Khilafat Movement is part of Modern History of India. Below are notes on 8 sub-topics, followed by practice MCQs from State PSC and UPSC papers.

Aims and objectives of the Khilafat Movement

  • To protect the Ottoman Caliphate (Khalifa) from dissolution by the Allied powers postWorld War I.
    • Resignation: Chettur Sankaran Nair resigned from the Viceroy's Executive Council, saddened by the massacre.
    • Assassin: Michael O'Dyer (Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, who approved Dyer's actions) was killed by Sardar Udham Singh in London in 1940.

Background: Ottoman Empire, Treaty of Sèvres, and the Caliphate question

  • Ottoman Empire: A powerful Islamic empire, its Sultan held the title of Caliph (Khalifa), considered the spiritual and temporal head of Sunni Muslims worldwide, headquartered in present-day Turkey.
  • World War I (WWI) Outcome: Ottoman Empire, allied with Central Powers, was defeated by the Allied Powers (including Britain).
  • Treaty of Sèvres (1920): A harsh peace treaty imposed by the Allies on the Ottoman Empire, which led to its dismemberment, loss of territories, and stripping the Caliph of his temporal authority over holy places.
  • Caliphate Question: The perceived threat to the Caliph's position and the dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire generated deep resentment and concern among Muslims globally, including in India.
  • Khilafat Movement: Launched by Indian Muslims to pressure the British government to preserve the Caliphate and its authority, primarily concerning the fate of the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) and its territories.

Causes for the Khilafat Movement in India

  • Defeat of Ottoman Empire: Ottoman Turkey, allied with Germany in WWI, faced defeat by the Allied Powers, including Britain.
  • Fate of the Khalifa: Indian Muslims viewed the Sultan of Turkey as their Caliph (Khalifa), the spiritual head of global Islam, fearing British and Allied plans to abolish the Caliphate.
  • Harsh Peace Terms to Turkey (May 1920): Announcement of severe Allied peace terms (later Treaty of Sèvres, August 1920) in May 1920, threatening the Khalifa's temporal authority and control over holy places, served as the immediate trigger.
  • British Broken Promises: Perceived failure of the British government to honor wartime assurances regarding the protection of the Caliphate's status.
  • Pan-Islamic Sentiment: Strong feelings of religious solidarity among Indian Muslims with the global Muslim community and the Caliphate.
  • Existing Anti-British Grievances: Widespread resentment against British rule due to events like the Rowlatt Act and the Jallianwalabagh Massacre (Congress Inquiry Committee Report published March 1920), creating a fertile ground for a united anti-colonial movement.
  • Gandhi's Leadership & Hindu-Muslim Unity: Mahatma Gandhi's strategic support for the Khilafat cause, aiming to unite Hindus and Muslims for a powerful national struggle, leading to the adoption of the Non-Cooperation program (Indian National Congress Special Session, Calcutta, September 1920).

Convergence with the Non-Cooperation Movement

  • Khilafat Movement (1919-1924) arose from Indian Muslim concern over the British treatment of the Ottoman Caliph (Khalifa) postWorld War I.
  • Key Demand: The Khalifa must retain control over Muslim holy places; the Ottoman Empire's territorial integrity should be preserved.
  • Leadership: Prominent figures included the Ali Brothers (Muhammad Ali, Shaukat Ali) and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
  • Indian Muslim leaders used Khilafat as a potent symbol to unite the Indian Muslim community.
  • The radical trend within the Khilafat Movement was represented by younger leaders like Muhammad Ali, Shaukat Ali, and Maulana Azad, who advocated for stronger actions.
  • Mahatma Gandhi supported the Khilafat cause, viewing it as a unique opportunity for Hindu-Muslim unity against British rule.
  • Convergence with Non-Cooperation Movement:
    • November 1919, All-India Khilafat Conference in Delhi: Made initial calls for non-cooperation and boycott of British goods.
    • June 1920, Central Khilafat Committee (CKC) meeting in Allahabad: Formally adopted a non-cooperation program (including boycott of titles, services, and foreign goods) and decided on its launch, with Gandhi's active involvement.
    • This decision by the CKC paved the way for the nationwide Non-Cooperation Movement, later endorsed by the Indian National Congress.
    • August 1, 1920: Formal launch of the Non-Cooperation Movement by Gandhi, incorporating Khilafat demands along with Punjab wrongs and Swaraj.

