'File 61/13 I (D 133) Wahabis and Pilgrimage to Hedjaz' [‎119v] (250/431)

28
joint monopoly, on© of whom is on tlic British Indi&n blfick list, "while the otliBr,
who is now mostly chosen by the pilgrims in accordance v\ ith the Indian
vice-consul s advice, is innocuous. The iVIemon community ha\e no choice, and
have made strong efforts of late to secure the same freedom of choice as the
majority of pilgrims. The Legation sympathises with this desire, but could only
intervene in favourable circumstances and with great discretion.
122. The obnoxious regulation enacted in April 1931 to enable mutawwifs
to impound the passes of pilgrims (see paragraph 102 of the last report) was
rescinded in the autumn. A new system was introduced m 1932, under which
each pilgrim was required to obtain a certificate from the head sheikh of
mutawwifs authorising his departure. Ihe loss of these certificates on the
journey caused inconvenience in many cases. Pilgrims were again not allowed
to embark unless their passes had been stamped by the mutawwifs' agents in
Jedda.
123. As in 1931 (see paragraph 107 of the previous report), a good many
pilgrims were unable to pay their mutawwifs dues, but no serious difficulty
arose, as the Director-General of Finance showed readiness to arrange for them
to be allowed to depart at the direct request of the Indian vice-consul.
124. In a letter dated the 3rd February, 1932, the Legation drew the
attention of the Commissioner of Police, Bombay, to the conduct of certain
mutawwifs and others who persuade pilgrims in India to advance money to
them on loan and to the difficulty experienced by the pilgrims in subsequently
recovering the amounts. Two specific complaints, both against the same
mutawwif, had been made, and it was believed that the practice was frequent.
When the letter reached Bombay the particular mutawwif involved had already
left, but steps were taken to warn intending pilgrims against lending money to
any mutawwif or Hejazi subject. It is hoped that all pilgrimage authorities
in India will note the possibility of the abuse and take action to warn pilgrims
afresh as each pilgrimage season approaches.
125. Some anxiety was caused to the Legation by a communique published
by the Hejazi Government on the 6th November, 1931, prescribing that no sale
of return tickets by pilgrims should be effected except in the presence of the
head sheikh of mutawwifs and/or a committee, before whom the buyer and
seller should appear to have the sale duly authenticated and registered,
Mutawwifs, &c., responsible for the sale of return tickets in any other way were
threatened with severe penalties. Although the regulation was intended to
check abuses, it appeared, nevertheless, to give legal sanction to the sale of return
tickets, contrary to the strongly held views of British authorities and shipping
companies. The matter was taken up with the Central Government at the
instance of the Legation by the Governor of Jedda, who was interested also as
being the principal local shipping agent. A decision was obtained that the
arrangements prescribed in the communique did not apply to the tickets of
Indian pilgrims, which were not transferable.
126. On the 30th November the Hejazi Government addressed a circular
to the foreign missions, asking that their nationals coming to the Hejaz as
pilgrims should be warned to obtain receipts from mutawwifs or the mutawwifs'
agents for money or other property deposited with them. The circular explained
that the competent authorities had been instructed to see that this rule was
strictly observed. The matter was in due course dealt with in a communique
issued by the Indian Department of Education, Health and Lands on the
21st^ January, 1932, the material part of which stated "that the Government
of the Hejaz have instituted an arrangement under which pilgrims, who wish
to do so, can deposit their money or other property with their mutawwifs or
their agents, in return for receipts signed by them. Pilgrims who take advantage
of the arrangement should take care to see that they receive their receipts, duly
signed."" This wording appeared to the Legation' to convey a different sense
from that of the warning and to constitute in some sort an encouragement to
deposit money, &c., with mutawwifs. The Government of India did not share
this view and rejected a suggestion that publicity should be given to the actual
language of the Hejazi Government's circular. In practice, it is a convenience
for pilgrims to deposit their heavy luggage with their mutawwifs, but it is as
undesirable that they should entrust money or valuables to them in the Hejaz
as that they should advance money to them in India (see paragraph 124).