Question

Give a reason for the establishment of the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental Defence Association in 1893.

Answer 1

Hint: Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, now known as Aligarh Muslim University, was established in 1875 by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan as a public central university in India.He aspired to establish a system of education close to that of the United Kingdom. The founding of Mohammedan Anglo Oriental ( MAO) College in 1875 was one of the most significant events in modern India's educational and social history.

Complete answer:
- Muslims and Hindus had become estranged by the 1890s. Muslims were influenced by the Muslim League, while Hindus followed the Congress.
- Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was the first to suggest the "Two Nation Theory." He was a great source of inspiration and guidance for Muslims. He decided to strengthen the relationship between the British and the Muslims by educating Muslims.
- He was the founder of the Aligarh Movement and the founder of many Muslim educational institutions. In 1893, he founded the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental Defence Association.
- The association was established with the aim of uniting Muslims and reducing the Congress's presence in India. The Muslim leaders hoped that by forming this alliance, they would be able to strengthen Anglo-Muslim and Anglo-Oriental relations.
- As part of the Aligarh movement, Syed Ahmad Khan established the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental Defence Association in 1893. He founded it because he saw English and "Western sciences" as essential skills for Muslims to retain political power, especially in Northern India.
- The organization was established to encourage British loyalty and discourage Muslims from participating in political movements.
- The founding of M. A. O. was promoted in order to address the increasing power of Congress.

Note: When the Indian National Congress was established in 1885, Sir Syed quickly learned that it would only function for Hindu interests. He forbade Muslims from entering the Congress and instead formed the United Patriotic Alliance, which later became the Muhammadan Defense Alliance in 1893. Sir Syed founded the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in Aligarh in 1877, modelled after the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, which he had visited during a trip to England.