Khilafat Movement was “An Emotional Movement” | Pakistan Affairs

Notes

Table of Contents

“Khilafat Movement was an emotional movement”. Discuss (Pakistan Affairs CSS

Paper 2015)
Khilafat Movement was “An Emotional Movement”
1. Introduction
2. Analysis of Khilafat Movement
3. Islamization of Politics
4. Element of Emotionalism
5. Why Gandhi Supported “ Khilafat”?
6. Gandhi Became The Supreme Leader
7. Spell of Religious Leadership
8. Wastage of the Indian Muslims’ Energies
9. Absence of Political Pragmatism
10. Fatwa declaring Hindustan as a Darul Harab
11. The Mopla Peasantry’s Uprising
12. Muslim Sentiments
13. Non-Cooperation Movement
14. Jinnah’s Role
15. Conclusion
Check Other NOTES for Pakistan Affairs

“Khilafat Movement was an emotional movement”.

Discuss (Pakistan Affairs CSS Paper 2015)

Khilafat Movement was “An Emotional Movement”

1. Introduction

There is an assumption that the Muslims can only be mobilized politically if religion, and
religious symbols are used. If it is true, it means that politics requires religion to survive and
to play an active role in the Muslim society. In the word of poet Iqbal if religion is separated
from politics, it becomes a tyranny.

However, there are two aspects of the use of religion. In the case of despotic and
authoritarian systems, where power is concentrated in the hands of an individual, such as a
monarchy or dictatorship, the religious scholars (ulama) are used by them to support their
political ends. There are plenty examples in history as to how the kings and rulers asked the

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 Khilafat Movement was “An Emotional Movement” | Pakistan Affairs
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ulama to issue fatwas (religious injunctions) in their favour or in support of their policies.

2. Analysis of Khilafat Movement

The Khilafat movement could be analysed and judged under the circumstances when the
colonial government allowed political parties to play their role in the framework that was
granted by the government. The ulama, who were confined to their religious seminaries, got
an opportunity to come out from their isolation and took full part in politics. That was the
first time that they became active in any mass movement. Exploiting the situation they
plunged in it with full religious fervour and vigour.

Interestingly, the British promoted the image of the Ottoman Caliph in India for their own
political motives. In 1857, during the Great Rebellion, they got a fatwa from the caliph
exhorting the Muslim not to fight against the British.

Because of their enmity to Russia at the time, Britain took up a pro-Ottoman line and
promoted among the Indian Muslims loyalty to the Ottoman Caliph who, in his turn took
advantage of the position by spreading his propaganda and exploiting the false notion of the
Caliphate put out by the Europeans.

3. Islamization of Politics

Chaudhary Khaliquzzaman, a Muslim leader from Oudh, realized the danger of Islamisation
of politics and warned that: “they would either be wept off their legs or would carry the
whole of Muslim India with them.” This is exactly what happened. The khilafat issue became
the core issue of the Muslim politics and all other problems were completely forgotten.

Once Khilafat became the symbol and religion was involved in it, the modern and liberal
leadership was marginalized and the ulama as the custodians of religion came forward to
lead the Muslim Community of India. Ali brothers, who started their political career as
moderates, were converted with the process and became maulana having beards and
wearing the dress particular for the religious leaders.

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The important aspect of this period is that whole political process was taken over by the All
India khilafat Committee that was set up in 1919 and made Muslim league a non-entity.

4. Element of Emotionalism

With the entry of the ulama, the whole character of the movement changed. The element of
emotionalism was fully inculcated to mobilize the Muslim masses in the name of religion.
Fiery speeches with charged sentiments became daily occurances. The study of the
newspapers of this period clearly shows the emotionalism. For example, Maulana Abdul Bari
from Faringi Mahal was in the habit to warn his rivals and threatened to eliminate them. In
one of the Muslim League sessions at Delhi he said that he could shake the world with one
word of his mouth and one stroke of his pen.

In the Amritsar session of the Muslim League that was attended by the Ali brothers,
emotional speeches were delivered. Shaukat Ali declared that he would sacrifice his
property and life to protect Kaaba. He finished by asking the audience whether they wished
to remain British subjects or Muslims, and if it was the former, he would sever his
connection with them and seek martyrdom.

5. Why Gandhi Supported “ Khilafat”?

The question is why Gandhi supported the Khilafat movement, which was dealing with an
Islamic issue and had nothing to do with the Indian problems? As Gail Minault points out
Muhammad Ali was much impressed by Gandhi’s approach to politics when addressing to
students at Calcutta he said that “politics cannot be divorced from religion”. Gandhi was
approached by Maulana Bari to support the Khilafat movement. That was the time when
Gandhi was planning to launch a campaign against the Rowlatt Bill and against the Punjab
atrocities. It appears that it was easy for Gandhi to deal with the Ali brothers and Ulama
rather than Jinnah who was not in favour of the Khilafat issue. His cool approach to politics
was a contrast to the emotionally charged movement led by the ulama.

The Congress and the Khilafat movement supported the non-cooperation, and as result a
unanimous fatwa was issued by the ulama in 1920 that appealed the Muslims to boycott the
government on religious grounds. The opening paragraph says:

6. Gandhi Became The Supreme Leader

During the whole movement Gandhi became the supreme leader and highly praised by the
Ali brothers and the ulama. However, the non-cooperation movement collapsed after Chaura
Cahuri’s incident in 1922 and the Khilafat issue became redundant when Mustafa Kamal
abolished the institution in 1924.

