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KHAIRI, Abuzar
Ottoman Empire through the Eyes of Indian Muslims
India and Turkey have had a rich and diverse historical connection. There was a close and regular mutual interaction
between the Indian rulers and the Ottoman Empire. There can be no doubt that the Indian Muslims, who share a set of
common beliefs and practices with their brethren elsewhere, have been deeply aware of their fraternal links with the world
of Islam. This was reflected in the Mussadas of Altaf Husain Hali, in Mohammad Iqbal’s nostalgic ode to once –Arab Sicily,
and in Allama shibli Nomani’s thoughtful writings Troubles in the Balkans; in the “Movement in favor of Islamic Culture of
the past” led by Ameer Ali, Allama Shibli and Abdul Halim Sharar, and in the pan-Islamic proclivities of Maulana Mahmud
al –Hasan, Mohammad Ali, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi, Dr. M.A.Ansari and others.
The Mughal Emperors as well as some independent Muslim rulers in the 18thcentury often turned towards the
Ottoman Khalifas a source of strength. In 1785 Tipu Sultan sent an embassy to the Ottoman Sultan, and his emissaries secured
for him letters of investiture which allowed him to assume the title of an independent ruler.
Turkey’s defeat was the defeat of Islam; its humiliation, the shame of every Muslim. Having bitter experience of
British colonials system in India they were now determined that the premier Muslim state of the day would not be deprived
of its freedom. The leaders, like Abul Kalam Azad, Mohamed Ali and Zafar Ali Khan were appealing through their newspapers.
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