Fazl-e-Umar — Page 370
Fazle Umar 370 “This revolt will not be suppressed by insulting Sheikh Rashid Ali sahib or the Mufti (Muslim cleric) of Jerusalem. We cannot quell these flames by calling them treacherous. I do not know Sheikh Rashid Ali but I personally know Mufti sahib. In my opinion, he is a well-intentioned man and he is not opposed because the Germans have bribed him. It is only because he believed the promises made by the Allies with the Arabs during the War have not been fulfilled. The only outcome of insulting these people will be to provoke and incite their friends and admirers. It is our duty in this delicate situation not to incite the hundreds of thousands of people who hold a favourable view of Sheikh Rashid and the Mufti of Jerusalem. Our aim should not be to show our anger but to offer helpful advice so that the rebellion may be quelled rather than made to spread. “Bear in mind that regarding this rebellion it is enough for us to understand that Sheikh Rashid Ali was the reason peace has been jeopardised. We do not have the right to question his intentions and neither is there anything to be gained from it. At the moment Muslims must waste all their efforts in trying to ensure that peace returns to Iraq. And this can be done by helping the British with their lives and with their wealth, by helping them to suppress this rebellion before it has a chance to spread thereby ensuring that the fighting can be kept far away from Mecca and Medina and Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Palestine may be safeguarded from the vicious flames. This is not the time for debates but for action. It is the duty of every Muslim to inform his neighbours of the impend- ing danger for the world of Islam so that every Muslim may prepare himself to do his duty and come forward to make whatever sacrifice he can make. Those capable of fighting ought to enlist in the army, those with money ought to help by donating money, those that can write ought to utilise this gift to help the cause and those who can do nothing else can at least pray that Allah may