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The khilafat movement islamised the politics for the Indian Muslims. Instead of creating
political understanding and analysing political issue purely on political grounds, they
supported or rejected all these issues on the basis of religion. Once religion became
supreme authority to understand and act politically, the ulama gained ground and assumed
leadership. This is evident during the khilafat movement when attempts were made to
establish separate shriat court and collect zakat. As a result of the movement religious and
non- political consciousness was created among the Muslims. While on the other hand, the
Congress followed the political agenda that promoted the political awakening among its
followers (majority of them were the Hindus).

7. Spell of Religious Leadership

The Muslim community under the spell of religious leadership also failed to understand the
effects of the Ottoman imperialism on the Arab countries. The news of the Arab revolt when
received in India was not believed. This lack of political knowledge failed to create anti
imperialist feelings among the Muslims. It is evident that even educated Muslims were not
well aware of the Ottoman history and its decadent institutions, which were not based on
Islamic teachings. It was just an emotional attachment that blinded them to probe and
investigate the weaknesses of the Ottoman Empire.

8. Wastage of the Indian Muslims’ Energies

According to one interpretation that the involvement in the khilafat movement was nothing
but a waste of the Indian Muslims’ energies. They forgot their internal problems and
devoted their attention to the problem which was not related to them. That is why there was
disappointment after the abolition of the khilafat. It left them in wilderness.

9. Absence of Political Pragmatism

The Hindu-Muslim unity was short lived because it was based on emotionalism and not on
political pragmatism. After the collapse of non-cooperation, Gandhi was criticised and
condemned by the same ulama who adored him. It is said that he used the Muslim
leadership to propagate his non-violence philosophy and left them in doldrums when he
achieved his motives. Both symbols of the khilafat and non-cooperation were quite different
in nature and could not be reconciled. The nationalist historians, who admire the role of
Gandhi as a champion of Hindu Muslim unity during this period, forget the disastrous
effects of the involvement of religion to politics.

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10. Fatwa declaring Hindustan as a Darul Harab

Maulana Abdul Bari and Azad both issued a fatwa declaring Hindustan as a “Darul Harab”
and therefore exhorted the Muslims that it was their religious duty to migrate from India.
The common people especially from the Punjab and Sindh, after selling their belongings, left
India for Afghanistan where, the Amir also promised to give them land and shelter. Once
they reached there they found nothing and came back disappointed. During the whole
campaign hundreds died and thousands suffered in a process of rehabilitation. Those who
issued the fatwa did not follow it; both the rich and well off did not leave India. The sacrifice
of the common people did not create any concern among the leadership.

11. The Mopla Peasantry’s Uprising

The Mopla peasantry revolted against their landlords. Economic exploitation forced them to
rebel repeatedly in the past. Now inspired by the symbol of the khilafat, they took arms and
made attempts to improve their condition. The revolt was crushed and the Moplas suffered
immensely. In this case nothing was done to ameliorate their grievances

12. Muslim Sentiments

The government of India urged that Muslim Ulema and scholars grant a fatwa to the effect
that sympathy with Turkey was unlawful as per shariah. Some of the Mullahs did so but
Maulana Abdul Bari refused. Soon after the post-war settlement, the Muslim scholars of
India entered into practical politics on a nationwide scale with definite objects and Maulana
Mahmood Hasan of Deoband founded Jamiat-i-Ulama-i-Hind in 1919.

13. Non-Cooperation Movement

During the observance of the first Khilafat Day on 17 October 1919, most Indian-owned
shops remained closed in Calcutta, prayers were offered at different mosques, and public
meetings were held all over Bengal. On 23-24 November 1919 the first All-India Khilafat
Conference held in Delhi was presided over by AK Fazlul Huq from Bengal. It was resolved
that pending a resolution of the Khilafat problem there would be no participation in the
proposed peace celebrations, that British goods should be boycotted, and that a policy of
non-cooperation with the government would be adopted.

14. Jinnah’s Role

K.B Sayeed writes:

“The twilight programme had become so popular that leaders like C.R. Das and Lala Rajpat

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 Khilafat Movement was “An Emotional Movement” | Pakistan Affairs
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Rai had to come round to the non-cooperation programme. But nothing could swerve Jinnah
from the constitutional path that he was determined to follow.”

He never favoured the non-cooperation movement and when it was adopted in Dec 1920 at
Nagpur Session of Congress; he resigned from Congress in protest.

15. Conclusion

Although Khilafat Movement met in the long run a complete failure, yet it deeply influenced
the Indian people, especially the Muslims. Khilafat Movement made this fact admitted that
the Muslims of India were an alive nation. Both the Hindus and the English came to realise
that the Muslims could make heavy sacrifices for their cause. Khilafat Movement
reawakened the dormant temerity of the Muslims.

“The result was that the Muslims emerged the movement with a feeling that they
could neither the British nor the Hindu and they should be their own straight for
self preservation.”
I.H. Qureshi: The Struggle for Pakistan

Check Other NOTES for Pakistan Affairs

The Lahore Resolution, 1940 | Pakistan Affairs Notes for CSS/PMS

The Congress Ministries – Policies Towards Muslims | Pakistan Affairs Notes for
CSS/PMS
Muslim Politics and Chaudhry Rahmat Ali | Pakistan Affairs Notes for CSS/PMS
ALLAMA IQBAL’s Presidential Address December 1930
Muslim Politics in British India: 1924-1935 | Pakistan Affairs Notes for CSS/PMS
The Khilafat Movement | Pakistan Affairs Notes for CSS/PMS
Major Political Developments 1857-1918 | Pakistan Affairs Notes for CSS/PMS
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and His Contributions | Pakistan Affairs Notes for CSS/PMS
The Aligarh Movement | Pakistan Affairs Notes by Prof. Dr. Hassan Askari
Ideology of Pakistan in the Light of Statements of Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal

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