'''Madrasa 'Aliya''' (Arabic: مدرسة عالية) was a Madrasa founded 1781 in Calcutta by Warren_Hastings{{ref|Rahman}} although some sources have the founding date as 1780.{{ref|Banglapedia}} Hastings ran the institution out of his pocket for a year and a half until he was later reimbursed by the Bengal_Government. It was founded in Baithakkhana near Sealdah, Calcutta but is currently located in the Wellesley_Square area. Its first head was Mulla_Majduddin but Muhammad_Ismail took over in 1791. The school taught Persian, Arabic and Muslim Law (Fiqh) and its graduates were used to help the British_Raj interpret. After facing financial crises Captain_Ayron a retired British_army officer was appointed in 1819 to be on the Madrasa management committee helping the Board_of_Revenue. Upon further deterioration European head, Aloys_Sprenger, was brought in in 1850. == References == # {{note|Rahman}} Rahman, Fazlur. ''Islam & Modernity''. The University of Chicago Press. United States:1982 ISBN 0-226-70284-7, 73-74 # {{note|Banglapedia}} ''Calcutta Madrasa, The''. Banglapedia.com. August_24, 2005. Category:Universities_and_colleges_in_West_Bengal {{Islam-stub}}