Gandhi's support and rationale for joining the movement

  • Gandhi supported the Khilafat Movement primarily to achieve Hindu-Muslim unity, viewing it as a unique opportunity to bring Muslims into the nationalist struggle.
  • He believed that uniting Hindus and Muslims on a common cause was crucial for strengthening the anti-British movement.
  • Gandhi was elected President of the All India Khilafat Conference held on November 23, 1919.
  • At the Allahabad meeting of the Central Khilafat Committee (June 1920), Gandhi's proposals for a Non-Cooperation program were accepted, leading to the victory of his strategy to link Khilafat with Non-Cooperation.
  • His support for the Khilafat movement was instrumental in aligning it with the Non-Cooperation Movement, aiming for a united front for Swaraj.
  • M. A. Jinnah denounced Gandhi's participation in the Khilafat Movement, arguing against mixing religion with politics.

Hindu-Muslim unity during the Khilafat-Non-Cooperation era

  • Khilafat Movement (1919-1924) stemmed from Indian Muslims' concern over the postWWI fate of the Ottoman Caliphate (Khalifa).
  • Mahatma Gandhi viewed Khilafat as a unique opportunity for Hindu-Muslim unity, urging Congress support for the cause.
  • The Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movements (1920-1922) merged, leading to unprecedented Hindu-Muslim unity.
  • On Bal Gangadhar Tilak's death (August 1, 1920), Mahatma Gandhi and Shaukat Ali jointly lifted his bier, symbolizing strong Hindu-Muslim solidarity.
  • The Khilafat Movement effectively brought urban Muslims into the fold of the National Movement on a large scale.
  • A predominant anti-imperialist element common to both the National and Khilafat Movements served as a strong unifying factor.
  • This era saw the broadest Muslim participation in the nationalist struggle until that point, bridging the communal divide.

28. Non-Cooperation Movement

Key leaders and their roles (Ali Brothers, Abul Kalam Azad, Hakim Ajmal Khan)

  • The Khilafat Movement (1919-1924) was primarily spearheaded and organised by the Ali Brothers.
  • Ali Brothers: Comprising Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar and Maulana Shaukat Ali, they were the most prominent leaders and initiators of the Khilafat Movement.
  • Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar: Accompanied Mahatma Gandhi on his arrival in Chhattisgarh in 1920.
  • Maulana Abul Kalam Azad: A prominent leader of the Khilafat Movement.
  • Hakim Ajmal Khan: A prominent leader of the Khilafat Movement, he renounced his title of 'Haziq-ul-Mulk' (Physician of the Nation/King) during the agitation.
  • M.A. Jinnah: Was not a prominent leader of the Khilafat Movement.

Reasons for the decline and eventual collapse of the movement

  • Abolition of the Caliphate (Khilafat) in Turkey by Mustafa Kemal Pasha in March 1924, removing the central issue of the movement.
  • Rise of Turkish Nationalism and the establishment of a secular republic under Mustafa Kemal Pasha, rendering the Caliphate institution irrelevant to Turks themselves.
  • Withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation Movement by Mahatma Gandhi in February 1922 after the Chauri Chaura incident, severing the crucial link between the two movements.
  • Signing of the Treaty of Lausanne (1923), which offered more favourable terms to Turkey compared to the earlier Treaty of Sèvres, diminishing the external reasons for the movement.
  • Growing differences among Khilafat leaders and the emergence of communal issues after the Non-Cooperation Movement's withdrawal.

Practice MCQs: Khilafat Movement

Aims and objectives of the Khilafat Movement

  1. Which one of the following statements is NOT correct about Khilafat movement?

    Asked in: UPSC Geoscientist 2020 · Section Officer(LDCE) 2021 22 2021

    1. It was led by Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali
    2. It demanded that Turkish Sultan must retain control over the Muslim sacred places in the erstwhile Ottoman Empire
    3. Khalifa must be left with sufficient territory to enable him to defend the Islamic faith
    4. The Congress did not support the movement
    Show answer

    Answer: D. The Congress did not support the movement

    - The Khilafat movement (1919-1924) was an Indian Muslim movement protesting the treatment of the Ottoman Caliph (Khalifa) by the Allied powers after World War I. - It was led by prominent Muslim leaders including the Ali brothers, Muhammad Ali C. Quit India Movement D. Lucknow Pact Ans: B Rabindranath Tagore renounced his Knighthood in protest against the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.

