Pakistan movement: Freedom struggle: Khilafat Committee and reorganisation of All India Muslim League
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. Readers will be able to edit existing articles and post new articles directly |
Contents |
Khilafat Committee and reorganisation of All India Muslim League
By Khwaja Razi Haider
With the decline of the Mughal Rule in India following the events of 1857, the Muslim community not only started realizing its socio-economic and political marginalization but simultaneously cultivated the concept of a possible Islamic Renaissance which in later years culminated in an organized political struggle which ultimately bailed them out of a hegemonizing Hindu majority. It was this realization which resulted in the formation of All India Muslim League in 1906.
Although soon after the formation of the League, the Muslim community of India showed more tangible interest in the internal political affairs of India yet they had not discarded the concept of Pan Islamicism through which they were determined to play their role for the strengthening of the Muslim Ummah, but were, while retaining their identity of Indian Muslims, also made remarkable efforts to support the Sultanate of Turkey against the aggression of western powers. It is through such efforts that the Khilafat Movement and the Khilafat Committee emerged on the map of history.
By the time Khilafat Movement emerged and stamped its authority across the length and breadth of India, both Indian National Congres and All India Muslim league had chalked out their basic plans for the possible liberation of India from the then colonial masters. But without going into the details or history of these two Hindu and Muslim profiled parties respectively, here, let me quote from Maulana Hasan Riaz book: “Pakistan Naguzeer Tha: (Pakistan was Inevitable) who maintained that for guiding and motivating the Muslim community of India, there were just two leaders i.e. Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar and Mohammad Ali Jinnah. According to Hasan Riaz “… there was a great difference between the two vis-à-vis they treated politics. Mohammad Ali Jinnah was limited to the fora of councils and assemblies and had not yet rubbed shoulders with the people.
Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, on the other hand, had started his political career from amongst the masses. His was an emotional personality who was seldom afraid of dying. He was always willing to fight against all and everybody jeopardizing Islam or the aspirations of the Muslim Ummah. Mohammad Ali Jinnah was rationalism personified and invariably managed all matters through reason and logic”.
It is against this background of the two towering but temperamentally different personalities that I have attempted to bring into sharp focus the catalyst role of Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, the Khilafat Movement and the Khilafat Committee in relation to the reorganization of All India Muslim League and the Pakistan Movement after 1936. Indeed from 1924 onwards, the events that unfolded in the undivided India do establish the silent but highly effective role of the Khilafat Movement and its thousands of workers that culminated in an independent state of Pakistan in 1947, under the supreme leadership of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
For instance, in March 1934, when M. A. Jinnah was re-elected as the President of All India Muslim League, the political status of Muslim community in India was not only looked grim and bleak but the League, for all practical purposes, was confined to its central office in Delhi.
There were numerous reasons for such an air of despondency. To begin with, there was no leader of any substance to lead and guide the Muslim community. Maulana Muhammad Ali Juhar, Dr. M. A. Ansari, Sir Mohammad Shafi, Maulana Abdul Majid Badauni and Raja Mohammad Ali Muhammad Khan of Mahmoodabad had made their exits; Mian Fazle Hussain was seriously ill; Syed Wazir Hassan was going through his last phase of government service as High Court Judge; Maulana Shaukat Ali was heart broken due to the death of his younger brother and Sir Sultan Muhammad Aga Khan opted to stay back in London.
Amidst this personality vacuum, Sir Fazl-e Hussain manipulated League’s Annual Session held on December 26, 1931 in Delhi for the controversial election of Sir Zafarullah Khan as the President of the League. This further worsened the scenario. As expected the Muslims of Delhi strongly protested and demonstrated against his election for League’s Presidentship because of his all too obvious Qaidiani believes. The election of Sir Zafarullah as President proved to be the last nail in the coffin of League, because the victorious group was in favour of the amalgamation of the League with all India Muslim Conference and wanted to form a new organization after the merger. There was total chaos as there was nobody to rescue the League and bring peace and harmony between the warring factions. Perhaps, the only achievement was that the plans for such an amalgamation never materialized.
