56-624: The Simla Deputation was a gathering of 35 prominent Indian Muslim leaders led by the Aga Khan III at the Viceregal Lodge in Simla in October 1906. The deputation aimed to convince Lord Minto , then Viceroy of india , to grant Muslims greater representation in politics. The deputation took advantage of the liberal values of the newly-appointed Minto and his Secretary of State, John Morley , following
112-667: A Liberal MP, was appointed Secretary of State for India in the Liberal government of the UK. Morley made a speech in the UK Parliament in July 1906 hinting at an increase of representation of native Indians in legislative councils for both moderate members of the Indian National Congress as well as Muslims. Hearing Morley's speech, Muhammad Ismail Khan, a member of the legislative council of
168-521: A bulwark against Hindu dominance and nationalism and supported the Muslims. In late 1905, the government of Britain came under the Liberals following the 1906 United Kingdom general election . This coincided with the appointment of Lord Minto , who was more sympathetic to Indian desires for autonomy than his predecessor Lord Curzon, to the position of Vice-Roy following the resignation of Curzon. John Morley ,
224-568: A constitutional level towards the British. Scholarly consensus used to be that the Simla Deputation was something engineered by the British as a way to turn Muslims and Hindus against each other; however, the research of Wasti attempted to show that the deputation had its origins within the Muslim political leaders, and that the British had nothing to do with the address to Lord Minto and the organizing of
280-399: A distinct community with additional interests [...] which are not shared by other communities and these [...] have not been adequately represented. Additionally, the deputation did not criticize British rule and only praised it. The deputation also presented the idea that they were satisfied with how things currently were, and that a change was not necessary. Minto found himself agreeing with
336-583: A meeting on to the Viceroy. The Viceroy agreed, and Syed Hussain Bilgrami drafted the deputation's address with help from Mohsin-ul-Mulk. The address was signed by more than 1182 people and was sent to the Viceroy on 6 September, a month before the deputation itself. Historian Peter Hardy argues that the deputation knew that Lord Minto would be somewhat receptive to their requests, or at least that he would not be openly hostile towards them. He argues that this influenced
392-563: A memorable mission to England where he had the honour of meeting and speaking with Queen Victoria and also of meeting other distinguished people such as Disraeli , Gladstone , Lord Salisbury , John Morley and others. Later, he was Private Secretary to the Nizam of Hyderabad in a number of roles. He was made the Director of Public Instruction for the Nizam's Dominions from 1887 to 1902. In 1901-1902 he
448-522: A proportionate share of the vote and separate electorates, supported by the idea that having been the rulers of India during the period of the Mughal Empire , Muslims had a higher amount of "political importance". Any kind of representation, direct or indirect, and in all other ways affecting their status and influence, should be commensurate not merely with the numerical strength but also with their political importance. They also argued that: Muslims are
504-569: A special 'Birth Centenary of Agha Khan III' postage stamp in his honor in 1977. Pakistan Post again issued a postage stamp in his honor in its 'Pioneers of Freedom' series in 1990. Syed Hussain Bilgrami Nawab Syed Hussain Bilgrami , Imad-ul-Mulk Bahadur, CSI (1842-1926) was an Indian civil servant, politician, educationalist and an early leader of the All India Muslim League . Syed Hussain Bilgrami
560-633: Is carried live on Irish national television. He wrote a number of books and papers two of which are of immense importance, namely (1) India in Transition , about the prepartition politics of India and (2) The Memoirs of Aga Khan: World Enough and Time , his autobiography. The Aga Khan III proposed "the South Asiatic Federation " in India in Transition that India might be re-organized into some states, and those states should have own autonomies. He
616-557: The Aligarh movement . From a religious standpoint, the Aga Khan followed a modernist approach to Islam. He believed there to be no contradiction between religion and modernity, and urged Muslims to embrace modernity . Although he opposed a wholesale replication of Western society by Muslims, the Aga Khan did believe increased contact with the West would be overall beneficial to Muslim society. He
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#1732851629269672-607: The All-India Muslim League (AIML). His goal was the advancement of Muslim agendas and the protection of Muslim rights in British India. The League, until the late 1930s, was not a large organisation but represented landed and commercial Muslim interests as well as advocating for British education during the British Raj . There were similarities in Aga Khan's views on education with those of other Muslim social reformers, but
