(In The Journal That Named Vakit) Perspective of World Muslims Toward Sovereignty was Abandoned

Abstract

In this study, perspective of Muslims living abroad toward caliphate after sovereignty of the sultan was tried to examine. In other words, how the outer Muslims appreciated the situation of post-caliphate in the period of 1st of November, 1922 and 3rd March 1924 was tried to study. Perspective of the exterior world to the subject has contained interesting approaches. Thus, information reflected to press has been presented here with the example of the journal that named Vakit.

In 1st November 1922 sovereignty of the sultan was abandoned and segregated from Caliphate. New caliphate was come to power by election. This situation that has been seen first time since the Four Caliphate caused debates within both Turkish intellectuals and outer Muslims. The mainstream in those debates was focused on withdrawing the authority of caliphate on mundane life. These debates increased after 15th January 1923 in Turkey and mostly continued in a negative atmosphere.

However, outer Muslims mostly approached this matter positive. Particularly, messages and telegraphs sent by outer Muslims from Damascus, Palestine, Algeria, Egypt, Albania, the Crimea, India and Russia had declared their approval and applauded the decision of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on the abandonment of The Sultan's sovereignty and the assignment of new caliphate by election. Besides, they had given a title to Mustafa Kemal as Savior of the Caliphate. Additionally, they had declared their encouragement for Turkey to be successful during Lausanne negotiations.