The Aligarh Movement was an educational and socio-political movement initiated by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan after the War of Independence in 1857. It aimed to uplift Indian Muslims by promoting modern education, Western sciences, and a progressive mindset compatible with British rule. The movement’s centerpiece was the establishment of the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in 1875 at Aligarh, which later became Aligarh Muslim University.

Sir Syed believed that the decline of Muslims was due to their resistance to modern learning and detachment from political realities. He urged Muslims to abandon hostility toward the British and instead focus on education, morality, and self-development. Through his writings, including the journal Tahzib-ul-Akhlaq, he advocated for rational thought and scientific knowledge while maintaining Islamic values.

The Aligarh Movement discouraged Muslims from joining the Indian National Congress and emphasized the distinct identity of Muslims in the Indian subcontinent. It became the intellectual backbone of Muslim nationalism, laying the groundwork for the Two-Nation Theory and eventually the creation of Pakistan in 1947. Many leaders of the Pakistan Movement, including Liaquat Ali Khan and Allama Iqbal, were influenced by the Aligarh ideology.