728-551: The German Emperor , the Sultan of Turkey , the Shah of Persia , and other potentates. In 1906, Aga Khan was a founding member and first president of the All India Muslim League , a political party that pushed for the creation of an independent Muslim nation in the north-west regions of India, then under British colonial rule , and later established the country of Pakistan in 1947. During
784-658: The Indian Councils Act 1909 , known as the Morley-Minto or Minto-Morley Reforms, which created non-official Indian majorities in provincial councils, put many of the main demands of the deputation such as separate electorates and separate provincial council seats for Muslims into law. Within the politically active Muslims themselves, the Simla Deputation led to the creation of the All-India Muslim League in December 1906. The Muslim political leaders had previously, while drafting
840-645: The Ismāʿīlī population on the continent resided, including Tanganyika , Kenya , Uganda , Madagascar , Rwanda, Burundi and Zaire , had attained their political independence. The Aga Khan was deeply influenced by the views of Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan . Along with Sir Sayyid, the Aga Khan was one of the backers and founders of the Aligarh University , for which he tirelessly raised funds and to which he donated large sums of his own money. The Aga Khan himself can be considered an Islamic modernist and an intellectual of
896-547: The League of Nations in 1932 and served as President of the 18th Assembly of The League of Nations (1937–1938). He was born in Karachi , Sindh (now in Pakistan ), in 1877 under the British Raj , to Aga Khan II (who had emigrated from Persia ) and his third wife, Nawab A'lia Shamsul-Muluk, a granddaughter of Fath Ali Shah of Persia . After attending Eton College , he studied at
952-651: The Second World War , far-reaching social, economic and political changes profoundly affected a number of areas where Ismāʿīlīs resided. In 1947, British rule in the Indian Subcontinent was replaced by the sovereign, independent nations of India , Pakistan and later Bangladesh , resulting in the migration of millions people and significant loss of life and property. In the Middle East, the Suez crisis of 1956 as well as
1008-566: The United Provinces , as well as other notable people within politics, wrote to Mohsin-ul-Mulk , successor of Syed Ahmad Khan, suggesting an effort to increase Muslim representation in local councils. Mohsin-ul-Mulk formed a committee to possibly meet the new Viceroy and asked the Principal of Aligarh Muslim University, W.A.J. Archibold, who was in Simla at the time, to pass the committee's request for
1064-503: The University of Cambridge . In 1885, at the age of seven, he succeeded his father as Imam of the Shi'a Isma'ili Muslims. The Aga Khan travelled to distant parts of the world to receive the homage of his followers, with the objective either of settling differences or of advancing their welfare through financial help and personal advice and guidance. The distinction of Knight Commander of
1120-597: The 1900s, the university became heavily involved in politics again, starting with the Hindi-Urdu controversy . The beginning of the 20th century gave rise to the impetus for a Muslim political organization to advocate for Muslims throughout India, much as the Indian National Congress did for India as a whole. In 1905, Lord Curzon , then Viceroy, reorganized the Bengal Presidency through the Partition of Bengal , splitting
1176-426: The 19th century, Muslim political activism came to be centered on Aligarh Muslim University . The university and its associated Aligarh Movement began to push for Muslim social and educational reform. Its leader, Syed Ahmad Khan , strengthened the Muslim community in northern India by drawing them to his pro-British writings and gatherings. However, his death in 1898 led to the university becoming dormant. However, in
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#17328516292691232-486: The Aga Khan III from London to Geneva and read it before the family: "Ever since the time of my ancestor Ali, the first Imam, that is to say over a period of thirteen hundred years, it has always been the tradition of our family that each Imam chooses his successor at his absolute and unfettered discretion from amongst any of his descendants, whether they be sons or remote male issue and in these circumstances and in view of
1288-649: The Aga Khan presented Her Majesty with a filly called Astrakhan , who won at Hurst Park Racecourse in 1950. In 1926, the Aga Khan gave a cup (the Aga Khan Trophy ) to be awarded to the winners of an international team show jumping competition held at the annual horse show of the Royal Dublin Society in Dublin, Ireland, every first week in August. It attracts competitors from all of the main show jumping nations and
1344-500: The Aga Khan was involved in the Haji Bibi case , where he was questioned about the origin of his followers. In his response, in addition to enumerating his followers in Iran, Russia, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Syria and other places, he also noted that “In Hindustan and Africa there are many Guptis who believe in me… I consider them Shi’i Imami Ismailis ; by caste they are Hindus ”. Following
