Oudh Bequest

Oudh Bequest refers to a waqf[1] which led to the gradual transfer of more than six million rupees from the Shi'i kingdom of Oudh (or Awadh) located in India to the two Shia holy cities of Najaf and Karbala between 1850-1903.[2] The money under this title received Najaf and Karbala first in 1850.[3] The bequest was distributed by two mujtahids, one from Najaf and one from Karbala. Later, the British gradually took over the bequest and were directly involved in the distribution of it. According to scholars, the British aimed to use the bequest as a "power lever" for influencing Iranian ulama and Shia.[4]

History

In 1825 when Burma had faced economical problems, Ghazi al-Din Haydar, king of Oudh, supported British East India Company[5] via a 10,000,000 Rupees loan. The principal was never to be paid, but the 5 percent annual interest of the loan had to permanently be applied to specific objects, among them four women namely Nawwab Mubarak Mahal, Sultan Maryam Begam, Mumtaz Mahal, and Sarfaraz Mahal receiving 10,000, 2,500, 1,100 and 1,000 Rupees per month, respectively. Others, including servants and those around Sarfaraz Mahal, were to receive 929 Rupees. It was also conditioned that by the death of those four women, two-thirds of the allowance (or whole amount of it in case of "intestacy") would be given to Mujtahids in Najaf and Karbala aiming that it reach "deserving persons". Hence, the financial aid was known as the 'Oudh Bequest'.[3]

The bequest

The maximum amount which Najaf and Karbala could receive was about 186,148 Rupees at the time when one British pound equaled about 10 Rupees. The first financial aid under Oudh Bequest reached Najaf and Karbala around 1850 after Maryam Begam and Sultan Mahal's death. In practice an annual amount of around 120,000 Rupees (10,000 ₤) reached Karbala and Najaf by the end of 1850s.[3]

Administration of the bequest

From the beginning in 1850 two religious leader of Iraq namely, Sayyid Ali Naqi al-Tabatabie and Morteza Ansari transferred the money from India via their agents. Morteza Ansari had devised a mood of distribution which included "junior mujtahids, low ranking indigent ulama, Persian and Arab students, the custodians of the shrines; and the poor." Although Ansari was involved in distribution of the money,[5] he withdrew later in 1860 "presumably" to avoid close relationships with the British,[5][6] and was replaced by Sayid Ali Bahr al-Ulum as the distributor for Najaf. Bahr al-Ulum and al-Tabatabie did the distribution until 1903.[5]

In 1903, on the verge of constitutional revolution of Iran, the British were directly involved in the distribution of the bequest.[4] It was decided by the Indian government to change the distribution system due to some misuse allegations. In new system, the fund was distributed by British agents residing in the two cities at their own will among several mujtahids,[5] ten at each cities.[1] However, although the alleged misuse was regarded as the reasoning behind the distribution system change, another important factor could be the goal of the British to influence Iran considering the effect of the ulama of the shrine cities on Iranian politics.[5] A few number of ulama opposed the bequest due to the involvement of the British, however many of them "benefited" from it.[7]

In 1912, the British completely took over the distribution of the bequest and shifted from their policy of using the lever in Iran toward "acquiring goodwill" of Shia muslims in India and "enhancing their prestige" in Iraq.[4]

British political usage

According to the British minister of Tehran at the time, Hardinge, Oudh Bequest was a "powerful lever" for promoting "good relations" with Persian clerics and him.[1] in view of the British, the Bequest was "a means to enhance their influence over the ulama in Iran",[4] and it was supposed to enable the British with establishing Ottoman territory and Qajar Iran as "buffer zones to protect British India."[8] In order to use this "leverage" of influence, two British officials, Ramsay and Lorimer, tried to give more power to British resident in Baghdad by persuading India government in the years between 1909-1911.[3] This using was done on some occasions by encouraging Najaf and Karbala ulamas to interfere in Iranian internal affairs.[8] Also, the British sought to make Iranian ulama move against the "Russian second loan."[4]

According to some scholars, the British used the bequest as means for manipulating the Shia itself through determining the mujtahids in the two shrine cities.[4]

However, British authorities could not influence Morteza Ansari through this bequest.[9]

Outcome

According to Litvak, attempts of the British led to a "dismal failure" and proved that charity can't replace "the need to religious leaders to maintain popular support by distancing themselves from foreign patronage and tutelage."[4]

Reactions

Suri Pasa, Vali of Iraq at the time, expressed his concern at the growth of Shia linking it to Oudh Bequest.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Algar, Hamid. Religion and State in Iran, 1785-1906: The Role of the Ulama in the Qajar Period. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520041004. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  2. ↑ Litvak, Meir (1 January 2001). "Money, Religion, and Politics: The Oudh Bequest in Najaf and Karbala', 1850-1903". International Journal of Middle East Studies. 33 (1): 1–21. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Nakash, Yitzhak. The Shi'is of Iraq. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691115753. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Litvak, Meir (1 January 2000). "A Failed Manipulation: The British, the Oudh Bequest and the Shī'ī 'Ulamā' of Najaf and Karbalā'". British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies. 27 (1): 69–89. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Litvak, Meir (1 January 2000). "The Finances of the 'ulamā' Communities of Najaf and Karbalā, 1796-1904". Die Welt des Islams. 40 (1): 41–66. doi:10.1163/1570060001569875. Retrieved 18 November 2016.(subscription required)
  6. ↑ Cole, Juan. Sacred Space And Holy War: The Politics, Culture and History of Shi'ite Islam. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 9781860647369. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  7. ↑ Evered, Emine. Empire and Education Under the Ottomans: Politics, Reform and Resistance from the Tanzimat to the Young Turks. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 9781780761091. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  8. 1 2 Martin, Vanessa. Anglo-Iranian Relations since 1800. Routledge. ISBN 1134191987. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  9. ↑ The Encyclopaedia of Islam, New Edition: Supplement, Parts 1-2. Brill. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  10. ↑ Çetinsaya, Gökhan. The Ottoman Administration of Iraq, 1890-1908. Routledge. ISBN 9781134294954. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/26/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.