The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-07
A PAN-IsLAMIC ooNeREss.
II The sultan Had His Way 1t would
Meet ~. Petersburg Massacre.


To THE EDfroR or THE SUN Sir: Your
correspondent Orient has thrown bomb
--trrii thu midst OF ttg atrEuuy ayitatrd
community of diplomatists OF the European
Continent by introducing in your issue Of
last Sunday the subject OF the Ulemas con-
gress at Constantnople this year. 1t would
be poor compliment TO Orient" merely TO
acknowledge his intimacy with the mo vements
In the Orient. FOR his tregtmen Of the subject
IS not only sound. but It is marvellous from
an American writer Had IL not been for
the closing words Of his letter. which. there
is little doubt. will not escape the notice OF
the Transatlantic statesmanship and which,
II misunderstood may leopard the position
, Of Mosems under Christian rulers ] would
have preferred To maintain my silence on
such a delicate question "a the future OF
khilafet. discussed by your correspondent
with ability.
In order to ease the minds OF responsible
statesmen OF those European countries which
have large number OF Moslem subjects
must say at the outset TINT a Congress OF tho
Jlema in this generation cannot possibly
be with the intention OF the universal political
union OF lslamc communities throughout the
world and with the ayowed object OF up
setting non-Moslcm governments. for two
reasons: First or all. the elgious heads
among Moslems are men well versed In
theology philosophy and literature without
any conception OF politics whatsoever and
their sway on the masses IL due only 10 their
piety and learning il viii require at least
another generation TO have such Ulema. who
would combine tho knowledge or theology
with acquaintance with the affairs OF the
world Secondly tho policy OF Sultan Abdul
Hamid II. since his accession 10 the Illus
trious throne OF Selim l.. tho most emil ghtened
among the Ottoman Khulafa. has been TO
keep tho Sofas or the Ulema from whom
such an initiative for the political unity OF
Islam would be expected complete lg-
noTance OF both the politics OF their own
country and the politics of the world at large.
SO the Turkish Ulema. from Shaikhul Islam
down to tho imam OF q mosque. are happy in
their Ignorance and proud Of their childish
belief that the Ottoman Empire is growing
prosperous and glorious under the suspicious
shadow OF the Padishab. 1t would be less
absurd TO expect from sucking babes the
administration OF a country than TO expect
from such educated uniformed adults the
political unity of the Islanio world.
There f. no doubt that thinking mems
minds IN Arabia and other parts Of the Mos
lem world outside tho Turkish Empire are
hlled with alarm IN regard TO the safety OF
the holy places OF Mecca and Medina and 20
the preservation of the noble heritage OF the
Temple OF Jerusalem handed down from the
time OF the Khalifa Omar. owing to ever in
creasng activity OF British intrigues In the
The projected congress OF tho ulema in
Constantinople is contemplating to lay at the
feet OF the Commander OF the Faithful
humble petition asking him TO avert this i'm
pending danger from the birthplace OF Islam.
Alas little they know that II sultan Abdul,
who IL is said has offered the Gar several
reeiments OF his Kurdish Hamideh cavalry.
could have his way no would not even hest
tate TO repeat the bloody scenes OF Jan. ~
at ST. Petersburg in Constantinople tself by
letting loose his Albanian Guards upon theae
PetitiOntIng Ulema i there is anything ,he
gathering OF people together.
The centre Of khilafet. OF which the Koran
said: Whosoeyer enters therein ia secure, Ia
tho most insecure place on earth for an in
tellgent Mosem to-day. What satisfaction
these Mosem divines will receive at the hands
OF the successor OF the Prophet can BIO well
imagined from the fact that while the Moslem
world Ia thus troubled over the safety OF
Arabia. tho Sultan has recently made a rap
prochemsnt with England for the great favor
she has conferred on him by causing the arrest
Lord Cromer and by ReRGing an Arabic
paper called Khiidfet, published in London,
which nobody reads.
Destruction being an innate prompting
In the Sultan. since he has been peeling on
province after province during these last
twenty-eight years. IL must be taken a
foregone conclusion that the Ulema's con-
gross, II at all permitted 70 be held in Con-
any work Of construction IS entirely beyond
his Maiesty's capacity. The disappointment OF
the leaders OF tho IslamC world, coupled with
political changes In Arabia. may lead 20 far
dul fanid may yet live TO see the lhlaiet
reverted to the Arabs. which may lead ulti-
mately to the reunion OF Moslems all over the
world. The Turkish race by tolerating such
an intolorable reign of terror for a quarter OF
a century. which has reduced Islam 70 the
lowest degree Of humiliation, has proved 10
be unworthy Of such an exalted and sacred
trust MouANIMAp BARAKATULLAH.
NEW YORF March a.