HIJRAT MOVEMENT IN N.W.F.P

The Hijrat Movement was launched for the restoration of the rights of the Caliphate of Turkey. The tussle against Rawlett Act was yet going on when keeping in view the problem of the Usmania Caliphate of Turkey and the hazardous anti-Turkish designs of the British the Muslims of the sub-continent flared up. When the Khilafat movement was about to emerge in India, in the meantime a voice arose from Luknow declaring the Indian Sub-continent as Dar-ul-Harb, urging the Muslims to migrate from their land on the plea of few Ulumahs of India that as a result of their inability to compete the aggressive steps of the British they ought to go some-where else. Giving important to the announcement of the Ulumahs most of the Muslims decided to migrate to the nearest Muslims country of Afghanistan, which was thought a suitable place for their shelter.

When the news of the Hijrat movement reached N.W.F.P, the Muslims became more active to surpass other in this sacred cause, undertaken as a religious significance. Although in N.W.F.P, such verdict was not passed by the religious leaders, yet the Pushtoons took it as the behest of the "Shariah". According to Mr. Allah Bakhsh Yousafi, the then young political leader and Nationalist of Peshawar, who express his eyewitnesses. "The Majority of the people began to prepare themselves, fastening their luggage, selling their properties, cattle and ripen crops on Hindu merchants at the lowest rates and that the migration turned their marriage abrupt; the Nikahs were postponed infinitely everyone was anxious for the leaving their homeland within a minimum time. It was a sight of "Qiyamat-e-Sughra" but to the astonishment of the common people and the concerned Muslims suffered this tragedy with pleasant willingness for their religious zeal.

The people of N.W.F.P, not only wholeheartedly participated in the movement but also produced an emblem of an exemplary generosity and faithfulness towards the emigrants. The karvans of emigrants who proceeded Afghanistan via Peshawar and Khyber Pass were brought up and nourished and a proper programme of hospitality for the stay of the refugees was made. Such generous step assisted by Mirza Muhammad Salim Khan, Munshi A Karim, Mr. Yousaf Ali Khan and Hakim Quttab Alam. These received gentlemen organized the "Hijrat Movement Committee", donations from the people and dedicated their time and energy for the help of the refugees. A Sarai in in the Namak Mandi at Peshawar was reserved for the stay and hospitalization of such Larvans, In the beginning small karvans passed on to Afghanistan, but when the movement reached to its highest peak, the number of the emigrants increased. Even from Sindh a great multitude of the refugees under the leadership of Mr. jan Muhammad Bar-at-Law arrived Peshawar by special train. The Pathans of Peshawar left no stone unturned for the management of these strangers and showed every sympathy to them. Although the Hijrat Movement was the out-come of the un-tolerable behavior of the British, yet the movement of the emigrants continued in a peaceful manner and no dispute or scuffle was noticed in the entire province.

According to Mr. Aziz Javed, Chairman Institute of Research and publication N.W.F.P Peshawar, Haji Sahib Turangzai a great Mujahid of N.W.F.P also made efforts for the welfare of the migrants. He collected donation from the tribesmen and spent that money for the purchase of wheat, cloths, medicines and so on, used by the refugees. In order to meet the need of meat and milk for the refugees, Haji Sahib Turangzai purchased 1000 cattle. Besides the people of Buner contributed largely towards the welfare fund of the emigrants. They sold their properties , cattle and other belongings at the cheap rates and donated them to the refugee's fund.

The feeling of the Muslims in regard to the Hijrat was such that they were not even made to listen a minor word in opposition of the movement. Once in a great session a Peshawar, when Mr. Agha Muhammad Safdar, a faithful nationalist pointing out the bitter consequences of the Hijrat, proposed the abrogation of the movement, he was vehemently rebuked and criticized. Most of the Muslims leader like Allama inayatullah Khan Al-Nashriqi and Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum Khan were not in favour of the movement, because they thought in it a great menace to the majority of Muslims leaders like Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Khan Abbas Khan, Muhammad Akbar Khan, Haji Jan Muhammad Maulvi, Muhammad Yaqub Khan, Ali Gul Khan, Syed Ali Abbas Khan Bukhari etc were in favour of Hijrat movement and themselves migrated to Afghanistan with common refugees.

In short the Hijrat movement was an un-wise act and a serious blunder at the part of the Muslims. The Ulumahs who had given an impetus to the Muslims for leaving their homeland had not pondered over its consequence. It deprived the Muslims of sub-continent from from their homes, lands, crops, cattle and other valuable belongings and financially they reduce from poor to the poorest.