In June 1932, Sir Zafarullah Khan joined the Viceroy’s Executive Council and resigned from the Presidentship of the League. In his place Mian Abdul Aziz who hailed from Peshawar (one of the founder member of the League), was elected as the acting President. On March 12, 1933, League Council met at Delhi and passed a resolution in which they requested M.A. Jinnah who was in London, to put an end to his self-imposed exile and return to India to lead and guide the Muslim community.
Split in League
It was quite apparent that at that time Jinnah was the only fearless and committed leader in whom the Muslims could pose their trust in. But before M.A. Jinnah could return to India, unfortunately League split into two factions. Mian Abdul Aziz not only wanted to continue as the president but had every intention to transform the League into a party of his own. He removed the elected Secretary, Maulvi Muhammad Yakub from his duties. However on May 28, 1933, the League Council removed him from the Presidentship. But despite his removal, he somehow continued to claim himself as the President of the League.
He also arranged a League Session of his own at Hawrah in October 1933. The other faction of League based in Delhi called its session in November 1933 at Anglo-Arabic College Hall, Delhi under the presidentship of Khan Bahadur Hafiz Hidayat Hussain. The League Session, apart from passing some routine resolutions, decided to elect Khan Bahadur Hafiz Hidayat Hussain as president till the return of M.A. Jinnah.
Rival Group
After M.A. Jinnah’s return from England, a Council meeting of the League was held at Delhi on April 1, 1934. Although it was claimed to be a representative gathering of the Muslims of all shad and opinion, M.A. Jinnah showed complete dissatisfaction with the then prevailing political atmosphere. All India Muslim Conference, which had emerged as the second biggest party of the Muslim India, became the rival group of Muslim League and proved to be the key factor for the fragmentation among the ranks of the Muslims.
In that meeting Maulana Shaukat Ali, Maulana Obaidur Rehman Sherwani, Maulvi Muhammad Yakoob, Abdul Matin Choudhry and Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan offered their unflinching support to M.A. Jinnah and his efforts to reconcile the different warring factions to create unity and much needed harmony.
Alarmingly enough, it was a time when it appeared that the Muslims of India and the Muslim League had no future. Although Muslim League became united, it neither had the support of the masses nor was it organized. M.A. Jinnah knew fully well that without amity and harmony and discipline, no political movement can be launched. Without wasting any time, he stressed on the word “United”.
At this crucial stage Maulana Shaukat Ali extended his unconditional support to him and said: “Keeping in view the vital interests of the Muslim community and ignoring minor political differences it is necessary to frame a common policy”. Contemporaneous with the disorganized nature of the League, Khilafat Committee on the contrary, after the culmination of Khilafat Movement in 1924 had a well knit organizational setup through out India.
All those who participated in Khilafat Movement were basically religiously inspired workers who firmly believed that one day they will again work for the Muslim renaissance both in India as well as for the entire Muslim Ummah, and that by joining Muslim League they could fulfill their long cherished political ambitions. It was these workers, their commitment and participation which became a force an active participation of these was seen in for the phenomenal reorganization of Muslim League in a mere span of ten years.
After launching the Khilafat Movement, Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar who was the founding member of All India Muslim League, was no more taking an active part in the affairs of the League.
But when the Khilafat Movement came to an end, he once again decided to work tirelessly for the cause of the Muslim League and but reconciled all his all differences with M.A. Jinnah. In 1926 he wholeheartedly extended his support to M.A. Jinnah and wrote in his newspaper Daily Hamdard that under the then prevailing circumstances, it was only Muslim League who can bail the Muslims out from the political turmoil. He then appealed to all Muslims to support and stand by the League.
On March 20, 1927, Muhammad Ali Jinnah presided a meeting in Delhi, in which thirty Muslim League’s leaders of different opinions gathered to consider the suggestions of a Hindu leader, Sri Navas Iyenger which were presented for the settlement of the communal question of India. Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar was one of them and when M.A. Jinnah, in a resolution, presented the Muslim League’s demands he not only seconded the demands but said that the suggestions were extremely appropriate and that future generations will be proud of Mr.
