File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎176v] (350/450)

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permanent national government in their country. Turkey is engaged m a hfe-and-death
struggle in Mesopotamia and Asia Minor, and the Arabs know full well that she can
send no reinforcements to the Hejaz just now. She could do so only by the Hejaz
railway, but the stations on that line to a distance of 100 ^ miles from Medina are
reported to have been destroyed by the Sherd. And even if the Turks manage to
collect troops they wdl find it difficult to bring them to Medina. Again, although
Medina is a fortified city there is no hope of reinforcements to the Turkish army
besieged there reaching the place soon, or indeed at all, even if it is supposed that the
besieged are sufficiently numerous and have sufficient provisions with them. The paper
then goes on to say that the Turks are both to blame and blameless in the revolt.
During the 400 years of their rule in Arabia they have never been able completely to
subjugate the Arabs, while it has become the second nature of the latter to obey no one
but the chiefs of their tribes. As to these chiefs, they obey the Sherif of Mecca for
two reasons—firstly, owing to his being a direct descendant of the Prophet, and
secondly because the Arab clans have always recognised the chiefs of his family as
their head. Nor is this all. The Sherif already occupies in Arabia a position in
no way inferior to that of a k ng, and was under the Sultan of 1 urkey only in
name.
The “Vakil” (Amritsar), of the 1 st July, 1916, having printed a short historic
retrospect of Arabia in the XVIIth, XVIIIth, and the earlier part of the XIXth
centuries, adds that after many vicis situdes Turkey at last gained a footing in Arabia
and the custody of the sacred cities of Mecca and Medina. There was, however, no
love lost between the Turks and the Arabs ; nevertheless, the power of the Turks and
the Sultan’s position as Caliph secured for them the greatest respect all over the world.
The Sherif of Mecca, hitherto a servant of the Sultan, could not muster courage to rise
against his master. But it is undeniable that adverse forces, though quiescent, were
alwavs in existence. It will not be strange if the Turkish Government loses its spiritual
prestige after these events. Nor will it be surprising if the crown of the Caliphate is
seized from the Ottoman dynasty and placed on the head of the Sherif of Mecca. This
will, in other words, mean that the succession to the Caliphate, before whose greatness
the Powers of the East and the West trembled like the willow, will be now conferred
on the unworthy shoulders of one who will be a mere puppet in the hands of others. In
these circumstances, we consider the resolution of the All-India Moslem League and the
decision of the public meeting of Lucknow, as also the telegram sent by Maulana Abdul
Bari to the Viceroy, to be a correct expression of the views of the Mahommedan world.
AVe also fully understand the significance of the adverse opinion expressed by a few
Mahommedans of Calcutta, Khan Bahadur AValji Lalji, of Madras, the ulema of Egypt,
and the students of the Jama-i-Azhar. We are also not ignorant of the true significance
of the hope expressed by Mahommed Quddus Badshah, of Madras, that with the guidance
of the British the Sherif of Mecca will render magnificent services to Islam. We also
realise the importance of the views expressed by an Anglo-Indian newspaper, which says
that, so far as the sacred places are concerned, the British Government has already
announced that it will protect them from external aggression. There can be no doubt
that the Sherif of Mecca is* destroying the railway stations of the Llejaz railway and is
cutting the wires, and has also organised, with surprising rapidity, three armies, and has
stationed them at different places. But we hope that if the Turks make an attempt to
suppress the Arab rebellion the British Government will not interfere, because the
Turks will fight, not against the sacred places, but with the rebels. As it is the duty
of every Government to punish rebels properly, other Powers should not place obstacles
in their way if the Turks perform their duty of suppressing rebellion. Besides, this is
not a matter wherein the Governor of a province has rebelled against duly constituted
authority. I he subject is connected with important question of the Caliphate of
Islam, in which no one except Mahommedans is interested. The British Government
will act wisely on the present occasion and will not be misled by the misleading views
of some persons in Calcutta, Madras, and other places, so as to misunderstand the
situation or act in a manner opposed to the views of the Moslem public.
2. Hindu Papers.
1 he “ Desh ” (Lahore) publishes a number of notes and articles on the declaration
of Arab independence. In its issue of the 25th June it prints the news of the declaration,
and says that the liberation of Arabia has undoubtedly caused great injury to the
Turkish Government. The foolishness of the Turks is responsible for this. In its issue