Question

Origin and meaning of khalifat movement

Answer 1

The Ottoman Turkey was badly defeated in the First World War. There were rumours about a harsh peace treaty likely to be imposed on the Ottoman emperor; who was the spiritual head of the Islamic world (the Khalifa). To defend Khalifa's temporal powers, Khalifat committee was formed in 1919. The committee had leaders like the brothers Muhammad Ali & Shaukat Ali. Gandhiji supported it because he saw it as an opportunity to bring Muslims under the umbrella of a unified National Movement.