Khilafat Movement

Explore the Khilafat Movement in India, its connection with Khilafat Movement Gandhi and the Khilafat Movement and Non-Cooperation Movement, its origins in 1919, and its significance. Learn about its leaders, the reasons Why Khilafat Movement failed, and get a concise overview with Khilafat Movement short note tailored for easy understanding.

The years 1919 to 1922 saw the rise of two organized movements, i.e., the Khilafat Movement and the Non-Cooperation Movement. The principal aim of the Khilafat movement was to compel the colonial government to change its outlook toward Turkey, which was defeated in the First World War by the British.

Khilafat Movement

What is Khilafat Movement 1919?

The harsh Treaty of Sevres resulting from Turkey’s defeat had terms that Indian Muslims felt were insulting to them. They harbored a grudge over the British attitude against Turkey and initiated the Khilafat movement. This movement was led by leaders like Shaukat Ali and Mohammad Ali, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Ajmal Khan, etc.

The Khilafat movement massively impacted the Indian nationalist movement. Its leaders created the foremost political alliance between Indian Muslims and ulema over the symbol of the Caliphate or Khilafat. This uprising bought to the forefront urban Muslims in the nationalist struggle. It also gave various opportunities to the Muslim leaders to be a part of national affairs and believe that the nation was also concerned with issues impacting them.

Khilafat Movement year

• The Khilafat Movement emerged in 1919 in response to the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire.
• It gained momentum after the end of World War I and the signing of the Treaty of Sèvres.
• The movement’s peak activity occurred during the early 1920s, shaping India’s political landscape.

Khilafat Movement in India

• The Khilafat Movement in India was a significant political movement during the early 20th century.
• It aimed to protect the Ottoman Caliphate after World War I and safeguard Muslim interests.
• The movement gained momentum among Indian Muslims, particularly in response to the Treaty of Sèvres.
• Leaders like the Ali brothers played key roles in mobilizing support for the cause.

Khilafat Movement Gandhi

• Mahatma Gandhi became involved in the Khilafat Movement to unite Hindus and Muslims in India.
• Gandhi saw the movement as an opportunity for Hindu-Muslim solidarity against British colonial rule.
• His involvement elevated the movement’s profile and expanded its reach across India.
• Gandhi’s alliance with the Khilafat Movement marked a significant chapter in India’s struggle for independence.

Events That Triggered the Khilafat Movement

The Indian Muslims highly regarded the Khilafat held by the Ottoman Empire. During the First World War, Turkey joined Germany and Austria’s side. However, these countries were defeated, and it was decided that Turkey’s territories would be shared between Greece, France, and Britain.

As the Indian Muslims were devoted to the caliphate, they found themselves in a strange circumstance. Naturally, their support for the British Raj was influenced by the protection of Turkey’s holy institutions and it not being stripped of its dominions. However, the British administration wasn’t able to meet these promises.

In 1920, Turkey’s dominions were transferred to European countries. It completely shocked and enraged Muslims. The Muslim section in India rose against the British Raj. Leaders like Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, Maulana Shaukat Ali, and Maulana Muhammad Ali rebelled relentlessly against the British.

The Khilafat uprising was therefore a systematic mass movement led by the Indian Muslims. It had the following agenda:

1. To safeguard the Holy place of Turkey
2. To recover Turkey’s territories
3. To recover the Ottoman Empire

The Peak of the Khilafat Movement

The Congress and the Khilafat Committee jointly held their discussions at Amritsar in December 1919. A commission under Maulana Muhammad Ali Johar went to England to engage in discussions with the British PM, Lloyd George. Its main aim was to explain the Indian viewpoint about the Khilafat.

But Lloyd George did not consent to the delegation’s demands. This fruitless visit made the Khilafat Movement leaders determine that the British were not inclined to support them. So, they became ready to adopt a new strategy to renew the zeal for freedom among the public. This realization carved the beginning of the Non-Cooperation Movement. Congress extended complete support to the Khilafat Movement leaders. Both parties’ leaders met at Amritsar and decided to initiate a nationwide agitation. Mahatma Gandhi led this nationwide movement.

