Sayed Ahmad Khan(1858-1902) was a Muslim leader and writer in India. He encouraged the spread of modern education methods to revitalize Islamic values. He helped start a number of schools and also published critiques of British rule over the region.
One of his most important ideas was the "Two Nation Theory", that is, that Muslims living on the Indian subcontinent constituted a different nation and deserved their own state rather than simply become a minority in a Hindu democracy. It was for this reason that he discouraged Muslims from involvement with the Indian National Congress, opting instead for a separate movement through which to further Muslim-specific interests.
Last updated: 10-12-2005 21:03:20