In a historic proclamation, Maulana Asad Madni, leader of Jamiat Ulamai Hind, shared the formation of the All India Palestine Committee. This committee was established in August 1967, to address the grave issue of the loss of the Holy Places. Including Baitul Muqaddas, Palestine, and other Arab territories seized by Israel.
Jamiat Ulamai Hind played a significant role in the Indian Freedom struggle against British rule, stood firmly against the division of India and emphasized the importance of justice and the security of Arabia. The formation of this committee highlights the commitment of Jamiat Ulamai Hind to the cause of Arab victims of Israeli aggression and the freedom of Afro-Asian countries from imperialist control.
Palestine Movement – An Introduction by Asad Madani
Jamiat Ulamai Hind has always played an effective and historic role in all struggles and movements of the Islamic world. With a sense of universal brotherhood, whenever Muslims of the world have been face to face with a calamity, Jamiat Ulamai Hind has realised its responsibility and has mobilised all its resources to mitigate their suffering.
History has brought before us another disaster and we have to face it. Once again Jamiat Ulamai Hind has come out to launch an incessant struggle to fulfil its historic role. Jamiat appeals to the Muslims of India to accept the challenge posed by aistory, to join the crusade to vindicate their honour and cherished values.
Jamiat Ulamai Hind’s Stance on Arab Liberation
The loss of the Holy Places, Qibla-e-Awwal Baitul Muqaddas, Palestine and other Arab territories seized by Israel is a great disaster. To liberate them is the cry of the heart of every Muslim. The values of justice are at stake.
The cause of the Arab victims of Israeli aggression is also linked with the security of India, and freedom of Afro-Asian countries from imperialist stranglehold. Jamiat Ulamai Hind has always regarded the security and sovereignty of Arabia, a religious issue and it has always opposed the international conspiracy of creating artificial homeland for imported Jews. It has never accepted foreign domination over any part of Arabia.
Presiding over the historic session of Jamiat Ulamai Hind held at Kokanda in 1923, Shaikhul Islam Maulana Hussain Ahmad Madani warned the people against the intrigues of imperialist powers against Islamic countries.
In the light of the tenets of Islam he declared emphatically:-
“When foreign hold is established over Islamic countries, it is the duty of every Muslim of the world to resist it gradually. It is their obligation to work for protecting the sanctity and sovereignty of Arabia and other Islamic countries.
It is the duty of the Muslims of India to take every possible step to end foreign domination in Arabia and to work for her independence”.
That Session also adopted the following resolution:—
“It is a fundamental Islamic issue that the Arabian peninsula including Aden should remain free from foreign domination. To keep it free from foreign influence and domination amounts to the implementation of the last will of the Prophet, hence the religious duty of every Muslim”.
The freedom of the Arab countries from foreign influence and domination is related with the security, and sovereignty of India, and other nations of Asia and Africa, and their freedom from foreign interference in their affairs. The last portion of the aforementioned resolution also deserves our attention.
“The independence of the Arabian peninsula is the gateway to the independence of India, and also the approach to the freedom of the East. Therefore although it is the religious duty of the Muslims, it is also imperative for all the nations of the East, to mobilise their resources for the freedom of this strategically important area”.
The imperialists have played all sorts of intrigues to maintain their domination and exploitation in India and other Eastern countries. They conspired to subjugate the Middle East with a view to maintain their hold on the Mediterranean Sea, they constructed the Suez Canal as a part of that strategy. Egypt was occupied, and imperialist outposts’ were established in Aden, Cyprus and other strategically important islands. In furtherance of those very objects the end of the Osmania Empire was brought about and Syria, Iraq and Palestine were divided into small weak states. so that they may never pose a threat to the imperialist hold on India and other Asian countries.
Shaikh Jarrah; A historical perspective !
We should recall the speech made by Colonel Clifton Brown in the British Parliament on June 19, 1936, in which he admitted frankly that Palestine was an important strategic point in the British Empire from the communication point of view and it was essential to keep a watch that no community would settle there, whose nationalism would eventually prove dangerous for Britishers.
We should also recall a speech by another Conservative member of the British Parliament, Mr. Amery in the same session in which he justified the occupation of Palestine from the defence point of view as Palestine is situated at a place which is the conjuction of the important air routes of England, Asia and Africa.