The following points were included in the Fatwa of Tark-e-Mawalat issued by Jamiat-ul-Ulama Hind:

1. Resignation from every government position
2. Prohibition of court and legislature
3. Disengagement of students from their institution of studies
4. Extensive civil defiance

Khilafat Movement in India

Turkey had sided with the German-led Axis forces during the First World War, which was defeated by the Allied powers led by Great Britain. Muslims who are politically informed criticized the British and their allies’ treatment of the Turkish (Ottoman) Empire, which had duly divided it and expelled Thrace from Turkey. Thanks to the leadership of the Ali Brothers (Maulana Mohammed Ali and Maulana Shaukat Ali), Maulana Azad, Hakim Ajmal Khan, and Hasrat Mohani as well as the nationwide Khilafat movement, a Khilafat Committee was immediately formed. If its demands were not satisfied, the All-India Khilafat Conference, which convened in Delhi in November 1919, decided to suspend all government assistance.

The Khilafat agitation, in Mahatma Gandhi’s words, was “a chance not to reconcile Hindus and Muslims in a hundred years.” The National Congress and its political endeavors received unwavering support from the Muslims League as well.

Congress’s Response to Khilafat Movement

Though Gandhiji had made the Khilafat an all-India campaign, congress however didn’t take this movement in a very welcoming manner specially Tilak opposed this movement for including a religious manner as a political tool and doubted its effectiveness. Tilak disagreed with the movement’s call for a boycott of the council as well. However, congress didn’t completely oppose and backed this movement united the Hindus and Muslims nationwide for a single cause.

The Role of Mahatma Gandhi in the Khilafat Movement

In response to oppressive British rule, Gandhiji wanted to defend national honor through the establishment of Swaraj. He opted for a nonviolent way to protest against the atrocities done by the British. The concept of Swaraj emerged mainly because of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in 1919. Therefore Gandhiji also launched the non-cooperation campaign on 1st August 1919. Khilafat Movement is considered the inspiration behind this campaign.

Why Khilafat Movement failed

• The Khilafat Movement faced several challenges that contributed to its eventual decline.
• Internal divisions within the movement weakened its unity and effectiveness.
• The British government’s repression and crackdown on the movement also hampered its progress.
• Additionally, the resolution of the Khilafat issue at the international level diminished its relevance over time.

Events That Caused the Demise of the Khilafat Movement

Most Hindus who supported the Khilafat Movement did not have a sound knowledge of Islam and its ideology. For Indian Muslims, the movement bought emotions of dual nationality. Supporting this struggle made it seem that Muslims wanted to set an Islamic caliphate in Turkey and it was of greater significance than nationwide freedom.

In the 1920 annual session of Congress in Nagpur, the Khilafat leaders read verses from the Quran calling for Jihad and supporting the killing of non-believers. However, according to the viewpoint of Mahatma Gandhi, these leaders were mentioning British domination which deprived the movement of a direction.

For many Khilafat leaders, India under colonial rule was the land of war or Dar-ul-Harb. In the 1920s, committees of the Central Khilafat organization motivated Indian Muslims to go to a Muslim country or Dar-ul-Islam. So, many Muslims migrated to Afghanistan. With the increase in the number of people migrating, Afghanistan closed its frontiers.

This exodus or Hijrat of Muslims to Afghanistan gave a setback to the movement’s aims of non-violence and communal harmony. The Moplah rebellion in Southern India in 1921 and the Chauri-Chaura event in 1922 made the movement less forceful. Shortly, Mahatma Gandhi ended the Non-Cooperation movement, which left the Khilafat leaders with an intense sense of betrayal.

The final straw that ended the movement was the termination of the Ottoman sultanate in 1922. After that, the caliphate was abolished on 3rd March 1924.

Khilafat Movement was started by

• The Khilafat Movement was initiated by Indian Muslims, particularly led by the Ali brothers, Maulana Mohammad Ali and Maulana Shaukat Ali.
• They rallied Muslims across India to protest against the perceived injustices towards the Ottoman Caliphate.
• Their leadership played a crucial role in galvanizing support and shaping the movement’s direction.

Khilafat Movement and Non-Cooperation Movement

• The Khilafat Movement intersected with the Non-Cooperation Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.
• Both movements aimed to challenge British rule in India through nonviolent resistance.
• Gandhi’s support for the Khilafat cause bolstered the Non-Cooperation Movement, creating a broader anti-colonial front.
• The alliance between the Khilafat Movement and the Non-Cooperation Movement marked a pivotal phase in India’s struggle for independence.

What Makes the Khilafat Movement a Critical Event?

The Khilafat Movement was crucial in India’s attempt to acquire freedom from colonial rule. It witnessed the collective efforts of Muslims and Hindus under the guidance of the Indian National Congress.