Jinnah’s vision and foresight. Sir Muhammad Shafi, a leader of Punjab Provincial League not only declined to accept the suggestions but he also announced his support to the Simon Commission. This was the crucial stage when Maulana Muhammad Ali joined hands with M.A. Jinnah and strongly opposed the attitude of Sir Shafi. On the issue of Nehru Report he was in complete agreement with M.A. Jinnah. From 1926 to 1930 both the two leaders were in complete harmony and agreement on almost every issue.
In the fourth Session of Round Table Conference, Muhammad Ali Jauhar, while criticizing the British government expressed his views on Simon Commission Report where he also boldy asked the British Government: `’If the Indian can control the Army, why cannot Sir Muhammad Shafi or Mr. Jinnah be Prime Minister of India (19~ November 1930 at Round Table Conference).
Begum Jahan Ara Shahnawaz narrates that during the Round Table Conference, M.A. Jinnah told her: “Maulana Muhammad Ali called me to his bedside four days before his demise. He said, graciously that he looked upon me as one of the future hopes of the nation and that he had to try and guide me to the right path. Then he related to me some of his sad experiences of working with the Hindus. Although he was very sick, he talked to me for nearly two hours.
He advised me to be very careful of what I said on platforms about the future of the Muslim nation in India, and gave me his blessing (p. 132, Father and Daughter, by Jahan Ara Shahnawaz, Lahore, 1971).
In 1936 when M.A. Jinnah worked tirelessly to reorganize the Muslim League, he gave special thought to motivate the Khilafat workers for joining the League. Allah Bux Yousufi, Secretary of Central Khilafat Committee, has narrated that in the beginning Muslim Leaguers were of the opinion that Maulana Shaukat Ali will not agree to abolish the Khilafat Committee and without the support of Shaukat Ali Muslim League can not flourish.
But Maulana Shaukat Ali had realized that Khilafat Committee had no absolute programme at that time, so it was better to support the Muslim League to strengthen the Muslim struggle for the independence of India. After some time in 1936, he met M.A. Jinnah and said to him, “My leader was Mohammad Ali Jauhar who is no more with me, you are Mohammad Ali Jinnah , and I have a full confidence in your leadership, so now I am with you”.
Maulana Shaukat Ali invited M.A. Jinnah at Khilafat House Bombay and not only embraced him but also hoisted the flag of the League at Khilafat House. It is also a historical fact that when in 1930 some Congress minded Muslims who were in Khilafat Committee, moved a resolution in the Khilafat committee session for the conditional merger of Khilafat Committee in Congres, Maulana Shaukat Ali vehemently oppose the move and said it will be a collective suicide for the Muslims.
Vital force
The Khilafat Movement was the offshoot of Pan-Islamic aspirations of Muslim India, so it became a living and vital political force amongst Muslims. When Maulana Shaukat Ali was asked to dissolve the Khilafat Committee in the wake of All India Muslim League as the sole representative party of the Indian Muslims, all the workers and leaders of Khilafat Movement gathered on the platform of Muslim League, because they too agreed that after Khilafat Committee, All India Muslim League was the only party which could fulfill their Pan-Islamic motives.
In this process M.A. Jinnah’s inclination towards the Ali Brothers also paved the way for Khilafatist to joint the League movement. M.A. Jinnah confessed at Calcutta in January 1937 that “Maulana Mohammad Ali was a great champion of Islam. He was one of the foremost leaders of India…. He was almost the founder of the All India Muslim League…. He is no more with us in body but his soul is with us.
The torch that was lit by Maulana Mohammad Ali 30 years ago, let us carry that torch onward, gain strength by his noble and inspiring example of self-sacrifice and serve for Islam and India, to the best of our ability…. If we do not carry the torch, onward and forward, we shall not do justice to the blessed memory of the late Maulana. We are fighting elections and, I am sure, if he had been living today he would have fought for the All India Muslim League. The Muslim League is the only Muslim political organization that counts”.
