Assignment:-
Elaborate the
Khilafat Movement and causes of its failure. What did the Muslims of the
Sub-Continent gain from this religio-political Movement?
Solution:-
Khilafat Movement was a religio-political Movement
launched by the Muslims of the British India for the retention of the Ottoman
Caliphate or khilafat-e-usmania and for not letting for the Muslim holy places
go under the control of the Non-Muslims. During the 1st World War
Turkey sided with Germany and as Germany started to loose Turkey also started
losing its territory. By the time 1st World War came to an end in
1918 Turkey had lost most of its territory. Therefore the issue at that time
was how the allied powers would treat Turkey, the Ottoman Empire or the
khilafat-e-usmania and most of its territory had been occupied and this
Movement was on its peak from 1919 to 1922, although it went on during the
later years.
Being brothers, the Indian Muslims realized their
religious duty to help the Muslim country. It was the extra territorial
attachments based on Islam. Another factor same to the first was that the
Indian Muslims considered Ottoman Caliphate a symbol of unity of the Muslim
world as Ummah.
Goals:
These were the goals of this Movement.
1. Ottoman
Khilafat should be kept intact. This was the 1st demand of the
Khilafat Movement that we are going to discuss very shortly
2. Territorial
solidarity of Turkey should be preserved.
3. Control
of holy the places of the Muslims should not be given to non-Muslims that were
Non-Muslim powers.
This was the first major political Movement launched
by the Muslims in India which involved the common man. Since the inception of
the Muslim League in 1906, the Muslims had started demanding certain safeguards
from the British. They were also interacting with the other communities and the
Congress party. However politics during that time from 1906 to 1919 was the
elitist politics. That is politics of educated people and also people who are
well off who could spare time who could spare money were involved in politics.
Khilafat Movement was the 1st movement where
ordinary people were involved, or the ordinary Muslims were involved, people in
the streets were involved and therefore politics at that time came down to the
ordinary masses.
Another important aspect of this Movement was that it
showed the mobilization capacity of Islam amongst the Muslims. It showed the
extent to which the Muslims of the British India held Islam and how much
Islamic institutions are dear to them. So it clearly showed that Islam had a
lot of mobilizational capacity and appeal for the ordinary people.
Another aspect emphasizes the extra-territorial
attachments of the Muslims of India based on Islam. Extra-territorial means
that people feel attached to certain institutions and ideological framework
that may be beyond the territorial boundaries of their own countries that is
extra-territorial attachment. Amongst the Muslims extra-territorial attachments
are always been very strong and these extra-territorial attachments are based
on Islam. Two concepts of Islam are very strong force for the Muslims of
British India.
Causes of failure of this
Movement:
The Khilafat Movement that was started by the Muslims
of the British India for the retention of the institution of the Ottoman Empire
and for retaining the control of the Muslims holy places, that movement
gradually fizzled out. How that did happen a number of developments from 1921
to onward contributed to that.
1. The
1st important development that adversely affected the movement was
the Mopla Revolt on the Malabar area in the Calicut.
2. The
2nd incident that affected this Movement was the increase in violence when in
1920 Non Cooperation Movement was launched by Gandhi.
3. 3rd
and most significant development relates to Turkey itself, things began to
change in Turkey. He abolished the institution of Khilafat.
4. Gandhi’s
betrayal to the Muslims was another factor that led to failure of this
movement.
Consequences for the
Muslims:
Turkey became
Republic and in March 1924 the Grand National Assembly the parliament of Turkey
abolished the institution of Khilafat. In March 1924, Khilafat was abolished.
So in a way the very institution for which the Muslims were fighting had been
replaced by Turkey’s new leadership that emerged, the present day Turkey that
emerged in 1922.
These were the consequences for the Muslims after the end
of this Movement.
1.
It was re-affirmation of the reality that religion is a
mobilizing force and especially Islam has mobilization capacity to organize
masses.
2.
It was the movement launched on the basis of
extra-territorialism. Later, no such movement but Pan-Islamic sentiments
continued.
3.
It resulted in the sufferings of the Muslims
4.
Hindu-Muslim unity proved short-lived.
5.
Reactivation of the Muslim League and other Muslims
organizations to restart their activities as a separate nation.