  2. "Jallianwala Bagh massacre" occurred in the year A) 1919 B) 1920 C) 1921 D) 1918

    Asked in: PA High Court Mains

    1. 1919
    2. 1920
    3. 1921
    4. 1918
    Show answer

    Answer: A. 1919

    The Jallianwala Bagh massacre is a significant event in Indian history, marking a turning point in the Indian freedom struggle. It involved British troops firing on an unarmed gathering of Indian civilians. and Shaukat Ali. - Key demands included that the Turkish Sultan/Khalifa must retain control over the Muslim sacred places and be left with sufficient territory to defend the Islamic faith. - Critically, Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress supported the Khilafat movement and launched the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920 in tandem with it, seeing it as an opportunity to unite Hindus and Muslims against the British rule.

  3. Which one of the following characteristics does NOT describe the Khilafat movement?

    Asked in: UPSC NDA 1 2017

    1. Mahatma Gandhi sought to link it to the Non- Cooperation movement
    2. It was not supported by the Congress
    3. It demanded that the Turkish Sultan must retain control over Muslim sacred spaces in the erstwhile Ottoman empire
    4. It was led by Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali
    Show answer

    Answer: B. It was not supported by the Congress

    The Indian National Congress, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, actively supported the Khilafat Movement. Gandhi saw it as a crucial opportunity to unite Hindus and Muslims against British rule and linked it to the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922).

  4. The Khilafat Movement was built around

    Asked in: UPSC CAPF 2013

    1. opposing British rule in India
    2. protecting the sovereignty of the Khalifa
    3. opposing the national movement
    4. protesting against lack of educational opportunities in India
    Show answer

    Answer: B. protecting the sovereignty of the Khalifa

    - The Khilafat Movement emerged after World War I. - It was a protest by Indian Muslims regarding the fate of the Ottoman Empire and the Khalifa. - The central demand was to protect the sovereignty and position of the Khalifa.

Background: Ottoman Empire, Treaty of Sèvres, and the Caliphate question

  1. Which part of the world was the agenda of Khilafat movement involved with?

    Asked in: WBPSC CS Prelims 2021

    1. India
    2. Arab
    3. Iran
    4. Turkey
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Turkey

    The Khilafat movement was a response to the treatment of the Ottoman Caliphate by the Allied powers after World War I.

Causes for the Khilafat Movement in India

  1. Consider the following events and find the correct chronological order of the events from the codes given below: 1. Special Session of Indian National Congress, Calcutta. 2. Demise of B.G. Tilak 3. Announcement of Peace terms to Turkey 4. Submission of unanimous report on Jallianwalabagh Massacre by Congress Committee. Codes:

    Asked in: UPPSC Upper Mains 2014

    1. 4,3,2,1
    2. 1,2,3,4
    3. 3,2,1,4
    4. 1,2,4,3
    Show answer

    Answer: A. 4,3,2,1

    Let's place the events chronologically: 1. Submission of unanimous report on Jallianwalabagh Massacre by Congress Committee (4) The Congress Inquiry Committee into the Jallianwala Bagh massacre submitted its report in March 1920. 2. Announcement of Peace terms to Turkey (3) The Treaty of Sèvres, which contained harsh peace terms for the Ottoman Empire (Turkey), was signed on May 15, 1920 (announced around that time), severely impacting the position of the Caliph and triggering widespread anger among Indian Muslims, fuelling the Khilafat movement. 3. Demise of B.G. Tilak (2) Bal Gangadhar Tilak passed away on August 1, 1920. 4. Special Session of Indian National Congress, Calcutta (1) A special session of the INC was held in Calcutta in September 1920 under the presidency of Lala Lajpat Rai. This session debated and eventually approved the Non-Cooperation programme, linking it with the Punjab grievances (Jallianwala Bagh) and the Khilafat issue.

Convergence with the Non-Cooperation Movement

  1. Which one of the following statements about the Khilafat Movement is not correct?

    Asked in: UPSC NDA 2 2015

    1. The Khilafat Movement demanded that the Khalifa must retain control over Muslim holy places.
    2. The radical trend in the Khilafat Movement was represented by younger leaders like Muhammad Ali, Shaukat Ali, and Maulana Azad.
    3. Indian Muslim leaders used Khilafat as a symbol that could unite the Indian Muslim com‐ munity.
    4. The Delhi conference of the Central Khilafat Committee in 1920 decided to launch a massive Non-Cooperation Movement.
    Show answer

    Answer: D. The Delhi conference of the Central Khilafat Committee in 1920 decided to launch a massive Non-Cooperation Movement.

