Historical Perspective of Muslim Female Education Scenario in India: Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries

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Education has been an integral part of socioeconomic and cultural development from the earliest time. In India, Hindus in general continued their system of educating the girls within the family while the first regular girl's school for Bengali girls established in 1819 in Madras by the Muslim rulers focussing on religious education. During the later half of the 19th century and the early 20th century, some prominent Muslim leaders placed hurdles in the dissemination of education among Muslim females against the favorable attitude by a number of institutions and the British rulers. Sir Syed, a prominent Muslim leader and an educationist who made tremendous contribution towards Muslim male education was unwilling to seek equality for Muslim female education. This paper discusses the historical perspective of Muslim female education in India focussing on the role of various institutions including Christian missionaries, colonial government, and Anjuman-I-Islam in taking bold steps towards female education. Examples in support of Muslim female education were cited from Islamic prescriptions. This paper revolves around a threadbare discussion on the role of individuals who supported female education, such as Nazir Ahmad, Badruddin Tayabji and Sheikh Abdullah, and the opposition towards female education by Sir Syed have been highlighted. At the end, it focuses on the dynamic leadership of Sheikh Abdullah whose immense contribution resulted in the widespread female education even at higher level in India. This paper also presents the similarities in the movement of female education between Sheikh Abdullah and Ismail Bey Gaspirali of Turkey.

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