File 1290/1905 'Mesopotamia: Oudh Bequest' [‎32v] (69/260)

I am also ready to take the responsibility of the work on myself if it may
please Your Excellency to promise me to help, in which case I shall pay my
respects to Your Excellency at Baghdad.
Dated the 13th February 1909.
From —Lietjtexant-Coloxel J. Ramsay, C.I.E., Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in Turkish
Arabia and His Britannic Majesty’s Consul-General, Baghdad,
To— Syed Ahmad Moin-tjl-Olama Allamah-i-Hindi, Mujtahid, son of Shamsttl
Olama Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, Chief High Priest, Deurhi Agha
Meer, Lucknow.
I was pleased to receive your letter of the 28th December regarding the
Oudh Bequest money. When we discussed this matter in September 1907,
we seemed to have many ideas in common. I should, therefore, be ready to
help you to introduce a more satisfactory system of expending this Trust
money. It is important, however, that you should realise that the task you
propose is no easy one, and can only be completed after much patient effort.
I will tell you a few of the difficulties
(1) The Oudh Bequest money is divided into twenty shares, and no share
is at the present moment vacant. Money could only be placed at your disposal
by me when a share falls vacant. If your scheme was once started subscrip
tions might be obtainable from the other recipients, but you would have much
opposition at first.
(2) I can give the money to whom I please, provided that the recipient is
both a Mujtahid and a resident of Karbala or Nedjef. I have no reason to
think that you would have any difficulty in proving to me that you are a
Mujtahid, but before you are eligible for a share of the money, you must be
come a resident (Mujawar) of Karbala or Nedjef.
(3) The Resident cannot pretend to control the money once he has paid
it to a Mujtahid resident at Karbala or Nedjef. The resident is merely the
Executor of a Will, and according to the Will his responsibility ends, and the
Mujtahid’s responsibility begins, when the latter receives the money. Still
there is nothing in the Will to prevent the Resident selecting as recipients
resident Mujtahids whose views are in sympathy with his own.
(4) You will have to face great local opposition from those who are in
terested in the continuance of the present system.
(5) The Turkish authorities may, but are not likely to, make difficulties
about allowing a foreign hospital. They will almost certainly demand that
the Medical Officers and compounders should obtain diplomas from Constanti
nople. t
(6) You know the feeling that exists at Karbala and Nedjef towards
those who are not Moslems. If the people think that you rely on the Resident
for support your local difficulties will be increased, and the intrigues against
you will gain strength.
(7) Your life will be made a burden to you, at any rate for a time, by im
portunate but undeserving beggars.
If you are prepared to make a sustained effort with a view to making the
money of the Oudh Bequest a really useful charitable fund, I am prepared to
help you as far as I reasonably can do so.
The only definite promise that I can make you is that I will nominate
you as the recipient of the first share that falls vacant after you are qualified
to become a recipient. If experience proved that your efforts were likely to
meet with success, it might be possible to increase your share of the Oudh
Bequest.
I have thought it right to describe some of the difficulties that you will
have to overcome because it would be disappointing to you (and to nie) to find
your task harder than you anticipate. It is far from my wish to discourage
you, for I hope you will come determined to surmount all obstacles. You have