Abstract
The book under review, Print Culture: Sir Syed’s Aligarh Institute Gazette 1866–1897, is penned by the learned scholar and authority on the subject, Prof. Asghar Abbas who has been for than four decades engaged in the field. It is an outcome of rigorous research. It is translated by Syed Ali Asim, Professor of English, K.S. University, Riyadh, and published by Primus Books.
Sir Syed was a witness to the after-effects of a revolution which had devastated the entire sociopolitical fabric of the Indian society. Muslims had suffered immensely at the hands of the British for they held them responsible of the revolt of 1857. They were hated, neglected and thrown out of the mainstream of sociopolitical life. The loss of Mughal Empire was a great loss for them and they also not cooperate with the British. They ignored the Western education and science and were content with their outmoded ideas. Muslims were totally aloof from and even were unaware of the post-renaissance Western thoughts. Old order had changed but they were lost in the grand delusions of an age gone by. Against this backdrop, one should analyse the reformist ideology of Sir Syed which, after 1864, manifested itself in the form of a holistic reform movement called the Aligarh Movement. This movement, besides other aspects, led emphasis on literary reforms. In pursuance of his plan, Sir Syed founded Aligarh Institute Gazette in 1866 to awaken the people from the ages of slumber. The Gazette soon became popular throughout North India; Sir Syed appealed through pages of the Gazette and received a warm response, so much so that the famous Urdu poet Akbar Allahabadi wrote in satirical vein ‘Syed appealed through the Gazette and was flooded with funds’.
The book comprises eight chapters and is supplemented with three appropriate appendices. The first chapter briefly covers Sir Syed’s life and his important works. This chapter justifiably provides a proper appreciation of Sir Syed’s life and the condition prevailing in his time. The author has rightly said that Sir Syed nursed a vivid scientific concept of history and always avoided emotionalism.
The second chapter deals with the academic activities of the scientific society which was first established in Ghazipur and later shifted to Aligarh in 1864. The society published the Institute Gazette aimed at aquatinting the Muslims of India with Western society and philosophy.
The third chapter consists of a general survey of the Gazette. One finds the purpose behind launching the Gazette, its motto and other details. ‘Through this journal, the Urdu reader came to know of the foreign lands, their culture and manners.’ Due to its merits, the journal became popular among a large section of the society. A reflection of its wide appreciation may be seen in the comment of Akbar Allahabadi, referred previously.
The fourth chapter deals with the news items published in the Gazette. The news was picked up from authentic English newspapers. The language of the Gazette was simple as against the language of Urdu newspapers before the Gazette, which was rhymed, ornate and bombastic. It was the simplicity of the language that attracted the readers and their circle widened day by day.
The fifth chapter discusses Sir Syed’s editorial in detail. The editorials written in the Gazette were free from rhymed, rhythmic or ornamental prose. Another feature of the Gazette was the absence of sensationalism and uncalled-for emotionalism. It had sound arguments and deep knowledge of the subject. ‘The Gazette editorials proved a new beacon to them regarding their political, social educational problems.’
The sixth chapter examines the importance of the Gazette and its links with the Aligarh Movement. The Gazette brought journalistic style of writing in Urdu by discarding the couplets or ghazals (love poems) for news and editorials. Sir Syed brought Urdu writing out of the confines of the subjects like love and gallantry and broadened its horizons considerably by writing on most diverse subjects in his clear, pure and charming style. It was the need of the time to deviate from the Urdu journalistic tradition that was in vogue then. Sir Syed’s desire was to generate a political and economic sense to his readers, so that they could become worthy citizens.
The seventh chapter unravels Sir Syed’s style and its influence in moulding Urdu writing. Sir Syed’s reform movement left a strong mark on Urdu literature. The articles written in the Gazette set a new trend in Urdu prose writing. Shibli Numani has argued that Urdu literature is one of the areas most deeply affected by Sir Syed’s reform movement.
The final chapter examines those factors which influenced the contemporary Indian journalism and later, Urdu journalism. The Gazette influenced a number of the contemporary newspapers which maintained the standard/role set by it. Another achievement was the priority given to the development of prose and the attraction of upcoming writers towards it. One can say that journalists of next generation, for example, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and others, were deeply influenced by Sir Syed.
Under appendices, the rules and regulations of the scientific society have been given. It is worth mentioning that a rare article written by Sir Syed has also been appended.
Many of the earlier works pale in comparison with this book as it is a result of rigorous research based on primary sources. This is a marvellous work which removed certain misconceptions and misjudgements about Sir Syed which have crept in the academic understanding. In refuting these misconceptions, the author has based his arguments on the factual writings and the statements of his contemporaries and the manuscripts preserved at the Maulana Azad Library of the Aligarh Muslim University.
One of the shortcomings of this book is that some typographical errors, both in English and Persian script, are found. Overall, this is a wonderful book that is organisationally articulate, theoretically lucid and empirically rigorous. It should be an essential reading for the scholars engaged in the field.