1400-519: The Aga Khan's reforms, the Ismāʿīlī community is one of the most progressive, peaceful, and prosperous branches of Islam. He was an owner of Thoroughbred racing horses, including a record equaling five winners of The Derby ( Blenheim , Bahram , Mahmoud , My Love , Tulyar ) and a total of sixteen winners of British Classic Races . He was a British flat racing Champion Owner thirteen times. According to Ben Pimlott , biographer of Queen Elizabeth II ,
1456-631: The Diamond Jubilee Investment Trust (now Diamond Trust of Kenya) and the Jubilee Insurance Company, which are quoted on the Nairobi Stock Exchange and have become major players in national development. Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah also introduced organisational reforms that gave Ismāʿīlī communities the means to structure and regulate their own affairs. These were built on the Muslim tradition of a communitarian ethic on
1512-490: The Hindu community in terms of education. According to him, education was the path to progress. He was a tireless advocate for compulsory and universal primary education, and also for the creation of higher institutions of learning. In terms of women's rights, the Aga Khan was more progressive in his views than Sir Sayyid and many other Islamic modernists of his time. The Aga Khan framed his pursuit of women's rights not simply in
1568-586: The Indian Empire (KCIE) was conferred upon him by Queen Victoria in 1897, and he was promoted to Knight Grand Commander (GCIE) in the 1902 Coronation Honours list and invested as such by King Edward VII at Buckingham Palace on October 24, 1902. He was made a Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India (GCSI) by George V (1912) and appointed a GCMG in 1923. He received recognition for his public services from
1624-739: The Indian Subcontinent and in East Africa. Ismailis have marked the jubilees of their Imāms with public celebrations, which are symbolic affirmations of the ties that link the Ismāʿīlī Imām and its followers. Although the Jubilees have no religious significance, they serve to reaffirm the Imamat's worldwide commitment to the improvement of the quality of human life, especially in developing countries. The jubilees of Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah, Aga Khan III, are well remembered. During his 72 years of Imamat (1885–1957),
1680-592: The address to Lord Minto in September, used the opportunity before the next All India Muhammadan Educational Conference later in the year to draft a constitution and set up the foundation of what was to become the Muslim League. In historiography, the Simla Deputation is referred to by some (such as Hussain) as a landmark within Muslim history in India, as it was the first time Muslims had raised their demands against Hindus on
1736-533: The community celebrated his Golden (1937), Diamond (1946), and Platinum (1954) Jubilees. To show their appreciation and affection, the Ismā'īliyya weighed their Imam in gold, diamonds, and, symbolically, platinum, respectively, the proceeds of which were used to further develop major social welfare and development institutions in Asia and Africa. In India and later in Pakistan , social development institutions were established, in
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1792-558: The context of women being better mothers or wives, but rather, for women's own benefit. He endorsed the spiritual equality of men and women in Islam, and he also called for full political equality. This included the right to vote and the right to an education. In regards to the latter issue, he endorsed compulsory primary education for girls. He also encouraged women to pursue higher university-level education, and saw nothing wrong with co-educational institutions. Whereas Sir Sayyid prioritized
1848-503: The demands of the Muslims, put many of them into law through the Indian Councils Act 1909 , granting the wishes of the deputation. The deputation also led indirectly to the creation of the All-India Muslim League in December that year, as the leaders of the Simla Deputation had taken the time to draft the constitution of the Muslim League to present at the All India Muhammadan Educational Conference . During
1904-506: The demands they made towards him. The Indian national Congress formed in 1885,claimed to be dedicated to safe guarding the interests of all communities residing in the Indian subcontinent. The committee, led by Aga Khan III , went to Simla to meet with Lord Minto on 1 October. The address which had been sent beforehand contained the desires of the deputation – that Muslims, based on their population within India ("numerical strength"), should have
1960-490: The deputation and consenting to many of their demands. He stated that his beliefs aligned with the deputation's members, saying that: any electoral representation in India would be doomed to mischievous failure which aimed at granting a personal enfranchisement regardless of the beliefs and traditions of the communities composing the population of this continent. The Simla Deputation managed to convince Lord Minto to create better representation for Muslims within Indian politics –
