File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎176r] (349/450)

to whom they were opposed there. At least twenty articles containing accounts
of interviews with Turkish officers have appeared in the Hungarian press, and in
every case the story was the same—that the English were fine and noble enemies.
At all these interviews English was spoken, for the Turkish officers, at least the
majority of them, prefer to speak English rather than German, a language very few
of them understand.”—[“Morning Post,” August 18, 1916.]
APPENDIX B.
The Arab Bevolt.
Extracts from Indian Newspapers.
I.—Punjab.
1. Moslem Papers.
The “Paisa Akhbar ” (Lahore), of the 30th June, 1916, tries to show that me
revolt in Arabia will succeed if it has been decreed bv God. The establishment ^oi a
powerful Ottoman Empire and the continuance of Turkish rule in Europe for huncuec^
of years, as well as the Ottoman custody of the sacred places of Islam and Christianitv,
can be ascribed to two causes—partly to the Turks’ own strength of arms and partly
to Divine dispensation. But if the Turks cease to hi sufficiently strong to safeguarc
their property from their enemies and if God does not will that they should remain t
masters and custodians of the sacred places, no power can help them in maintaining
their position. Those who believe in the Koranic tenet that not anatom can move
without God’s command will not credit the possibility of the Turks ceasing to rule the
Hejaz or any other land contrary to the will of God. Indeed, if the Turks lose t rm
hold over the Heiaz, people will believe that this is the result of the v\i l ay
dispensation of God. If, on the other hand, the Arabs do not succeed m their
independence, this, too, will be ascribed to the will of God. “ Arabia ioi the ona s
is not a new idea, whether the Arabs desire it themselves or other people help them o
gain their own ends. However, these are points which the Turks should have .u y
considered before embarking upon the war. It is possible that they may have
considered the matter and that Enver Pasha’s last tour in the Heiaz may have bee.
in pursuance of this very object. If, then, the, Turks were not prepared for all
eventualities it is difficult to see why they came into the war. But now that ,
have entered the lists, they and the Islamic world should be prepared to face the
consequences of their action. No doubt many Mahommedans .U ' 1 'pUpg
the Turks in their present misfortune, but they shouffi bear in mind that when Defore
the outbreak of the war Indian Mahommedans urged the lurks not to place them .
difficulties by participating in the war the latter heeded only own inl and
naid no attention to the telegrams sent from India to the furhish Pieimer in
Constantinople nor to the articles which appeared in the Indian newspapers, including
the “ Paisa Akhbar which printed a series of four or five articles to show that it »omi
be detrhnentel to Turkish interests to join the war. Now if Arabia passes away from
their hands, Indian Mahommedans should consider t he r ^‘°“ h ^ e f^ e t ^
equanimity, and should paper
over to whomsoever he wills. Having quoted some vei e whenever
concludes bv remarking that verily God is the master of a country, and that whenever
t^ft country na“ses away from the possession of a person it must be held that God
that country pas y ^ lncumbent on Mohammedans to resign themselves to
GoTs will Many Indian Mahommedans will disapprove of the Arabs’ bad treatment
of the Turks and J of their rebelliousness; because they know that the Arabs wi.cmy
, i j-j H<’iaz If Turkish rule was characterised by defects, Arab ime
“e worse Even now the Arabs are responsible for the existing mismanagement m
the Hejaz to a greater extent than the Turks.
The “ Paisa Akhbar ” (Lahore) of the 5th July, 1916, in a I yyV “[J^yb'lish I
Arabia, says that the present is the best opportunity for the Arabs to establish