Freedom's Battle: Being a Comprehensive Collection of Writings and Speeches on the Present SituationGandhi, Mahatma
Religion
Freedom's Battle: Being a Comprehensive Collection of Writings and Speeches on the Present Situation
Gandhi, Mahatma
British -- India; India -- Politics and government -- 1919-1947; Nonviolence
The terms of the Turkish treaty are not only a breach of the Premier's
pledge, not only a sin against the principle of self-determination, but
they also show a reckless indifference of the Allied Powers towards the
Koranic injunctions. The terms point out that Mr. Lloyd George's
misinformed ideas of Khilafat have prevailed in the Council. Like Mr.
Lloyd George other statesmen also at San Remo have compared Caliphate
with Popedom and ignored the Koronic idea of associating spiritual
power with temporal power. These misguided statesmen were too much
possessed by haughtiness and so they refused to receive any
enlightenment on the question of Khilafat from the Deputation. They
could have corrected themselves had they heard Mr. Mahomed Ali on this
point. Speaking at the Essex Hall meeting Mr. Mahomed Ali distinguished
between Popedom and Caliphate and clearly explained what Caliphate
means. He said:
"Islam is supernational and not national, the basis of Islamic
sympathy is a common outlook on life and common culture.... And it
has two centres. The personal centre is the island of Arabia. The
Khalifa is the Commander of the Faithful and his orders must be
obeyed by all Muslims so long and so long only, as they are not at
variance with the Commandments of God and the Traditions of the
Prophet. But since there is no lacerating distinction between things
temporal and things spiritual, the Khalifa is something more than a
Pope and cannot be "Vaticanised." But he is also less than a Pope for
he is not infallible. If he persists in un-Islamic conduct we can
depose him. And we have deposed him more than once. But so long as he
orders only that which Islam demands we must support him. He and no
other ruler is the Defender of _our_ faith."
These few words could have removed the mis-undertakings rooted in the
minds of those that at San Remo, if they were in earnest for a just
solution. But Mr. Mahomed Ali's deputation was not given any hearing by
the Peace Conference. They were told that the Peace Conference had
already heard the official delegation of India on this question. But the
wrong notions the Allies still entertain about Caliphate are a
sufficient indication of the effects of the work of this official
delegation. The result of these wrong notions is the present settlement
and this unjust settlement will unsettle the world. They know not
what they do.
TURKISH PEACE TERMS
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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