2016-473: The deputation. Aga Khan III Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah ( Arabic : سلطان محمد شاه , romanized : Sulṭān Muḥammad Shāh ; 2 November 1877 – 11 July 1957), known as Aga Khan III ( Persian : آقا خان سوم , romanized : Āqā Khān Suwwūm ), was the 48th imam of the Nizari Ism'aili branch of Shia Islam. He was one of the founders and the first permanent president of
2072-763: The education of boys over girls, the Aga Khan instructed his followers that if they had a son and daughter, and if they could only afford to send one of them to school, they should send the daughter over the boy. The Aga Khan campaigned against the institution of purda and zenāna , which he felt were oppressive and un-Islamic institutions. He completely banned the purda and the face veil for his Ismāʿīlī followers. The Aga Khan also restricted polygamy, encouraged marriage to widows, and banned child marriage. He also made marriage and divorce laws more equitable to women. Overall, he encouraged women to take part in all national activities and to agitate for their full religious, social, and political rights. Today, in large part due to
2128-580: The election of the Liberals in the 1906 United Kingdom general election , as well as the willingness of the British and the Indian Muslims to cooperate – the British wanted to use Indian Muslims as a bulwark against the Indian National Congress and Hindu nationalism, while the Muslims, based in Aligarh Muslim University , wanted to use the opportunity to secure more political representation for themselves. Minto, finding himself sympathetic to
2184-565: The fundamentally altered conditions in the world in very recent years due to the great changes which have taken place including the discoveries of atomic science, I am convinced that it is in the best interest of the Shia Muslim Ismailia Community that I should be succeeded by a young man who has been brought up and developed during recent years and in the midst of the new age and who brings a new outlook on life to his office as Imam. For these reasons, I appoint my grandson Karim ,
2240-707: The greatest confidence. I warn my successor to the Imamat, never to do anything during his Imamat that would reduce the responsibility of the Imam for the maintenance of the true Shia Imami Ismaili faith, as developed historically from the time of my ancestor Ali, the founder until my own." He is buried in the Mausoleum of Aga Khan , on the Nile in Aswan , Egypt (at 24°05′18″N 32°52′43″E / 24.088254°N 32.878722°E / 24.088254; 32.878722 ). Pakistan Post issued
2296-616: The latter of which he understood in a modernist way to mean consensus-building. According to him, Muslims should go back to the original sources, especially the Qurʾān , in order to discover the true essence and spirit of Islam. Once the principles of the faith were discovered, they would be seen to be universal and modern. Islam, in his view, had an underlying liberal and democratic spirit. He also called for full civil and religious liberties, peace and disarmament, and an end to all wars. The Aga Khan opposed sectarianism , which he believed to sap
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2352-744: The one hand and a responsible individual conscience with the freedom to negotiate one's own moral commitment and destiny on the other. In 1905, he ordained the first Ismā'īlī Constitution for the social governance of the community in East Africa. The new administration for the community's affairs was organised into a hierarchy of councils at the local, national, and regional levels. The constitution also set out rules in such matters as marriage, divorce, and inheritance, guidelines for mutual cooperation and support among Ismā'īlīs, and their interface with other communities. Similar constitutions were promulgated in India, and all were periodically revised to address emerging needs and circumstances in diverse settings. In 1905,
2408-408: The preceding crisis in Iran, demonstrated the sharp upsurge of nationalism, which was as indicative of the region's social and economic aspirations as of its political independence. Africa was also set on its course to decolonisation , swept by what Harold Macmillan , the then British prime minister, termed the "wind of change". By the early 1960s, most of East and Central Africa, where the majority of
2464-467: The region into East and West Bengal. The partition enraged Hindus, but Muslims, who had become a majority in the newly-formed East Bengal, found themselves opposed to the Hindus. The Muslims of East Bengal, led by Syed Nawab Ali Chowdhury , found an increased power and voice to be used to push for better employment opportunities, education, and political representation. The British found in this Muslim opposition
2520-526: The scholar Shenila Khoja-Moolji argues that he also expressed a distinct interest in advancing women's education for women themselves. Aga Khan called on the British Raj to consider Muslims to be a separate nation within India, the famous ' Two Nation Theory '. Even after he resigned as president of the AIML in 1912, he still exerted a major influence on its policies and agendas. He was nominated to represent India at
