Ali Brothers and Khilafat Politics
The Ali Brothers—Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar (1878–1931) and Maulana Shaukat Ali (1873–1938)—were born in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh. They were educated at the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental (MAO) College in Aligarh. Maulana Shaukat Ali initially served in the Civil Service of the United Provinces before leaving government service to pursue political mobilization. Maulana Muhammad Ali emerged as a prominent journalist, editor, and poet.
Media and Political Organs
- The Comrade: An English weekly launched by Muhammad Ali in 1911 from Calcutta, later shifted to Delhi, to present Muslim political viewpoints.
- Hamdard: An Urdu daily started by Muhammad Ali in 1913 to educate and mobilize the Urdu-speaking Muslim public.
- Interment (1915–1919): Both brothers were jailed under the Defence of India Act 1915 for publishing anti-British articles supporting the Ottoman Empire during World War I.
Origins of Khilafat Politics
The defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I created deep anxiety among Indian Muslims regarding the status of the Ottoman Sultan, who was revered as the Caliph (Khalifa) of Sunni Islam. The British dismemberment of Ottoman territories violated wartime assurances given to Indian Muslims.
Formation of the All India Khilafat Committee
The All India Khilafat Committee was set up in Bombay in March 1919. The Ali Brothers, following their release from Chhindwara jail in December 1919, took charge of organizing its political machinery.
| Feature | Key Details |
| Founding Date & Place | March 20, 1919, Bombay |
| First President | Seth Chotani |
| First Secretary | Haji Siddick Khatri |
| Core Objectives | Maintain the Caliph’s control over Islamic holy sites (Jazirat-ul-Arab) and ensure sufficient territorial sovereignty for the Ottoman state. |
Convergence with National Politics and Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi recognized the Khilafat cause as an opportunity to establish durable Hindu-Muslim political unity against British rule. The Ali Brothers collaborated closely with Gandhi, the Indian National Congress, and religious organizations like the Jamia-Ulama-i-Hind.
Strategy and Alliances
- Delhi Khilafat Conference (November 1919): Gandhi was elected president. Hasrat Mohani advocated for a complete boycott of British goods.
- Allahabad Conference (June 1920): The Central Khilafat Committee approved Gandhi’s proposal for non-cooperation.
- Joint Non-Cooperation (August 1, 1920): The Non-Cooperation Movement formally began under joint leadership.
- Calcutta and Nagpur Congress Sessions (1920): Congress formally sanctioned the Non-Cooperation program to redress the Punjab wrongs, rectify the Khilafat grievance, and attain Swaraj.
Mass Mobilization and the Karachi Trial
The Ali Brothers traveled across British India alongside Gandhi to advocate for school boycotts, surrender of titles, and promotion of Swadeshi cloth.
The Karachi Declaration (July 1921)
At the All India Khilafat Conference in Karachi, Maulana Muhammad Ali introduced a resolution declaring service in the British Indian Army to be religiously unlawful (haram) for Muslims. The British government arrested the Ali Brothers, Saifuddin Kitchlew, Dr. M.A. Ansari, and others for sedition and military disaffection. During the trial at Karachi, Muhammad Ali defended the declaration, stating that divine law took precedence over human legislation.
Collapse of the Movement and Later Developments
The Khilafat Movement lost its momentum due to domestic and international events between 1922 and 1924.
Factors for Decline
- Chauri Chaura Incident (February 1922): Gandhi suspended the Non-Cooperation Movement after violent clashes in Chauri Chaura, Gorakhpur.
- Moplah Rebellion (1921): Agrarian violence in Malabar took a communal direction, straining Hindu-Muslim unity.
- Political Developments in Turkey: Mustafa Kemal Pasha led a nationalist transformation in Turkey, deposing the Ottoman Sultan on November 1, 1922. The Grand National Assembly of Turkey officially abolished the Caliphate on March 3, 1924.
Post-Khilafat Political Shift
Following the end of the Khilafat Movement, political paths diverged. Maulana Muhammad Ali served as the President of the Indian National Congress at the Kakinada session in 1923. He later drifted away from Congress over differences regarding the Nehru Report (1928) and participated in the First Round Table Conference in London in 1930, where he died in January 1931. Maulana Shaukat Ali later joined the All India Muslim League under Muhammad Ali Jinnah in 1936 and served as a member of the Central Legislative Assembly until his death in 1938.
Essential Historical Facts
Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar was the second Indian Muslim (after Badruddin Tyabji) to hold the presidency of the Indian National Congress in 1923. The Ali Brothers helped establish Jamia Millia Islamia at Aligarh in October 1920, which later shifted to New Delhi, with Hakim Ajmal Khan as its first Chancellor and Maulana Muhammad Ali as its first Vice-Chancellor. Maulana Shaukat Ali served as the last President of the All India Khilafat Conference. Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar was buried near the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem in accordance with his final wishes after passing away during the First Round Table Conference in 1931.