Mahatma Gandhi united the Non-Cooperation Movement with the Khilafat issue. This move made the struggle more powerful and showed opportunities to fuse Hindus and Muslims and their causes.

The movement set Mahatma Gandhi’s approach to Satyagraha at the helm of the nationwide struggle. It produced a Muslim political consciousness noticeable throughout Bengal under leaders like Akram Khan, Bipin Chandra Pal, Maulana Azad, and Chittaranjan Das.

Common People’s Response to Khilafat Movement

Most of the common people especially the Hindus, took this movement as a protest against the British government. For them, it was more like a quit British government movement rather than a religious campaign. The pleasant students were mainly enthusiastic participants in this movement. However the middle-class people, though supported it at first but later they strongly opposed the idea behind it. The businessmen and upper-class people were in favor of an economic boycott as they have seen profit from the white spread insistence on using Swadeshi.

However, despite this spontaneous response of the people, the British government oppressed the movement ruthlessly. Many people were killed and most of the leaders were detained.

Khilafat Movement short note

• The Khilafat Movement was a significant political agitation in early 20th century India.
• It aimed to protect the Ottoman Caliphate and safeguard Muslim interests.
• Led by the Ali brothers, it gained momentum across India, intersecting with the broader anti-colonial struggle.
• Although it faced setbacks, the Khilafat Movement marked an important chapter in India’s independence movement.

Conclusion

The Khilafat struggle started with an issue that concerned the Muslims deeply. Soon, Hindus also engaged themselves with it fully. The common enemy of both these religious groups was the colonial government. However, gradually, the difference between Muslims and Hindus became more pronounced. 
When it looked like the movement would succeed, several events incited Gandhi to end his Non-Cooperation nationwide struggle. This led Muslims alone and inevitably caused the movement to fail. Among other things, its most pronounced impact was the political consciousness it created among Indian Muslims. It, in turn, encouraged them to initiate another movement, the Pakistan movement, for their independence later on.

Related Links

1. Khilafat and Non- Cooperation Movement
2. The First World War, Khilafat, and Non-Cooperation
3. All India Muslim League and Contribution to National Movement

Khilafat Movement – FAQs

What is Khilafat Movement?

Khilafat movement refers to a pan- Islamic and political protest campaign which took place by Muslims in British India for influencing the British Government and also protection of Ottoman empire in the aftermath of first world war.

What is the Khilafat Movement?

The Khilafat Movement was a pan-Islamic, political campaign launched by Muslims in British India around 1919 to ensure the Ottoman Caliphate’s authority was maintained and to protect Muslim holy sites under the caliph’s control.

Why was the Khilafat Movement started?

The movement was started in response to the harsh treatment of Turkey by the British after World War I, particularly the plans to dismantle the Ottoman Empire and reduce the powers of the Caliph, a figure of significant religious importance to Muslims worldwide.

Who led the Khilafat Movement?

The Khilafat Movement was led by the Ali Brothers, Maulana Mohammed Ali and Maulana Shaukat Ali, along with other prominent leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, who supported the movement as part of a broader strategy to gain India’s independence.

What were the demands of the Khilafat Movement?

The primary demands included the preservation of the Ottoman Caliphate’s authority, maintenance of the Muslim holy sites under the Caliph’s control, and ensuring that the Caliph was left with sufficient territory to enable him to defend the Islamic faith.

How did the Khilafat Movement end?

The movement gradually faded away by 1924, primarily due to the abolition of the Caliphate by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Turkey, which rendered the movement’s main objective moot. Additionally, the movement’s momentum was weakened by the British government’s non-responsive stance and internal disagreements among its leaders.

Why did the Khilafat Movement fail?

The Khilafat Movement failed due to several reasons, including the lack of a coherent strategy among its leaders, the British government’s refusal to accede to its demands, and the eventual abolition of the Caliphate in Turkey, which demoralized its supporters.

What was the relationship between the Khilafat Movement and the Non-Cooperation Movement?

The Khilafat Movement was closely allied with the Non-Cooperation Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi saw the Khilafat cause as a way to unite Hindus and Muslims in a common fight against British rule, thereby leveraging the broader nationalist movement for India’s independence.

Who started the Khilafat movement when and why?

The Khilafat movement was started by the Ali brothers and the campaign was launched as a defense of the caliphate, led in India by two brothers called Shaukat Ali and Abdul Kalam Azad.

Who were the leaders of the Khilafat movement?

The leaders of the Khilafat movement were Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali.