Shibli Nuʿmani

Muslim reaction to Western education in India divided the country into two, a few welcoming it by opening a Western-based educational institute whereas others rejected it by founding a Muslim seminary. However, there was a middle way that was offered by the late nineteenth and early twentieth century education reformer Shibli Nu’mani. By analysing Shibli’s speeches, articles, and books, this article argues that Shibli offered a way out of the dichotomy of West and East. He argued for a change in the curricula of religious education and offered a contextualized solution for education, depending upon where one is placed. Hence, he went on to establish an English school for village children, a religious seminary for those who wanted to pursue reformed religious education, a school for the correction of society for the rural people to understand religion, and a Writers’ Academy to produce academics. It goes on to show that there existed a diversity in the perception among Muslims on the question of education. In this article Shibli Nu‘mani will be referred as Shibli following the tradition of Urdu academics to use the first name.