    - Statement A is correct: One of the key demands of the Khilafat Movement was the preservation of the Ottoman Caliphate and the protection of Muslim holy places under his control. - Statement B is correct: Younger, radical leaders like the Ali brothers (Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali) and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad were prominent figures who represented a more assertive approach within the movement. - Statement C is correct: The Khilafat issue provided a common platform and a potent symbol that Indian Muslim leaders used to mobilize and unite the diverse Indian Muslim community on a pan-Islamic cause. - Statement D is not correct: While the Khilafat Committee played a crucial role in initiating the Non-Cooperation Movement in India and endorsed it, the decision for a massive Non-Cooperation Movement involving various stages of boycott and civil disobedience was a joint effort involving both the Khilafat leaders and Mahatma Gandhi and the Congress. The Khilafat Committee's meeting in Bombay in May 1920, presided over by Gandhi, endorsed the non-cooperation programme. The Indian National Congress formally adopted the Non-Cooperation resolution at its Calcutta session in September 1920, and launched the movement on August 1, 1920. The specific Delhi conference mentioned deciding to launch the massive movement is inaccurate regarding the specific decision-making process and timing.

Gandhi's support and rationale for joining the movement

  1. The National Hindu Radicals who were supported by _______ were victorious at the Allahabad meeting of the Central Khilafat Committee.

    Asked in: MPSC CS Prelims 2015

    1. Tilak
    2. Gandhiji
    3. Ali brothers
    4. Motilal Nehru
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Gandhiji

    Mahatma Gandhi played a pivotal role in integrating the Khilafat Movement with the Indian National Congress's non-cooperation movement, fostering Hindu-Muslim unity in the early 1920s.

  2. Who was elected as President of the All India Khilafat Conference (23rd November, 1919)?

    Asked in: WBPSC CS Prelims 2020

    1. Mahatma Gandhi
    2. Subhaschandra Bose
    3. Chittaranjan Das
    4. Motilal Nehru
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Mahatma Gandhi

    - Gandhi saw the Khilafat issue (concerning the fate of the Ottoman Caliphate after World War I) as an opportunity to unite Hindus and Muslims in the struggle against British rule. - His presidency at this key conference demonstrated his involvement and leadership role in the early phase of the Khilafat movement. - The conference decided to boycott British goods.

  3. Who among the following had denounced the participation of Mahatma Gandhi in the Khilafat Movement ?

    Asked in: UPPSC Upper Mains 2011

    1. Mohammad Ali
    2. Shaukal ali
    3. Abul Kaiam Azad
    4. M. A. Jinnah
    Show answer

    Answer: D. M. A. Jinnah

    M.A. Jinnah was a prominent leader in the Indian nationalist movement but differed significantly from Gandhi's political approach. While Jinnah was initially sympathetic to the Khilafat cause, he was critical of Gandhi's decision to link the Khilafat issue with the Non-Cooperation Movement and involve masses on religious grounds. Jinnah believed in constitutional politics and secular nationalism and found Gandhi's methods, which mixed religion with politics and relied on mass mobilization through non-cooperation, detrimental to sound political development. Mohammad Ali, Shaukat Ali, and Abul Kalam Azad were key leaders of the Khilafat Movement who collaborated closely with Gandhi.

  4. At the time of which movement did Gandhiji support the cause of the Khilafat movement in order to bring about the Hindu-Muslim unity?

    Asked in: Asst. Engineer Comb. Comp. Exam 2018

    1. Swadesi Movement
    2. Civil Disobedience Movement
    3. Quit India Movement
    4. Non-Cooperation Movement
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Non-Cooperation Movement

    The Non-Cooperation Movement was the period when Gandhiji supported the Khilafat movement to achieve Hindu-Muslim unity.

Hindu-Muslim unity during the Khilafat-Non-Cooperation era

  1. Along with Mahatma Gandhi who amongst the following Muslims did lift the bier of Bal Gangadhar Tilak?

    Asked in: UPPCS Prelims 2014

    1. Shaukar Ali
    2. Muhammad Ali
    3. Maulana A.K.Azad
    4. M.A. Ansari
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Shaukar Ali

    When Bal Gangadhar Tilak passed away in Bombay on August 1, 1920, his funeral was attended by a massive crowd. Mahatma Gandhi was present and helped carry the bier. Alongside Gandhi, prominent leaders like Saifuddin Kitchlew and Shaukat Ali, who were key figures in the Khilafat Movement and close associates of Gandhi at the time, also lifted the bier as a gesture of unity and respect.

  2. Assertion (A): The Khilafat movement did bring the urban Muslims into the fold of the National Movement. Reason (R): There was a predominant element of anti-imperialism in both the National and Khilafat Movements.

