مجموعة ١٠/١٧(١) "شؤون داخلية: الوضع السياسي؛ العلاقات مع الحكومة البريطانية" [و‎‎٩‎٧] (٩٨٢/١٩٨)

THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
E ASTERN (Iraq).
CONFIDENTIAL.
[E 5171/172/93]
August 17,
47
Mr. Bateman to Mr. Eden.—(Received A uaust 17.)
(No. 392.) I ! 9dG |
Sir, Bagdad, July 29, 1936.
WITH reference to my telegram N a 186 of the 22 nd Jn iv. I have the honour
to report that Saiyid Mahmud, Naqib-m-AslTraf of Bagdad and trustee of the
Qadiriyah Awqaf, died in Bagdad in the early morning of the 21 st July after a
long illness.
2. At the funeral, which took place at 5 o’clock in the evening of the same
day, King Ghazi was represented by the Master of Ceremonies. Most of the
Cabinet Ministers and many members of the Diplomatic Corps attended.
3 . On the 27th July Royal Iradahs were issued appointing Saiyid Asim-al-
Qilani as Naqib-al-Ashraf of Bagdad, and Saiyid Rasliid Ali-al-Gilani trustee
of the Qadiriyah Awqaf (i.e., the endowments of the shrine and mosque of
Sheikh Abdul Qadir-al-Gilani in Bagdad).
4. Asim is the eldest surviving brother of the late Saiyid Mahmud, and
Rashid Ali, who belongs to a junior branch of the family, is the present Minister
of the Interior. . ...
5 . Both of these appointments are likely to give rise to criticism.
Saiyid Asim is a respected and venerable man, who, although of no great talent,
will probably fill adequately the post of Naqib; but there is little doubt that the
late Naqib’s son—Saiyid Muhammad Jamal-al-Din—-had hoped to succeed his
father. For the past twenty years he has lived in India, where he has kept alive
the influence of the Gilani family in Baluchistan and in the Chitial Valley. He
has I am told, married a daughter of the ruling Mehtar of Chitral. Two months
ago hearing of Saivid Mahmud’s illness, he came to Bagdad, and is now no doubt,
aggrieved that he lias not been appointed to step into his father s shoes. I or
this reason it is not improbable that he may encourage m India criticism of is
uncle’s appointment. I am assured, however, that there is no m ®
Shara or Civil Law which makes the post of Naqib hereditary, and that the
Government have full right to appoint whomsoever
6 . But the feature of the new arrangements which is likely to arouse most
comment is the separation of the functions of Naqib from tho f f ^
of the Qadiriyah endowments. Phis, I am informed, has iaiely, ’ PP ,
before The strict legality of the innovation is perhaps open to some doubt, but
Can ’ 1 a ^ d fSreKNa ql b-Sa lyld Abdul Rahman—-an
effort was made by a group of the Gilam family to take the administration oUhe
endowments out of the hands of \ s . ? u0 . c f 1 W f® “^at tiSe the High
leader of this movement ^ question of the succession might
Isfamtc^counkle^anTpartiOTlarlyAn IndiVhe /^g-^g^utra^to
Secret A ’ t0 the
Secretary of State for the Colonies, da e ii tendered similar advice to the
8 . His Majesty’s yovenrment also formal y te^ — ^ to ^ ^
late King Feisal (see telegram 01 Secretary m ow
Commissioner No. 280 of the 3rd u gT® ’ , •}' • too ear ly to give a definite
9. In present circumstances, althor g ments wi ^ lead to an y se rious
opinion, I do not anticipate that ^ a BP i re sent being shorn of the
developments in Iraq. Though Saiyid^Asim ^ t Se “he b forfe of character
trusteeship of the Qadiriyah en ^^ j g indeed, almost certain that
necessary to Twlment ^as a condition of’his appointment as Naqib.
his consent to this arrangemen w