M.A. Jinnah also paid tribute to Maulana Shaukat Ali when he died in November 1938 and in League’s Annual Session at Patna in December 1938 he expressed his deep sorrow on the passing away of Maulana Shaukat Ali and said: ”he was a great man, a man who was always ready to make any and every sacrifice for the cause in which he believed. He was a colleague and a personal friend of mine. He never swerved even by an inch from the path he had chosen and served the cause of the Muslim League with unflagging zeal to the very last.
It is not only a personal loss, but, I am sure, also national Muslim loss, which is mourned all over India.
The roots of Khilafat committee were in the masses, it had its own organizational set up and as a legacy this organizational setup was transferred to Muslim League. From 1936 to 1947 Muslim League emerged as a sole harbinger of Muslim India and launched the demand for Pakistan, which soon spread through out India, Needless to say that this mass scale mobilization and reorganization was mainly due to the vast, and motivated work force of Khilafat workers.
Those who took an active part in Pakistan Movement are uncountable, but few names of Khilafat leaders can be acknowledged province wise.
Punjab
Pir. Jamat Ali Shah Alipuri; Pir Ghulam Muhiuddin Golravi; Shafi Daoodi; Maulana Ziauddin Siyalvi; Maulan Muhamad Buksh Muslim; Maulana Ghulam Murshid Lahori; Pir Wilayat Shah Gugrati; Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Hazarvi; Maulana Syed Abdul Hasnat Qadri; Ghazi Abdul Rehman Lahori; Syed Zainuddin Gilani; Maulana Ghulam Muhammad Tarannum; Maulana Ghulam Bhikh Nairang; Pirzada Muhammad Hussain Arif Siddiqui; Maulana Muhammad Zakir Jahangvi; Pir Muhammad Shah Bhervi; Maulana Murtaza Ahmad Khan Maikash; Pir Muhammad Fazal Shah Jalalpuri; Maulana Yar Muhamad Bindyalvi;
Makhdoom Rajan Shah Gilani; Mian Shahabuddin Qadri Gurdaspuri; Mian Abdul Bari; Syed Ghulam Mustafa Gilani; Malik Lal Khan Gujrati; Maulana Faqirullah Niazi; Maulana Ghulam Muhiyuddin Qusuri; Maulana Zafar Ali Khan; Malik Barkat Ali.
Nwfp
Allah Buksh Yusufi; Bhakt Jamal Khan; Maulana Khan Mir Hilali; Rahim Buksh Ghaznavi; Syed Lal Badshah; Sardar Abdul Rab Nishtar; Mian Jafar Shah; Maulana Shaista Gul; Abdul Waheed Peshawari; Syed Fazal Hamdani; Mirza Muhammad Aslam Khan; Ghulam Rabbani Sethi; Sardar Aurangzeb Khan; Mian Ghulam Hussain; Abdul Rehman Nadvi; Maulana Muhamamd Shuaib.
Sindh
Pir Ghulam Mujjaded Sarhindi; Abdul Majeed Sindhi; Haji Sir Abdullah Haroon; Pir Muhammad Hassan Jan Sarhindi; Pir Ilahi Buksh ; Pir Muhammad Ishaque Jan Sarhindi; Pir Abdullah Jan Sarhindi; Hakim Fatih Muhammad Sehwani; Maulana Din Muhamamd Wafai; Pir Muhammad Hashim Jan Sarhindi; Maulana Muhamamd Ismail Roshan Sirhindi; Maulana Zahoorul Hassan Dars; Maulana Syed Turab Ali Shah Rashdi; Mufti Muhammad Qasim Yasini; Syed Akbar Ali Shah (Dadu); Pir Sibgatullah Shah Pagaro Rashdi; Pir Muhammad Hussain Jan Sarhindi.
