'Correspondence with the Grand Sherif of Mecca' [‎3v] (6/16)

10. Conimunication from the Grand Sherif of Mecca to His Excellency the
Most Kxalted, the Most Imminent, the Hritish High Commissioner in
Egypt; may God grant him success.
With great cheerfulness and delight 1 received your letter dated 19th
Shawal 1333 (3(>tli August 1915), and have given it great consideration and
regard, in spite of the impression 1 received from it of ambiguity and its
tone of coldness and hesitation with regard to our essential point.
It is necessary to make clear to Your Excellency our sincerity towards
the illustrious British Empire and our confession oL" preference for it in all
cases and matters and under all forms and circumstances. The real
interests of the followers of our religion necessitate this.
Nevertheless, Your Excellency will pardon me and permit me to say
clearly that the coldness and hesitation which you have displayed in the
question of the limits and boundaries by saying that the discussion of these
at present is of no use and is a loss of time and that they are still in the
hands of the Clovernment which is ruling them, A:c., might be taken to infer
an estrangement or something of the sort.
As these limits and boundaries demanded are not those of one person
whom we should satisfy and with whom we should discuss them after the
war is over, but our peoples have seen that the life of their new proposal is
bound at least by these limits and their word is united on this.
Therefore they have found it necessary first to discuss this point with the
Power in whom they now have their con(idence and trust as a final appeal,
viz., the Illustrious British Empire.
(Literal translation of the above passage) :
" And therefore they saw the discussion in it iirst the place of their
confidence and trust the axis of final appeal now and that is the
Illustrious British Kmpire."
Their reason for this union and confidence is mutual interest, the
necessity of regulating territorial divisions and the feelings of their
inhabitants, so that they may know how to base iheir future and life, so not
to meet her (England ?) or any of her Allies in opposition to their resolution
which would produce a contrary issue, which God forbid.
{Literal translation of above passage as follows) :
" The feelings of its inhabitants to know how to base their future
and life for not to meet her or one of its Allies in front of their resolution
when the thing comes to a contrary result, which God forbid. '
For the object is, honourable Minister, the truth which is established on
a basis which guarantees the essential sources of life in future.
Yet within these limits they have not included places inhabited by
a foreign race. It is no vain show of words and titles.
May God have mercy on the Caliphate and comfort Moslems in it.
I am confident that Your Excellency will not doubt that it is not I
personally who am demanding of these limits which include only our race,
but that they are all proposals of the people who, in short, believe that they
are necessary for economic life.
Is this not right, Your Excellency the Minister ?
In a word. Your High Excellency, we are firm in our sincerity and
declaring our preference for loyalty towards you, whether you are satisfied
with us, as has been said, or angry.
With reference to your remark in your letter above-mentioned that some
of our people are still doing their utmost in promoting the interests of
Turkey -Your Goodness (lit. " Perfectness ') would not permit yen to make
this an excuse for the tone of coldness and hesitation with regard to our
demands, demands which I cannot admit that you. as a man of sound opinion,
will deny to be necessary for our existence; nay, they are the essential
essence of our life, material and moral.
I'p to the present moment, I am myself with all my might carrying out
in my country all things in conformity with the Islamic Law, all things which