    Asked in: UPPCS Prelims 1998

    1. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
    2. Both A and R are true, but R is NOT a correct explanation of A
    3. A is true, but R is false
    4. A is false, but R is true
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

    The Khilafat-Non-Cooperation alliance marked a significant period of Hindu-Muslim unity against British rule. The anti-imperialist sentiment was the core shared objective that facilitated this alliance, drawing diverse groups into the independence movement.

Key leaders and their roles (Ali Brothers, Abul Kalam Azad, Hakim Ajmal Khan)

  1. Who of the following Muslim leader accompanied Mahatma Gandhi on his arrival in Chhattisgarh in 1920 ?

    Asked in: CGPSC Prelims Exam 2018

    1. Maulana Muhammad Ali
    2. Maulana Shaukat Ali
    3. Maulana Azad
    4. Maulana Rahmat Ali
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Maulana Shaukat Ali

    Mahatma Gandhi visited Raipur in Chhattisgarh for the first time on 20th December 1920. He was accompanied by Maulana Shaukat Ali.

  2. The Khilafat movement was started by

    Asked in: WBPSC CS Prelims 2019

    1. Muhammad Ali Jinnah
    2. Dr. Zakir Hussain
    3. Fakruddin Ali Ahmed
    4. Ali Brothers
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Ali Brothers

    The movement was launched by Indian Muslims to protest against the harsh terms imposed on the Ottoman Caliph after World War I.

  3. Which one of the following is not correctly matched?

    Asked in: UPPCS Prelims 2015

    1. Motilal Nehru — Nehru Report
    2. M.K. Gandhi — Champaran Movement
    3. S.C. Bose — Forward Block
    4. M.A. Jinnah — Khilafat - Movement
    Show answer

    Answer: D. M.A. Jinnah — Khilafat - Movement

    - Motilal Nehru chaired the committee that drafted the Nehru Report in 1928. (Correct Match) - Mahatma Gandhi initiated and led the Champaran Satyagraha in 1917, which was one of his first major movements in India. (Correct Match) - Subhas Chandra Bose founded the Forward Bloc in 1939 after resigning from the presidency of the Indian National Congress. (Correct Match) - The Khilafat Movement (1919-1924) was primarily led by the Ali brothers (Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar and Maulana Shaukat Ali) and Abul Kalam Azad. While Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a prominent Muslim leader of that era, he was not a key leader of the Khilafat Movement; in fact, he generally remained aloof from the movement's pan-Islamist and religious overtones, preferring a constitutional approach.

  4. Who among the following were prominent leaders of the ‘Khilafat Movement’?

    Asked in: UPPCS Prelims 2016

    1. Maulana Mohammad Ali and Saukat Ali
    2. Mohammad Al Jinnah and Saukat Ali
    3. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Rafi Ahemed Kidwai
    4. Rafi Ahemed Kidwai and saukat Ali
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Maulana Mohammad Ali and Saukat Ali

    The Khilafat Movement (1919-1924) was a pan-Islamic political protest campaign launched by Muslims in British India to influence the British government and to protect the Ottoman Empire after the First World War. It later merged with Mahatma Gandhi's Non-Cooperation Movement for a period.

  5. Who one of the following had renounced the title of Haziq-ul-Mulk during Khilafat agitation?

    Asked in: UPPSC Upper Mains 2014

    1. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
    2. Mohammad Ali
    3. Shaukat Ali
    4. Hakim Ajrnal Khan
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Hakim Ajrnal Khan

    Hakim Ajmal Khan was a renowned physician, nationalist leader, and one of the key figures in the Khilafat Movement. As a protest against the British government's policies, particularly regarding the Ottoman Caliphate, he renounced his honorary title of "Haziq-ul-Mulk" (Most Skilled Physician) bestowed upon him by the British.

  6. Khilafat Movement was started by:

    Asked in: APPSC Draughtman 2008

    1. S.C. Bose
    2. Bhagat Singh
    3. Jinnah
    4. Ali Brothers
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Ali Brothers

    The Khilafat Movement (1919-1924) was a political protest movement in India initiated by Indian Muslims to support the Ottoman Empire and protest against the harsh terms imposed on the Caliph and Turkey after World War I. The movement was primarily led by the Ali Brothers, Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar and Maulana Shaukat Ali.

  7. Khilafat Movement was organised by

    Asked in: WBCS Main Paper 3 2021

    1. Jinnah
    2. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
    3. Ali Brothers
    4. Agha Khan
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Ali Brothers

    The Khilafat Movement (1919-1924) was primarily organized and led by the Ali Brothers, namely Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar and Shaukat Ali. It was a pan-Islamist political protest campaign launched by Muslims in British India to influence the British government to protect the Ottoman Empire after World War I.