, underscoring the significance he attributed
to empowering women through education. His writings continue to resonate with
readers even today, long after they were penned, serving as a testament to his
foresight and enduring relevance in the realm of Urdu literature. Despite the
centuries that have passed since the inception of his ideas, Nazir Ahmad's
contributions remain a guiding light, shedding invaluable wisdom on the
transformative potential of educating women and the enduring impact it has on
society as a whole.
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Kaniz Fatma
is a classic Islamic scholar and a regular columnist for New Age Islam.
New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism