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, 1924-
45, 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

1.
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