Bengal
Abdul Rehman Siddiqui; Hussain Shaheed Suharwardi; Syed Muhammad Usman; Maulavi Fazlul Haq; Maulana Akram Khan; Abdul Hameed Bhashani; Moulvi Syed Badruddoja; Abdul Matin Choudhri (Assam); Maulvi Tamizuddin; Abdul Hashim.
United Province
Maulana Shaukat Ali; Maulana Abdul Hamid Badayuni; Nawab Muhammad Ismail Khan; Maulana Abdul Qaddir Azad Subhani; Maulana Hasrat Mohani; Maulana Karam Ali Malihabadi; Maulana Naeemuddin Muradabadi; Shuaib Qureshi; Maulana Abdul Aleem Siddiqui; Choudhry Khaliquzzaman; Muhammad Farooque Gorakhpuri; Rizwanullah Gorakhpuri; Jamal Mian Frangi Mehli; Abdur Rehman Methai Walay; Maulana Abdul Samad Muqtadri; Maulana Azad Samdani; Mufti Mazharullah Dehlavi; Syed Amiruddin Qydwai;
Maulana Abdul Qayum Kanpuri; Maulana Mazharuddin (Editor al Aman); Hafiz Muhammad Siddique Kanpuri; Zia-ul-Qadri; Syed Zakir Ali; Maulana Irfan Ali Nadvi; Maulana Qutubuddin Abdul Wali Frangi Mahli; Mufti Inayatullah Frangi Mahli; Maulana Karim-ur-Raza Khan; Maulana Hassan Riaz; Begum Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar; Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan; Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani.
Bihar
Muhammad Ashique Giyawi; Maulana Abdul Quddus Bihari; Maulana Hussain Mian Phulwarvi; Ashique Hussain Warsi; Khan Bahadur Nawab Muhammad Ismail Khan; Maulvi Latifur Rahman.
Central Province
Syed Abdul Rauf Shah; Maulana Burhanul Haq Jabalpuri; Syed Muhammad Mutiullah Rashid Burhanpuri; Mufti Fakhrul Islam; Abdul Rehman Khan.
Bombay
Maulana Nazir Ahmad Khujandi; Maulana Habib Ahmad Nadvi.
Madras
Yaqub Hassan
In 1936 when Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind betrayed the League and withdrew its support in the election campaign, it was a serious blow to the cause of the League because Muslim League was projecting Islam as its creed, But M.A. Jinnah was not deterred at all and let Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind to mend its own ways. One would have thought that this attitude of M.A. Jinnah could be due to his confidence that many Muslim scholars who were previously associated with the Khilafat Movement were now associated with the League and were fully capable of projecting and promoting the ‘Islamic stance’ M.A. Jinnah had chosen for the Muslim League.
Although few prominent supporters of Khilafat Movement like Maulana Hussain Ahmad Madani, Mufti Kifayatullah, Allama Mashriqui, Maulana Ahmad Saeed, Maulana Syed Atta ullah Shah Bukhari, were with Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind as they did not join the league movement, but it makes no difference because a majority of Khilafatist ulema and spiritual leaders (Mushaikh) were supporting the Muslim League and propagating the demand of Pakistan.
Sixty years down the line. And here we are. Still not willing to give the credit where it is due. If Allama Iqbal’s dream of separate homeland for the Muslims was a reality; if M.A. Jinnah’s rational and logical pleading of the case of Pakistan is a unique and unprecedented part of modern history, then why are we not willing to sincerely accept that it was the strength of the Khilafat Movement, the Khilafat Committee, the vision of the Ali Brothers and thousands of workers of the this particular Movement which were also instrumental in (a) help the phenomenal reorganization of All India Muslim League at a very crucial time and (b) fused an air of commitment, passion and religious fervor which collectively assumed the shape of the Pakistan Movement and ultimately, under the dynamic leadership of M.A. Jinnah, culminated in acquiring a separate and independent homeland for the Muslims of the Indian Sub-continent? Let us own our history before history ignores us!
The author is Acting Director, Quaid-i-Azam Academy, Karachi
