Leading Palestine Moslems Issue Proclamation Denouncing Grand Mufti’s Convocation of Moslem World Co

Several very important Moslem leaders in Palestine, including the Mayors of Jerusalem, Jaffa and Haifa, and a large number of members of the Supreme Moslem Council, have issued a proclamation to-day denouncing the proposed Islamic World Congress, which is being convoked in Jerusalem for December 7th. by the Grand Mufti.

The Grand Mufti acted on his own responsibility and initiative in convoking this Congress, without consulting anyone, the signatories to the proclamation complain. While the Mufti is busy inviting Moslems all over the world to come to the Congress, they add, not a single Palestine Moslem has been invited to attend it.

Before such a Congress is held, they proceed, there should be a Palestine Moslem Congress called to consider the desirability of holding a Moslem World Congress, and it should rest with this Palestine Congress, if it finds the World Congress desirable, to elect an organisation committee to take charge of the necessary arrangements.

CONGRESS IS INTENDED TO RAISE ANEW WAILING WALL QUESTION ALTHOUGH ALREADY SETTLED FINALLY BY LEAGUE OF NATIONS COMMISSION: ADMISSION IN PALESTINE ARAB ORGAN “FELESTIN” WHICH AGREES HOWEVER CHARGE OF NON-CONSULTATION AND NON-INVITATION OF PROMINENT MOSLEM PERSONALITIES IS JUSTIFIED

The conveners of the Congress led away by the enthusiasm of Maulana Shaukat Ali did not wait to consult the rest of Islam, the English edition of the “Felestin”, the principal Palestine Arab organ, writes in an editorial in the latest issue to reach London.

As far as the charge of non-consultation and non-invitation of some prominent personalities lies, it proceeds, we cannot free the preparatory committee wholly from it.

But one should not forget, on the other hand, it goes on, that it was absolutely necessary that an answer to the Buraq decision (the respective Jewish and Moslem rights at the Wailing Wall – which have been finally settled by the League of Nations International Wailing Wall Commission) must immediately be given by the Moslem world, and the case of the Moslem university has been before the Moslem world for more than a year.

To this, it says, must be added that the Jews are interested in delaying the Congress. Any attempt therefore now to obstruct the Congress, would weaken the case of the Holy Places and would mean a victory for the Jews.

At the same time, it says, it is apparent that there is a strong opposition to the holding of a Congress at the present time, although no one denies the utility of such a Congress when held at its proper time.

In view of these considerations, it concludes, our advice is to convert this Congress into a preparatory Congress to prepare the way for another more representative and better prepared to tackle the difficult problems before the Moslem world.

Although the Grand Mufti and Shaukat Ali have denied that the real purpose of the Moslem World Congress is to restore the Caliphate, the “Felestin” declares in the same issue that “closely allied to the Moslem Congress is the question of Khilafat, which is agitating so much the Western public of those countries who have Moslem subjects. The agitation is due to the fact that the Khilafat is considered to be the mainstay of Pan-Islamic movement which has become a bogey to the colonising powers. Nearly every leading Moslem has uttered his voice against touching the thorny question of Khilafat at present”, it says, “and it is now certain that it will not be touched again until the Muslims consider themselves in a position when a Caliph would aid the unity of Moslems and would be its symbol. To-day it can only bring discord through rivalries.

“But”, it proceeds, “if now the Moslems feel that its revival would bring solidarity into their ranks it is merely a communal question to be settled by themselves and should not annoy Europe unless the solidarity of Islam is considered a world danger.”