Question

What was the ‘Khilafat Movement’?

Hint:

Understand how the Khilafat Movement strengthened the freedom struggle and highlighted communal unity.

Answer 1

The Khilafat Movement (1919-1924) emerged to protest the British decision to dismantle the Ottoman Caliphate after World War I. Indian Muslims, led by Maulana Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali, sought to protect the Caliph, seen as the spiritual leader of Islam. The movement gained momentum when Mahatma Gandhi supported it as part of the Non-Cooperation Movement, fostering Hindu-Muslim unity. Though it eventually declined, the Khilafat Movement highlighted the Indian struggle against colonial rule and promoted communal harmony in the freedom movement.