How Far Did The Muslim League Become A Political Force, 1920-30?

Question 1

Khilafat Movement: (4)

Answer 1

• Muslim Indians long regarded the Sultan of Turkey as their Caliph
• Turkey’s decision to fight alongside Germany, challenged Muslim loyalties
• The 1919 peace settlement greatly reduced the size of Turkey
• Forces within Turkey removed the Sultan from power

Question 2

What occurred during the Khilafat movement?

Answer 2

Islamic symbols to unite the diverse Muslim communities

Question 3

Khilafat Movement effect:

Answer 3

• Repudiated British rule in India

- Legitimised Muslim participation in any nationalistic movement

Question 4

Who endorsed the Khilafat movement?

Answer 4

Gandhi - thus bringing the weight of Hindu opinion behind what was solely a Muslim movement

Question 5

How did Gandhi benefit from supporting the Khilafat movement?

Answer 5

• Muslim leaders joined Gandhi in mobilising the masses for the 1920 and 1921 civil disobedience campaigns
• Gandhi gained the support of a large number of Muslim spiritual and political leaders

Question 6

How did Jinnah feel about Gandhis support for the Khilafat Movement?

Answer 6

• Opportunistic
• Caused a schism amongst Muslims, threatening existing structures

Question 7

Collapse of the Khilafat movement:

Answer 7

• Turkey rejected the caliphate and became a secular state
• The religious aspects of the movement alienated western-orientated politicians like Jinnah (who resigned form Congress)
• Many Muslims became uncomfortable with Gandhis leadership

Question 8

To what percentage did the Muslim delegates in Congress drop to?

Answer 8

1921 - 10.9%
1923 - 3.6%

Question 9

What did the Tanzeem and the Tabligh movements do? (3)

Answer 9

• Aimed to strengthen the Muslim communities
• The conversion of Muslims to Hinduism would stop
• Every town was to have a gathering (Anjuman) to ensure more vigorous preaching, better religious education and the constructions of mosques

Question 10

What was the purpose of the Tabligh and Tanzeem movements?

Answer 10

• Islam would be rejuvenated as they felt they were being constraint by Hindu communities

Question 11

How did the Tanzeem and Tabligh movements affect relationship with Hindus? (3)

Answer 11

• Growing anti-Hindu sentiment
• Muslims blamed poor Hindus for their poor economic conditions
• Had martial overtones emphasising seperateness

Question 12

What was the main reason for separateness?

Answer 12

Hindus and Muslims clearly represented two very different religious communities

Question 13

How was this concept of separateness exacerbated?

Answer 13

The British policy of strict neutrality towards the religions encouraged all religions to believe that they could act as they wanted with no regard to the sensibilities of other groups

Question 14

How was the impact of the strict neutrality exacerbated?

Answer 14

By the use of ‘divide and rule’ tactics by the Raj, which helped to foster political hostility between Hindus and Muslims

Question 15

Praying methods creating seperateness:

Answer 15

Hindus - used gongs, bells and cymbals to create loud music when they were worshipping
Muslims - Preferred to pray in silence
Violence and verbal abuse broke out

Question 16

Festivals creating separateness:

Answer 16

• At the Muslim festival of Bakr’Id, cows were ritually slaughtered
• Hindu festival of Holiday was noisome and troublesome to Muslims, lasting over two days

Question 17

Organisations creating separateness:

Answer 17

• Arya Samj criticised Islam
• Tabligh and Tanzeem criticised Hinduism
• Hindu group Mahasabha

Question 18

Arya Samj actions: (4)

Answer 18

• Sought converts to hinduism
• Cow Protection Society brought open conflict to butchers and tradesmen
• Attempted to have Hindi replace Urdu as the language of administration
• Major donors to the organisation came from the Hindu merchant and money-lending class on whom lower class Muslims depended for their economic security

Question 19

Mahasabha actions:

Answer 19

• Prepared to use force against people they thought were diluting the purity of Hindu faith

Question 20

The Raj as emphasising seperateness:

Answer 20

• Through the proposals the Raj put forward, such as the Montagu Declaration and Government of India Act, there was a common thread of protecting the rights of minorities by making provision for seperate electorates and so the concept of seperateness was enshrined politically

Question 21

What did Jinnah suggest at the Muslim League’s 1927 meeting in Delhi? (3)

Answer 21

• Persuaded members to make a bold offer to Congress in hope of bringing them together
• Declared its end for supporting separate electorates for 1/3 of seats in the Central Legislative Assembly
• Separation of Sind from Bombay to create one Muslim-dominated province

Question 22

How did Congress react to Jinnah’s offer?

Answer 22

Rejected it

Question 23

What did Jinnah propose in 1929

Answer 23

Jinnah’s 14 Points

Question 24

What did the 14 points entail?

Answer 24

Demands for continuation of seprate electorates and reservation of seats for Muslims in government services and self governing bodies.

Question 25

How did Congress react to the 14 points?

Answer 25

Rejected it

Question 26

How did Jinnah react to Congress’ rejections?

Answer 26

He left for England to be a barrister

Question 27

Jinnah’s beliefs and aims:

Answer 27

• Disapproved mixing religion and politics
• Not an orthodox Muslim - wore European clothes and drank alcohol