KOZHIKODE: Pan-Islamic dreams of Muslims coupled with their inherent religious antagonism towards Christians were the propelling force behind the Malabar revolt, says Dr BS Hari Shankar, academic council member of Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla.
In his book, ‘Beyond Rampage: West Asian Contacts of Malabar and Khilafat’, published by Bharatheeya Vichara Kendram, Hari Shankar seeks to demolish the arguments of Left historians that the rebellion was against British imperialism and landlordism.
“The First World War caused great confusion among Muslims. Turkey collaborated with Germany and fought against Britain. British prime minister Lloyd George sought the support of Muslims and assured the safety of Caliphate of Turkey if their alliance won the war,” said Hari Shankar.
Accordingly, on September 1, 1914, Mappila leaders of Malabar assembled at Himayathul Islam Sabha Hall and appealed to the community members to join hands with Britain and offer prayers in each mosque for their success, he added. Later, Muslims in India became hostile towards the British after the latter changed its policy towards Turkey, says the book.
“It was not anti-imperialism but the issue of Islamic holy places and Caliphate which made Indian Muslims anti-British,” it says. It quotes a fatwa by Shah Abdul Aziz that the British regime is a ‘Dar ul-Harb’ (a system that is at war with Islam) because it was governed by Christian legal system. The move by the British to reconvert Hagia Sophia in Turkey into a church also strengthened the Muslims’ hatred towards them, the author said.
He quoted the former British prime minister as saying “the cross will replace the crescent on the minaret of St Sophia’.’ Britain was a leading member of the Hagia Sofia Redemption Committee, he said. According to him, the rivalry between the British and the rich Muslim merchants over timber trade was another factor that intensified the feud.