THE AGA KHAN SPEAKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22685, 24 March 1937, Page 12

THE AGA KHAN SPEAKS

One of the most powerful men in the British Empire, the Aga Khan, has deemed it expedient to take some notice of the claim of Signor Mussolini to the title of " Protector of the Faithful." The Aga Khan invites the Dictator to discharge his self-assumed obligations to the Moslems of Libya, Eritrea, Abyssinia and Somaliland, and concludes by assuring him that the Moslems of India are happy and prosperous under their revered King-Emperor. Leader of the great Ismailiah section of the British followers of Mohammed, the Aga Khan speaks as a statesman when he assumes his spiritual role, and in dealing with the assumptions of Mussolini he expresses authority of extraordinary scope. It is believed by many millions of Moslems that the Aga Khan has descended in direct line from the prophet. His mana is not limited to India. It lives in Afganistan, Persia, Arabia, Central Asia and even in Syria and Morocco. In the immediate pre-war years he did much to soothe Indian Moslem sentiment in respect to the lurcoItalian and the two Balkan wars. When the Great War broke out he communicated with all the councils of the lsmailiahs within British territories and on their borders, directing his followers to place themselves unreservedly at the disposal of the British authorities. When Turkey was drawn into the struggle he issued a manifesto showing that the Allies had no overt designs in Islam and calling upon the Moslems of the Empire to remain loyal and faithful to their temporal allegiance. The people of his sect provided a solid phalanx of whole-hearted support for Britain and became a steadying influence over impatient and headstrong groups. Without the loyal strength of the Aga Khan garrison duties in India and the Near East would have absorbed many more soldiers than were ill fact required. His comment on Mussolini's claims is timely and significant.