28th Rajab 1341 Hijri (3rd March 1924 A.C.) was the most tragic day of entire human history. A day when the doors to light were closed on entire mankind. A day when the only true religion i.e. Islam lost its authority. A day when Muslims lost their honor, dignity and place which they had for 1300 years. They fell off the map. On 28th Rajab 1431 ottoman Caliphate, which was the last Islamic Caliphate on face of earth, was destroyed. Muslims all over the world knew that they had lost the shield which protected them for 1300 years. They cried and they screamed. They launched movements to restore the caliphate. A similar movement, known as “Khilafat Movement”, was launched by our forefathers and led by late Maulana Mohammad Ali Johar. He emphasized that Muslims of Indo Pak Subcontinent should restore Caliphate at any cost.
It flummoxed me that Indo Pak subcontinent was ruled by Islamic Caliphate for 1000 years. Starting from 711 when Muhammad Bin Qasim conquered Sindh, to 1824 when British held power in Indo Pak Subcontinent. Historical evidences prove that Indo Pak subcontinent was a province of Islamic Caliphate. Shashi S. Sharma quotes on page 247 of his book “Religious Ideological and Political Praxis” that “Delhi Sultanate (1206-1526 C.E.) was a part of Muslim Sultanate throughout its existence. Sultans considered themselves a representative of the Caliph.” In 1690, Aurangzeb Alamgir used to send “Khiraj” (the Islamic tax on agricultural land) to Caliph in Turkey.
The whole Muslim Ummah has been suffering since destruction of Ottoman Caliphate. Muslims of Indo Pak subcontinent sacrificed their lives and wealth to form a land where they could freely practice Islam, enjoy their rights and find peace. That land was formed but unfortunately we could never achieve the objective of Pakistan’s creation. Time and again, democracy and dictatorship have worsened the situation we face. Its time when we must return to the goal put forward by our fore fathers that Islamic Caliphate should be restored at any cost. Only then we can find peace, tranquility and harmony.
By: Mahwish Hassaan