The Khilafat Movement, 1919-1924

O Level Pakistan Studies History · The emergence of Pakistan: 1905 to 1939. A short explanation of the idea, the rules to remember, the mistake to avoid, a worked example and practice questions with answers.

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The idea

The Ottoman Sultan was also the Caliph, seen by many Muslims as the head of the Muslim world. When Turkey lost the First World War, Indian Muslims feared that Britain and its allies would break up the Ottoman Empire and take control of the holy places. The Khilafat Movement was formed to stop this.

Gandhi joined hands with it, hoping to unite Hindus and Muslims against British rule, and launched Non-Cooperation: a boycott of British goods, courts, schools and councils.

The movement failed. Gandhi called off the campaign in 1922 and in 1924 the Turks themselves ended the Caliphate. Hindu-Muslim unity then broke down.

Rules to remember

Common mistake

Students often write that the British abolished the Caliphate. It was abolished by the Turkish government of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1924. Also do not confuse Chauri Chaura (why Gandhi stopped) with the Moplah rising of 1921 in Malabar.

Worked example

Which event made the Khilafat Movement pointless: the failure of the 1920 delegation, the end of Non-Cooperation in 1922, or the Turkish decision of 1924?

  1. The 1920 delegation failed, but the campaign in India went on and grew stronger with Non-Cooperation.
  2. The end of Non-Cooperation in 1922 took away Hindu support and weakened the movement, but the Caliph was still there to defend.
  3. In 1924 Turkey itself abolished the Caliphate, so there was nothing left to protect.

Answer: The Turkish abolition of the Caliphate in 1924: it removed the very aim of the movement.

Practice questions

Try each one, then open the answer.

1. Why did the Hijrat Movement fail?

  1. A
    Afghanistan closed its border to the migrants
  2. B
    the British paid the migrants to stay at home
  3. C
    the Ottoman Sultan refused to accept them
  4. D
    the Congress organised their return by train
Show answer

Answer: A. Afghanistan could not absorb so many people; migrants had sold land and property cheaply and came back ruined.

2. What was the Hijrat Movement of 1920?

  1. A
    the movement of Bengali peasants to farm in Assam
  2. B
    a boycott of British goods, courts and schools
  3. C
    the move of Muslim refugees to Pakistan in 1947
  4. D
    the migration of Indian Muslims to Afghanistan
Show answer

Answer: D. Some ulama declared India Dar-ul-Harb and urged migration to Afghanistan, a Muslim-ruled land; thousands went.

3. Why was the Khilafat Movement important to Muslim politics despite its failure?

  1. A
    it won Muslims separate electorates in the councils
  2. B
    it led directly to the Lahore Resolution of 1940
  3. C
    it made Urdu an official language of British India
  4. D
    it drew ordinary Muslims into mass politics
Show answer

Answer: D. Khilafat meetings reached towns and villages across India, showing that Muslims could be organised as a political force.

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← The Lucknow Pact to the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, 1914-1919The Delhi Proposals, Simon Commission, Nehru Report and Jinnah's Fourteen Points, 1927-1929 →All rules on one pageStuck? Ask a question