In the conditions of the Mediterranean Sea its naval position too was very importent. He was of the opinion that if firm hold was kept over Cyprus, Palestine and Egypt, then not only it would be possible to maintain hold over the whole Eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea. but also it would be possible to keep the Suez Canal open.
He also suggested that Heiffa could be developed as a great port and commercial centre of the Mediterranean Sea, and it would serve as an important store of oil. In the event of war and non-availability of any alternative source of the supply of oil, it would prove very helpful. Further he suggested that rail communication should be established hetween Aqba and Heiffa, which would open another route to Suez Canal.
Such were the strategic considerations behind settling foreign Jews in Palestine. The imperialists expected that the Jews would serve as willing tools of their intrigues in that region.
From the river to the sea, what will the future of Palestine be?
In this historical background, it is clear that Israeli aggression lat is presson and expansionism is not a religious issue of the Muslims alone, but it is related to the security, sovereignty, and economic and political independence of Afro-Asian countries.
Therefore, Jamiat Ulamai Hind has decided to mobilise all lovers of Justice in general and Muslims in particular throughout the country in the support of world peace; for liberation of the occupied territories of Arab countries; defence of the freedom of Afro-Asian and other developing countries in the waging a permanent struggle to achieve their objects.
This movement of the Muslims and lovers of justice in the country will continue till the Israeli forces and pro-Israel imperialist forces vacate the territories seized from Arab countries, and give up their aggressive and expansionist posture. In order to organise this movement and struggle throughout the country Jamiat Ulamai Hind has constituted a Palestine Committee consisting of important public figures of the country, who will lead the movement.
To carry the message of the Palestine movement to every part of the country, Jamiat Ulamai Hind has also decided to bring out a weekly paper. Jamiat Ulamai Hind consiers it necessary to clarify that there is nothing new in this decision. Although we attach importance to the recovery of Qibla-e-Awwal (First Direction of Faith) and other Holy Places, but our resolve is to recover every inch of the soil belonging to the Arab nations. We are not prepared to give priority to any single territory by ignoring others.
“Bertrand Russell’s Last Message” on Israel and Palestine.
It is very essential to make this clarification, as the colonial forces are busy hatching a conspiracy by exploiting the sentimental attachment of Muslims to the Holy Places so that the demand for recovery of other territories of Arab countries may be weakened.
The countrywide Palestine movement launched by Jamiat Ulamai Hind will continue for the recovery of Qibla-e-Awwal (First Direction of Faith) Holy Places and all Arab territories seized by Israel, and to remove all traces of Israeli aggression.
We hope that the Indian Muslims and all lovers of justice in the country would extend to us their cooperation for the support of the suppressed; for world peace; for the recovery of Arab territories seized by Israel; for the freedom of Afro-Asian countries, and for the security of India.
Maulana Syed Fakhruddin Ahmad Sahib, President of Jamiat Ulamai Hind, nominated the following persons as members of the All India Palestine Committee.
Members of the All India Palestine Committee
1. Mr. Humayun Kabir, M.P.
2. Mr. M.R. Shervani, M.P.
3. Col. Bashir Husain Zaidi, M.P.
4. Maulana Mohammad Mian Farooqi Sahib.
5. Maulana Shahid Mian Fakheri. M.L.C.
6. Maulana Syed Muhammad Mian Sahib.
7. Maulana Syed Minnatullah Sahib, Amir Shariat Bihar.
8. Maulana Nurullah Sahib, M.L.C.
9. Maulana Mohd. Tahir Sahib (W. Bengal).
10. Maulana Ahmad Ali Sahib (Assam).
11. Maulana Abul Wafa Sahib.
12. Maulana Muhammad Uvais Sahib Nadvi.
13. Mr. Mustafa Faqih (Bombay).
14. Abdul Hameed Ansari Sahib, Editor “Enqelab”.
15. Maulana Abdur Rauf Sahib, M.L.C.
16. Maulana Abdur Rahman Sahib Palanpuri (Gujarat).
17. Maulana Ishaq Sambhali, M.P.
18. Hayatullah Sahib Ansari, M.P.
19. Maulana Ishaq Ilmi Sahib, Siyasat Jadid, Kanpur.
20. Mr. P.M. Saeed, M.P. (Laccadives).
21. Maulana Abdul Wahab Arvi Sahib.
22. Yunus Salim Sahib, M.P.
23 Maulana Habibur Rahman Azami Sahib (Azamgarh).
24. Maulana Asad Madani, Convenor of the All India Palestine Committee.
