Dr. Syed Zafarul Hasan

Dr. Syed Zafarul Hasan Dr.SYED ZAFAR-UL-HASAN (Feb. 14, 1885 - June 19, 1949), was son of K. S. (Khan Sahib) Syed Diwan Mohammad. He was a prominent Muslim Philosopher of this era. He was educated at Allahabad (M.A., LL. B.), the Erlangen University, Germany and Oxford University, England (He got a Doctorate from both universities). His Doctoral thesis Realism is a classic on the subject. He started teaching at the Muslim University, Aligarh, India. He was Chairman, Dept. of Philosophy, and Dean, Faculty of Arts at the Muslim University, Aligarh. There, in 1939, he put forward the 'Aligarh Scheme' alongwith Muhammad Afzal Husain: they published a scheme ("The Problem of Indian Muslims") proposing three independent states. In August 1947, Dr. Syed Zafarul Hasan migrated to Lahore, Pakistan. He started work on a book which he could not complete due to his death in 1949. Only one volume ("PHILOSOPHY A Critique") was ready, which was published from Lahore in 1988. Biographical Highlights: M. A., LL. B.; New College, Oxford, D. Phil., Univs. of Erlangen and Heidelberg, D. Phil.; Prof., Philosophy, Islamia College, Lahore, 1910; Fellow, Muslim Univ., Aligarh, 1911; Prof., Philosophy, Islamia College, Peshawar, 1913; Prof. of Philosophy, Muslim Univ., Aligarh, 192445, Emeritus Prof., 1945 - to partition of the Indian sub-continent in 1947. Chairman, Dept. of Philosophy, Aligarh Muslim Univ.; Dean, Faculty of Arts; Member of Court, Member of Executive Council, Finance Co., Com. of Advanced Studies, Aligarh Muslim Univ.; Dir., Jamiat-ut-Tamaddunil-Islami, Bombay; Member, Internatl. Acad. of Philosophy, Erlangen. Pres., Islami Jamaat, Aligarh. Member: Education Com., All-India Muslim League; Kant Gesellscaft (Germany); Mind Assn. (England); Philosophical Congress (India); Academic Council of Muslim Univ. at Aligarh. Author: Realism - An Attempt To Trace Its Origin And Devolopment In Its Chief Represatisentatives (Cambridge University Press, London, 1928), Realism (translated into Urdu), 1927; Monismus Spinozas, 1922; Descartes' Dualism, 1912; Philosophy and Education, 1927; Philosophy and Its Advantages, 1931; Realism is not Metaphysics, 1931; Islamics, 1936; The Problem, 1933; Revelation and Apostle, 1937; Message of Iqbal, 1938; Philosophy of Religion; Philosophy of Islam; Philosophy of Kant; PHILOSOPHY - A Critique, (Lahore, 1988).1

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WORLD BIOGRAPHY, FOURTH EDITION of the BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE WORLD [INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN BIOGRAPHY, (Incorporated in 1934), 296 Broadway NEW YORK 7, N.Y.] ( page 2183).

EXTRACTS from a note ABOUT DR. SYED ZAFARUL HASAN by Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed (Former Vice-Chancellor, Aligarh Muslim University): His Education in Philosophy is about the highest any one has in India. He is the only Mussalman Philosopher invited to contribute to "Contemporary Philosophy - Indian Section" edited by Prof. Muirhead. He is the only living Eastern Philosopher whose philosophical position was made the subject of a Doctor's Dissertation in Bonn University, and brought a first class degree to the candidate. His German book on Spinoza brought him the distinction of Fellowship to the International Academy of Philosophy, Erlangen, and was immediately taken up as part of "Series of Great Philosophers" by Rossl Verlag Munich at the instance of Prof. Goesta Ecke. His English book on Realism was published by Cambridge University Press at the instance of the renowned Professo G. E. Moore, and has been valued by a Professor of Philosophy abroad as the "Bible of Realism". It was profusely praised from every point of view by numerous reviewers in English, American, German, and French journals; and by writing it he was acclaimed as having "gained a high place among the list of real thinkers". The well-known Oxford philosopher H. W. B. Joseph wrote: " I should be proud to see a book of mine reviewed so favorably." Iqbal wrote: "The world of Islam and specially the Muslim University should be proud of this work." Prof. Ernst Hoffmann of Heidelberg, praising the originality of its position undertook to make translations from it for the great German Philosophical Journaln "Logos". It is studied by the students of the subject all over the world. His name and the sketch of his life is inserted in more than one "Who is who in Philosophy", and also in "Who is Important in Education"; and his books mentioned in standard treatises like Metz's "Hundred Years of British Philosophy", etc., and discussions held on them in Journals of Philosophy like "Monist." Dr. Syed Zafaul Hasan migrated to Lahore, Pakistan after the new country came into being in August 1947. He was working on a book when he died on June 19, 1949. He was able to complete only one volume (“PHILOSOPHY – A Critique”, published from Lahore, 1988).

Most of the books Dr. Syed Zafarul Hasan authored are not available now. Any of these books may be donated/ lent to the DR. SYED ZAFARUL HASAN FOUNDATION or information about these may be provided by phone (+92-21-5686106, +92-333-5125374, or +92-3452119441)

Mentioned in Ghulam Bhik Nairang