Khilafat Movement 1920
KHILAFAT MOVEMENT
1. INTRODUCTION
The First World War brought crises for the Muslim as the Turkish Ottoman Empire fought alongside the German and the Austrian empires against Britain, France and Russia. The Turkish defeated and at the end of the war, Muslims all over the world were concerned about how turkey would be treated. The Turkish sultan was recognized as the Khalifa, or Caliph: (the Khalifa had been the head of the world). It still had great symbolic value for all Muslims because the Ottoman Empire controlled a vast empire, which included the cities of Makah, Medina and Jerusalem. When the British threatened to take territory away from the khalifa, Muslims in India were outraged and formed the Khilafat movement to protect the sultan and their religion.
The Lucknow Pact showed that Muslims and Hindus could work together towards a common aim. When the Khilafat movement was formed, it looked like another example of how they could cooperate. But as time went on, it became apparent that religious differences made it impossible for them to work together without communal fears continually undermining the supposed harmony.
2. FORMATION OF THE KHILAFAT MOVEMENT
A. Deep- seated Muslim fears
The Khilafat Movement did not spring solely from the British threat to dismember the Turkish Empire. It had its roots in a deep-seated mistrust of the way that the west and British in particular, treated Muslim countries.
a) Afghanistan and Persia had been the subject of rivalry between Russia and Britain. The two powers had agreed on how Afghanistan and Persia were to be run but little attention was paid to the views of the Muslim population
b) Some Muslims of India considered that the British policy towards the Muslims was to encourage in them fear of Hindus so that Muslims would co operate with the British
c) Although there were many Muslims the British army fighting against the Turks there were large number of deserts by soldiers unwilling to fight fellow
1. INTRODUCTION
The First World War brought crises for the Muslim as the Turkish Ottoman Empire fought alongside the German and the Austrian empires against Britain, France and Russia. The Turkish defeated and at the end of the war, Muslims all over the world were concerned about how turkey would be treated. The Turkish sultan was recognized as the Khalifa, or Caliph: (the Khalifa had been the head of the world). It still had great symbolic value for all Muslims because the Ottoman Empire controlled a vast empire, which included the cities of Makah, Medina and Jerusalem. When the British threatened to take territory away from the khalifa, Muslims in India were outraged and formed the Khilafat movement to protect the sultan and their religion.
The Lucknow Pact showed that Muslims and Hindus could work together towards a common aim. When the Khilafat movement was formed, it looked like another example of how they could cooperate. But as time went on, it became apparent that religious differences made it impossible for them to work together without communal fears continually undermining the supposed harmony.
2. FORMATION OF THE KHILAFAT MOVEMENT
A. Deep- seated Muslim fears
The Khilafat Movement did not spring solely from the British threat to dismember the Turkish Empire. It had its roots in a deep-seated mistrust of the way that the west and British in particular, treated Muslim countries.
a) Afghanistan and Persia had been the subject of rivalry between Russia and Britain. The two powers had agreed on how Afghanistan and Persia were to be run but little attention was paid to the views of the Muslim population
b) Some Muslims of India considered that the British policy towards the Muslims was to encourage in them fear of Hindus so that Muslims would co operate with the British
c) Although there were many Muslims the British army fighting against the Turks there were large number of deserts by soldiers unwilling to fight fellow