File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎305r] (618/834)

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Syria.
Jerusalem and the Caliphate.
The account of the proclamation of King Huseiri as Caliph
in the Mosque of Omarat Jerusalem, given in our last issue (p. 12),
though derived from a source which afforded good ground for
credence, turns out to be mere propaganda, bearing little resem
blance to the truth.
The facts as they actually occurred are given in the following
extract from a report of the Chief Administrator of O.E.i.A.,
Sguth :—
“ Towards the beginning of December rumours began to
prevail to the effect that the Moslem authorities proposed
acknowledging the King of the Hejaz as Caliph on the occasion
of the Friday prayers at the Mosque of Omar ; also that they
intended adding to the Caliphial title that of Sultan of the Arabs.
1 sent for the Grand Mufti and Mayor, who had heard of the
project but were strongly against it being carried into execution.
They agreed that it was highly unbecoming for one small section
of Islam to embark upon an announcement affecting the entire
Moslem world, and promised that the official preacher should
maintain the status quo arranged upon F.E.F. Occupation, namely
the offering of prayers for the Caliph without naming him.
I subsequently found that three members of the young and
extremist Arab party, Isaf al-Nashashibi, Hassan al-Daudi, and
Mohammed Yusuf al-Dejani, had excited the population to believe
that a manifestation would take place, and that at the conclusion
of the service Hassan Sidki called upon all, on pain of being
considered “Kafirs” (unbelievers) to acknowledge the supremacy
of the King of the Hejaz. Two or three accomplices raised some
semblance of applause, but the incident passed off without evoking
much general comment.
At the same time, aware that in Islam it is difficult to
separate religion and politics, also that none of these young men
possessed any sort of Islamic mandate, I summoned them to these
headquarters, and while reminding them that the Military
Government had no concern with religious questions, pointed out
that they were exposing not only themselves but possibly their
seniors and the whole Moslem Community of Jerusalem to the
anger and derision of the greater part of the Islamic world, which
had up to that moment arrived at no sort of decision upon this
all important point, nor indeed given any sign of desiring any
change; that the Military Government recognized the Grand
Mufti and him alone as the mouthpiece of Moslem Jerusalem ;
and said 1 would not tolerate the repetition of such an incident.
They promised that it should not be repeated, and I understand
that the leader, Hassan Sidki, who had before been in communi
cation with the Emir Feisal, has since left for Amman, where it
would be highly desirable that he should remain.”