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Forging bond with Modernism: An Assessment of Sir Sayyid´s Periodicals (1817-1898), better known as the founder of Aligarh Muslim University was not only first Renaissance Indian Muslim of the 19th Century but was also one of the prime movers of modern, scholar and democratic India. The book running into six characters zeros in on Sir Sayyid´s writings that explore a stunning variety of topics. The study makes it clear that it is relentless effort for bringing about social reforms and intellectual awakening could bear fruits. Thanks to his widely known periodicals - The Aligarh Institute Gazette and Tehzibul Akhlaq that proved to be Avanti-Courier of modernism in the 19th century. The book concentrates on his periodicals that articulates Islam´s moral and social commitment to a rational and humane society. His Islam is not a world of religious bigotry, intolerance and clairvoyance. The book turns his attention to his concrete actions and his writings that unfailingly obliterate all traces of parochial and sectarian attitude attributed to him by the namby-pamby scholars.

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Shafey Kidwai, Literary Critic, Reviewer and Translator and has been a teacher of communication studies for more than two decades. He has published six books and several research articles. At present he is a professor of Mass Communication, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India. shafeykidwai@yahoo.co.in

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