2576-518: The son of my own son, Aly Salomone Khan to succeed to the title of Aga Khan and to the Imam and Pir of all Shia Ismailian followers. I desire that my successor shall, during the first seven years of his Imamat, be guided on questions of general Imamat Policy, by my said wife, Yvette called Yve Blanche Labrousse Om Habibeh, the Begum Aga Khan, who has been familiar for many years with the problems facing my followers, and in whose wise judgment, I place
2632-410: The strength and unity of the Muslim community. In specific, he called for a rapprochement between Sunnism and Shīʿism . This did not mean that he thought religious differences would go away, and he himself instructed his Ismāʿīlī followers to be dedicated to their own teachings. However, he believed in unity through accepting diversity, and by respecting differences of opinion. On his view, there
2688-560: The three Round Table Conferences (India) in London from 1930 to 1932, he played an important role in bringing about Indian constitutional reforms. In 1934, he was made a member of the Privy Council Under the leadership of Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III, the first half of the 20th century was a period of significant development for the Ismā'īlī community. Numerous institutions for social and economic development were established in
2744-547: The time of the Golden Jubilee to give assistance to needy students, were progressively expanded. In East Africa, major social welfare and economic development institutions were established. Those involved in social welfare included the accelerated development of schools and community centres and a modern, fully equipped hospital in Nairobi . Among the economic development institutions established in East Africa were companies such as
2800-470: The words of Aga Khan III, "for the relief of humanity". They included institutions such as the Diamond Jubilee Trust and Platinum Jubilee Investments Limited, which in turn assisted the growth of various types of cooperative societies. Diamond Jubilee High School for Girls was established throughout the remote northern areas of what is now Pakistan. In addition, scholarship programmes, established at
2856-577: Was a member of Indian Universities Commission 1902 . Soon afterwards he was made a member of the Imperial Legislative Council and a member of the Secretary of State's Council from 1907 to 1909. He retired from the service of the Nizam in 1907 as a result of ill health. His most important work was that of an educationalist. He founded the institution that was to become Nizam College . He along with Sir Agha Khan (Agha Khan III) and many others
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#17328516292692912-505: Was born in 1844 in Gaya from ancestors of Sadaat-e-Bilgram , and was educated at the Presidency College , Calcutta . His brother was Syed Ali Bilgrami . He was married in 1864 and had four sons and one daughter. After holding the post of Professor of Arabic at Canning College , Lucknow from 1866 to 1873 he entered the service of the Nizam of Hyderabad . He was the Private Secretary to Sir Salar Jung till his death. During his tenure, Sir Hussain Bilgrami accompanied Sir Salar Jung on
2968-455: Was intellectually open to Western philosophy and ideas, and believed engagement with them could lead to a revival and renaissance within Islamic thought. Like many other Islamic modernists, the Aga Khan held a low opinion of the traditional religious establishment (the ʿUlamāʾ ) as well as what he saw as their rigid formalism, legalism, and literalism. Instead, he advocated for renewed ijtihād (independent reasoning) and ijmāʿ (consensus),
3024-514: Was one of the founding members of the "All-India Muslim League" which was a political party set up for the sole purpose of protection of the rights of the Muslims of the Indian sub-continent.He also founded a girls’ high school in 1885, which was the first institution of its kind in India. He was instrumental in the formation of three industrial schools (helping revive declining industries) at the three principal centres of local industries, namely Aurangabad , Hyderabad and Warangal . The State Library
3080-399: Was strength to be found in the diversity of Muslim traditions. The Aga Khan called for social reform in Muslim society, and he was able to implement them within his own Ismāʿīlī community. As he believed Islam to essentially be a humanitarian religion, the Aga Khan called for the reduction and eradication of poverty. Like Sir Sayyid, the Aga Khan was concerned that Muslims had fallen behind
3136-405: Was the first person who designed a detailed plan of such a federation of India. Aga Khan III was succeeded as Aga Khan by his grandson Karim Aga Khan , who is the present Imam of the Ismaili Muslims. At the time of his death on 11 July 1957, he was surrounded by his family members in Versoix . His last words were repeating the verses of the Koran. On July 12, a solicitor brought the will of
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