The founder of Osmania Caliphate, Ameer Osman
Khan Ghazi was born in 656 Hijra. He possessed all qualities, which
are normally found in the founders of governments. He was wise and
intellectual, for enemies he was the hardest but for the nation
he was so kind and polite. In case of war, he used to lead the battalion,
which developed courage in the troops. After the battle he used
to take out poor peoples’ share from the booty (the spoil
left by the enemy forces in the Jihad) and the rest he used to distribute
among the soldiers. He never kept even a single penny for himself
from this booty. He lived a simple life in an ordinary house in
which he had no extra-ordinary or informal item. He died on Ramadan
21, 727 Hijra. The assets he left behind included, besides education
and wisdom, a cotton gown, a wooden spoon, a salt pot, a few horses
of Arabian breed, a couple of bulls which he used for agriculture,
and some herds of sheep. His biggest achievement was the publicity
of Islam. During his life he convinced the European Christians through
his character and simplicity and made them to embrace Islam. In
order to enter into the fold of Islam the non-Muslims established
relationships with the Turks and instead of calling them Turks,
they started calling them Osmani.
The Osmania Caliphate continued for about 600 years during which
37 caliphs and Sultans remained in power. Until the last caliph,
the caliphate had become so weak, however, its system still existed.
The Muslims of world in general and the Muslims of Hindustan in
particular considered the Osmania Caliphate a strong shelter for
themselves. However, in year 1908, on account of various incidents,
Turk youth stood against the caliphate. Their anti-Osmania Caliphate
resulted into a revolt and they announced establishment of an interim
government. This was the time when European nations took benefit
of the situation. They started hatching conspiracies against Turks.
Their mission was not to let Turk youth take a stronger position.
So, immediately after the Turks announced establishment of their
government, Italy attacked Tripoli, which was the last occupied
African territory in the Osmania Caliphate. This military assault
ignited fire around the globe and the Muslim from all around the
world particularly in Hindustan took part in the Jihad. Poets of
that era like Shibli and Iqbal, also played their role in encouraging
Muslims to take part in the Jihad. This was the time when a fistful
courageous Muslims of Hindustan came forward, put their lives at
stake and established a central body called ‘Caliphate Committee’
in Bombay. Later the branches of this committee were set up all
over Hindustan. The organizational strategy of this committee was
so strong that Muslims of Hindustan used to response on just one
call. All Muslim youth had assembled under the umbrella of this
committee and they were all the time ready to render every sacrifice
for the cause of this body. Not only the Muslim of Hindustan, the
Muslims around the globe were also following the suite and gathering
at one platform. Besides general public, `Ulama-e-Keram, educated
people and young boys were joining the committee. Muslims and `Ulama-e-Keram
belonging to different beliefs had joined hand and the strong network
of this committee had spread all over Hindustan that it had become
difficult for the anti-Islam government and other powers in the
world to crush this movement. All eyes of world Muslims were on
the Muslims of Hindustan. The united Muslims were in a super power
position.
The question arises at this point that what was the reason that
the Muslims of Hindustan had gathered at one platform to rescue
the decaying caliphate and the caliph? What was so important in
the caliphate system that the purdah-observing women of all age
groups were giving their ornaments to the committee as donations?
What was the reason that poor labourers were offering their all
earnings for the protection of the caliph system? People from one
end of the country to the other end were overwhelmed by the emotions.
The reason to this situation was that although there were some shortcomings
in the caliph, the caliphate system was still the strongest shelter
for the Ummah and it was in accordance with the teachings of Holy
Prophet. The Muslims had inherited this system from Muhammad Sallallahu
`alaihe wasallam who was the last prophet of Allah with dual personality.
One that he was the dearest prophet of Allah and used to convey
Allah’s message to the people and tell them to follow what
Allah has said. Second personality of Muhammad Sallallahu `alaihe
wasallam was that he was the leader of Muslims and as a leader he
used to favour oppressed and punish the oppressor. He used to fulfil
all internal and external needs of the state under his rule. With
the demise of Muhammad Sallallahu `alaihe wasallam first personality
in the shape of Nubuwwat ended, however, second personality continued
to exist in different forms. And this personality later was known
as Caliphate. Although later caliphs did not care for the sensitivity
of caliphate and indulged into some anti-social activities, many
came who did never care for the worldly activities of their predecessors
and such caliphs were the reason that the pure Islamic system continued
in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Prophet.
Let us take the example of Hajjaj bin Yousuf. He had no precedence
in the world for his brutality and cruelty. However, when the prays
and screams of an oppressed daughter of Sindh reached his ears,
he stood up and vowed that unless he would take revenge of injustice
meted out to the innocent girl and unless he would eliminate brutality
and cruelty from the earth he would not stay in peace. The oppressed
girl also had a confidence that at least there was someone who would
care for her and she was no more an orphan. She thought after that,
no one would dare think of subjecting her to oppression.
Don’t the daughters of today have such feelings? Daughters
of Bosnia, Chechnya and Kashmir are thinking they are orphans, they
have no shelter and there is no one in 165 Muslim countries in the
world who would come for their rescue.
Lets take another example. It was the ending era of Osmania Caliphate.
Sultan `Abdul Hameed was in power. The caliphate had become weaker
before the Western powers. Their financial position was also shaking
and they were under the burden of heavy foreign debts. The caliphate
was facing internal and external conflicts and conspiracies. At
that time a delegation of Zionists went to meet Sultan and said:
“If you give us the territory including Bait-ul-Maqdas and
Palestine, controlled by the Muslims, we promise, we’ll pay
all debts, the Osmania Caliphate is liable to pay. Not only this
we’ll also give you huge quantity of gold.” On this
offer, Sultan replied, “If you give me the wealth of the entire
world, I would not even give you a fist full of mud of Bait-ul-Maqdas.”
However, later when Mustafa Kamal Pasha announced the end of Osmania
Caliphate, Jews started settling in Palestine and in few years a
Jewish state ‘Israel’ came into existence and Muslims
lost Bait-ul-Maqdas. Lets go back to the Hindustan situation. On
one hand the Muslims gathered at one platform under ‘Caliphate
Movement’, launched protest demonstrations all over Hindustan,
and on the other they sent a delegation to England and other European
countries with a couple of demands. Their main demand was that Turk
Sultan should be allowed to continue as a ruler who would dominate
all Muslims and act as their caliph. But, Turks were not aware with
the fact that by announcing the end of Osmania Caliphate and placing
demands before the Europeans, they had weakened themselves.
The delegation also included renowned historian and writer, Hazrat
Maulana Sulaiman Nadvi. He met a central leader of London and said
a few words to him, which invoked me to write this column. He had
said: “Christianity can have a number of supporters, why Islam
is not allowed to have at least one big supporter?” Alas!
How deep are Maulana Nadvi’s words. Jews and Christians neither
accepted a supporter of Islam in the past nor today they accept
anyone to stand up for the cause of Islam. Yes, Jews and Christians
are more than happy if Muslims and their rulers become their followers
and take their dictations without any arguments. They are always
happy and ready to embrace such Muslims and rulers all the time,
either it is White House or it is Camp David their doors are open
for such Muslim rulers. |
