AFTER TURKEY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 205, 24 May 1919, Page 7

AFTER TURKEY

THE SITUATION IN THE ARAB DISTRICTS ITS RELIGIOUS ASPECT (From the. "Westminister Gazette's Correspondent.) If, as seems.'likely, Constantinople is taken from the Turks ami the whole Turkish Empire in Asia is broken tip, it is inevitable that the question-of the Caliphate should be raised. . When one considers the. claims that are being put forward by or on behalf of the lledjaz it seems pretty clear that the movement is tor pan-Arabianism, not only in the temporal sense but In tho spiritual sense. It is'hoped in certain . ouarters. tn the leading part in n Confederation of Arab States to the King of the Hcdjaz, ivho was recognised by tho British when two years ago he broke away from Turkish domination.

. It is indeed difficult to discuss this Eastern, question,.since, it is not merely territorial, but is complicated by religious considerations—"religious Imperialisms," as they have been called. More than one view can be very firmly held us to the duel that is proceeding mors or less ■ openly for. the spiritual control of Arabia. On the whole, I find the British view rather .more favourable to tho ambitions of the Hcdjaz and the French vieiv inclined t® be in favour of .'.the opposite conception. ■ The . problem of Mussulman religious sovereignty is posed at onco when we see the decira of the Hedjaz to extend their kingdom, and remember that the two great Islamic holy places are situated in the regions where the King, of the Hcdjaz' has sway. , It should also be remembered that _th« groat objectiun to the religious domination: of the Sultan'was the fact that the Sultans of Turkey do noi belong Jo the tribe .from which Mohammed sprang. It is in reality,-essential that .the possessor of the. Caliphate should have this, origin. He should be a ,Coraischite, as was tho Prophet. This rule, like so many more, appears ~to have been, disregarded. AVe find, indeed, spiritual chiefs in various parts of the Mussulman world. But the important'fact which emerges, from the new prominence that the Hedjaz are taking' is : that, in their jand 13 Mecca. the birthplace of Mohammed, and 'Medinia, where is Mohammed g tomb. 'I'tjo .official' recognition of such a kingdom ..is sufficient in itself to give something more than mero temporal prestige to the. ruler of .the Hedjaz. It fs. true that the. Emir. Feisul come 3 to the Conference only as. the representative of the temporal soverigniy, but he comes with an ambitious programme, and it 'is certainly hoped to .transfer the centre of. things from Constantinople. to Mecca. ... . Differences of Opinion, Now it is' precisely the influence of Mecca that Syria does not want. It is not precisely true to say,, as is being said, that the Arabs are of one race and of one religion. ' They are, on t'Jia contrary, of .many races, and their re- - ligions "have inany points of difference. When Mohammed died there was much opposition to the nomination of'Ali, the .son-in-law of the Prophet, who lett no • soil, and, indeed, the succession was disputed by arms.' To-day the Mussulmans of Persia, are called Chiytes or by other Mohammed,>'■'who call, themselves , iiites, an Arabian word which means '•that they are"attached to the true tradition. , The various parties consider themselves. the only orthodox people. The Chiytes would exclude nil otlier socalled descendants of Mohammed, who are recoguiscd by,the Sunnites, from the Caliphate'. ■ ■.. . '

Diii'drenccs of this kind, which are of considerable importance to the Mohammedan' believer, abo.und .in the MussiiGjjan .world, and it would not seeni to be the simple business that 1 notice'cer-' tain writers suppose to unite the Arabs in a single confederation under the single protection of it European country, whether that country is prance or England. It'is urged in'influential French circles,,,as I, have, already pointed out iu the ''Westminster' Gazette," that Syria Bhould be,-as-it is said she desires to be, preserved as a unity, not divided in any arbitrary fashiui and not brought under the tutelle of any otlier Arabian 'power. There are certainly French interests in SVriii, and it may be that these interests ill some measure inspire the-opposition to any proposal which would give predominance to the Hedjaz by encroaching spiritually or territorial-, ly lijbn Syria. ' Mussulman Millions. It would be-equally impossible, it is lilgod, to bring Mesopotamia and Syria 'under the same European protection. ■AVhat finds most faWmr is that French influence should be left free to do its work in the one land and British in,fluence in the other. . The solution of the problems' in the Levant are not merely of interest to France and England.. They vitally concern the immense millions of Mussulmans wfio are scattered . much moro thickly in ait parts of the world than is generally/reecgjused. Profound changes nro inevitable with, tlie final crash of the . authority of the. Turk, and those changes limy, take tlie most unexpected . courses and produce'the .'most unexpected results. Certainly both for Great Britain, which govcrns'so many Mohammedans in Kgvpt iuid in India, as well as for France, .which always regards herself as a great Mussulman. Power, the subjsst is among the most important being considered liy the Peace Conference.

In'previous'messages 1 have endeavour-' ed to put. certain territorial phases ot the question before your Teasel's. But the religious aspect, little understood aud not easy to define, is perhaps the aspect which is of 'the highest importance, since you cannot touch -what is most sacred to, any man—his religion—with clumsy bauds' without provoking trouble.