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The founder of Osmania Caliphate, Ameer Osman Khan Ghazi was born in 656 Hijra. He possessed all qualities, which are normally found in the founders of governments. He was wise and intellectual, for enemies he was the hardest but for the nation he was so kind and polite. In case of war, he used to lead the battalion, which developed courage in the troops. After the battle he used to take out poor peoples' share from the booty (the spoil left by the enemy forces in the Jihad) and the rest he used to distribute among the soldiers. He never kept even a single penny for himself from this booty. He lived a simple life in an ordinary house in which he had no extra-ordinary or informal item. He died on Ramadan 21, 727 Hijra. The assets he left behind included, besides education and wisdom, a cotton gown, a wooden spoon, a salt pot, a few horses of Arabian breed, a couple of bulls which he used for agriculture, and some herds of sheep. His biggest achievement was the publicity of Islam. During his life he convinced the European Christians through his character and simplicity and made them to embrace Islam. In order to enter into the fold of Islam the non-Muslims established relationships with the Turks and instead of calling them Turks, they started calling them Osmani.
The Osmania Caliphate continued for about 600 years during which 37 caliphs and Sultans remained in power. Until the last caliph, the caliphate had become so weak, however, its system still existed. The Muslims of world in general and the Muslims of Hindustan in particular considered the Osmania Caliphate a strong shelter for themselves. However, in year 1908, on account of various incidents, Turk youth stood against the caliphate. Their anti-Osmania Caliphate resulted into a revolt and they announced establishment of an interim government. This was the time when European nations took benefit of the situation. They started hatching conspiracies against Turks. Their mission was not to let Turk youth take a stronger position. So, immediately after the Turks announced establishment of their government, Italy attacked Tripoli, which was the last occupied African territory in the Osmania Caliphate. This military assault ignited fire around the globe and the Muslim from all around the world particularly in Hindustan took part in the Jihad. Poets of that era like Shibli and Iqbal, also played their role in encouraging Muslims to take part in the Jihad. This was the time when a fistful courageous Muslims of Hindustan came forward, put their lives at stake and established a central body called 'Caliphate Committee' in Bombay. Later the branches of this committee were set up all over Hindustan. The organizational strategy of this committee was so strong that Muslims of Hindustan used to response on just one call. All Muslim youth had assembled under the umbrella of this committee and they were all the time ready to render every sacrifice for the cause of this body. Not only the Muslim of Hindustan, the Muslims around the globe were also following the suite and gathering at one platform. Besides general public, `Ulama-e-Keram, educated people and young boys were joining the committee. Muslims and `Ulama-e-Keram belonging to different beliefs had joined hand and the strong network of this committee had spread all over Hindustan that it had become difficult for the anti-Islam government and other powers in the world to crush this movement. All eyes of world Muslims were on the Muslims of Hindustan. The united Muslims were in a super power position.
The question arises at this point that what was the reason that the Muslims of Hindustan had gathered at one platform to rescue the decaying caliphate and the caliph? What was so important in the caliphate system that the purdah-observing women of all age groups were giving their ornaments to the committee as donations? What was the reason that poor labourers were offering their all earnings for the protection of the caliph system? People from one end of the country to the other end were overwhelmed by the emotions. The reason to this situation was that although there were some shortcomings in the caliph, the caliphate system was still the strongest shelter for the Ummah and it was in accordance with the teachings of Holy Prophet. The Muslims had inherited this system from Muhammad Sallallahu `alaihe wasallam who was the last prophet of Allah with dual personality. One that he was the dearest prophet of Allah and used to convey Allah's message to the people and tell them to follow what Allah has said. Second personality of Muhammad Sallallahu `alaihe wasallam was that he was the leader of Muslims and as a leader he used to favour oppressed and punish the oppressor. He used to fulfil all internal and external needs of the state under his rule. With the demise of Muhammad Sallallahu `alaihe wasallam first personality in the shape of Nubuwwat ended, however, second personality continued to exist in different forms. And this personality later was known as Caliphate. Although later caliphs did not care for the sensitivity of caliphate and indulged into some anti-social activities, many came who did never care for the worldly activities of their predecessors and such caliphs were the reason that the pure Islamic system continued in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Prophet.
Let us take the example of Hajjaj bin Yousuf. He had no precedence in the world for his brutality and cruelty. However, when the prays and screams of an oppressed daughter of Sindh reached his ears, he stood up and vowed that unless he would take revenge of injustice meted out to the innocent girl and unless he would eliminate brutality and cruelty from the earth he would not stay in peace. The oppressed girl also had a confidence that at least there was someone who would care for her and she was no more an orphan. She thought after that, no one would dare think of subjecting her to oppression.
Don't the daughters of today have such feelings? Daughters of Bosnia, Chechnya and Kashmir are thinking they are orphans, they have no shelter and there is no one in 165 Muslim countries in the world who would come for their rescue.
Lets take another example. It was the ending era of Osmania Caliphate. Sultan `Abdul Hameed was in power. The caliphate had become weaker before the Western powers. Their financial position was also shaking and they were under the burden of heavy foreign debts. The caliphate was facing internal and external conflicts and conspiracies. At that time a delegation of Zionists went to meet Sultan and said: "If you give us the territory including Bait-ul-Maqdas and Palestine, controlled by the Muslims, we promise, we'll pay all debts, the Osmania Caliphate is liable to pay. Not only this we'll also give you huge quantity of gold." On this offer, Sultan replied, "If you give me the wealth of the entire world, I would not even give you a fist full of mud of Bait-ul-Maqdas."
However, later when Mustafa Kamal Pasha announced the end of Osmania Caliphate, Jews started settling in Palestine and in few years a Jewish state 'Israel' came into existence and Muslims lost Bait-ul-Maqdas. Lets go back to the Hindustan situation. On one hand the Muslims gathered at one platform under 'Caliphate Movement', launched protest demonstrations all over Hindustan, and on the other they sent a delegation to England and other European countries with a couple of demands. Their main demand was that Turk Sultan should be allowed to continue as a ruler who would dominate all Muslims and act as their caliph. But, Turks were not aware with the fact that by announcing the end of Osmania Caliphate and placing demands before the Europeans, they had weakened themselves.
The delegation also included renowned historian and writer, Hazrat Maulana Sulaiman Nadvi. He met a central leader of London and said a few words to him, which invoked me to write this column. He had said: "Christianity can have a number of supporters, why Islam is not allowed to have at least one big supporter?" Alas! How deep are Maulana Nadvi's words. Jews and Christians neither accepted a supporter of Islam in the past nor today they accept anyone to stand up for the cause of Islam. Yes, Jews and Christians are more than happy if Muslims and their rulers become their followers and take their dictations without any arguments. They are always happy and ready to embrace such Muslims and rulers all the time, either it is White House or it is Camp David their doors are open for such Muslim rulers.
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