Revisiting Narratives: Sayyid Ahmad Khan and the Intersection of Islam, Science, and South Asia

• In Event: Beyond Orientalism(s): Rethinking Approaches to Islam and the History of Science

English Abstract

This paper critically examines the intricate relationship between Islam, science, and the historical narrative, focusing on the pivotal figure of Sayyid Ahmad Khan in nineteenth-century South Asia. Decentering the earlier period and geographical confines of the Middle East, Ahmad Khan's multifaceted legacy as a scholar, reformer, and educationist within colonial India significantly impacted the discourse on Islam and science.

By critically examining Ahmad Khan's ideas and initiatives within the specific socio-political context of nineteenth-century South Asia, this study underscores the need for a nuanced approach to the historiography of Islam and science. It highlights the dynamic interplay of local contexts, intellectual currents, and individual agency, enriching our understanding of the complex dynamics shaping the history of science in Islamic societies and its broader global ramifications.

Author

• Sarah Qidwai, University of York