Khilafat Movement

By Sir Hassham Ali

 Khilafat Movement
Importance of turkey and caliphate to the Muslims:
•Turkey was the sign of Khilafat and the center of Islam.
•So they held great respect and devotion for Khilafat.
World War – 1 and the Institutional of Caliphate
•In the world war – 1, The allied forces won the war in 1918.
•Muslims were promised, of the safety of caliphate.
•Muslims held the caliphate in high regard and were not
prepared to see Turkey split up after the war and feared .
•The Muslims expressed their views to the British
government and it promised.
•But in the end Turkish Empire was broken up.
•The British and French wanted to punish the Turks.
•The imprisonment of increases the anger, resulting the
Khilafat movement was founded.
•This movement was launched for the protection of
institution of caliphate in Turkey and to protect the Holy
places of the Muslims and to maintain the unity of the
Ottoman Empire.
• By the name of Khilafat Movement.
•The British and French wanted to punish the Turks.
•The imprisonment of increases the anger, resulting the
Khilafat movement was founded.
•This movement was launched for the protection of
institution of caliphate in Turkey and to protect the Holy
places of the Muslims and to maintain the unity of the
Ottoman Empire.
• By the name of Khilafat Movement.
Congress joined the Movement:
•In May 1920, INC joined with the objective Swaraj, under
Gandhi.
•This union was for the protection of institution of Caliphate
and to attain self-rule or Swaraj in India.
•Gandhi spread it all over India.
• Gandhi used the Khilafat movement for self-rule for India
while Jinnah opposed it as he declared that the Indians were
not ready for such movements and in reply he resigned from
the Indian national congress in 1922.
Causes for the failure of the Khilafat movement:
1. Failure of Hijrat / Migration Movements: 1919 – 1920
•Maulana Abdul Kalaam Azad and Maulana Abdul Bari
declared sub-continent as Dar-ul-Herb, and called for Hijrat
to Afghanistan
•Around 20,000 Muslims from N.W.F.P and Sindh migrated to
Afghanistan, leaving everything behind.
• Afghan first welcomed Muslims but later refused.
•The Indian Muslims particularly those belonged to Sindh
suffered greatly.
•As a result, Muslims support for the movement fell away.
Non Cooperation Movement:
 
Stage – 1: The titles would be given up and the educational
institution of the government would be boycotted.
 Stage – 2: Resignations would be put up by all the
government servants except police and military
departments.
 Stage – 3: Police and military departments would also be
quitted.
 Stage – 4: The payment of taxes would be refused and
general civil disobedience would be started.
Moplah uprising; 1921
•In August 1921, riots broke out in Moplah village near
Malabar Coast of South India.
•The Moplah peasants, Arab traders settled in this region,
revolted against the Hindu landlords and the British.
•A pitched battle in which killed several Europeans.
•4000 Moplah were killed in action and 10000’s were
injured.
•Moplah were heavily criticized by INC which doomed the
Hindu Muslim unity.
2. Incident of Chauri – Chaura: 1922
•In a village of U.P. trouble erupted between the police and
demonstrating mob, who set on fire a police station where
22 policeman including British officer were burned alive.
•Gandhi who was in jail, got upset and called off the
campaign.
•Muslims were left alone and betrayed by the British as well
as by the Hindus.
•At this occasion Muslims started self dependency for their
rights.
Hindu Muslim Disunity
•Gandhi used the movement for self rule.
•In 1921, extremist Hindus launched Shudhi and Sanghatam
Movements against the Muslim.
• Later these movements started forcible conversion and
planned attacks on Muslims masses.
•Indian Muslims launched Tanzeem o tabligh Movement for
the protection.
• Which eventually led to the Hindu Muslim rioting and
clashes destroying their unity.
Lack of Political leadership
In 1920, during noncooperation movement, all renowned
political leaders and thus there was no proper guidance or
leadership available
Abolishment of institution of caliphate in Turkey:
In 1922, a nationalist leader, Mustafa Kamal Ataturk
established the government and abolished the institution
In 1924 the last caliph, Sultan Abdul Majeed (Mehmet-VI)
was exiled to Italy.
Success of Khilafat Movement:
•Although the movement was a complete failure, yet it
deeply influences the Muslims.
Failures of the Khilafat movement
•The movement brought inexpressible miseries in every
sphere of life to the Muslims like:
•Socially
•Economically
•Educationally
•The Afghan migrants
Achievements of the Khilafat Movement
•The movement drew line of distinction.
•Events proved the mentality of Hindus.
•Gandhi joined it to exploit the Muslims for his politician
benefits.
•It was important for Muslims to gain Hindu support but it
was injurious.
•This clear the political game against Muslims, in result
making them wiser, confident and courageous for the
protection of their rights and interests.
•The movement proved another spark and paved way for
the Pakistan Movement.