Islam in WWI?

[Who Am I?]

Since this is the Islamic history forum, I thought I would ask this here.

Does anyone have any good links to articles or anything about Islam or Muslims during World War I? I'm looking particularly for anything pertaining to the British Army and Muslims during WWI. The reason I'm asking is because I'm thinking about doing some writing (it is something of a hobby of mine), and I am a big fan of the WWI period.

In particular I want to write a story about WWI and since I have a newfound interest in Islam, I thought I would blend the two concepts. I apologize if this is haraam or offends anyone. It is not my intention to slander anyone or anything about Islam. I understand if you don't want to answer.

Salaam

 

[Chavundur]

Ottoman State has been defeated, 38 new Muslim country born, Summary of war was Gallipoli, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallipoli_Campaign
Some ambitious and fool generals made Ottomans go to war, Almost 2 million Muslims became martyr.

 

[ardianto]

Since this is the Islamic history forum, I thought I would ask this here.

Does anyone have any good links to articles or anything about Islam or Muslims during World War I? I'm looking particularly for anything pertaining to the British Army and Muslims during WWI. The reason I'm asking is because I'm thinking about doing some writing (it is something of a hobby of mine), and I am a big fan of the WWI period.

In particular I want to write a story about WWI and since I have a newfound interest in Islam, I thought I would blend the two concepts. I apologize if this is haraam or offends anyone. It is not my intention to slander anyone or anything about Islam. I understand if you don't want to answer.

Salaam

Salaam, bro

British Army and Muslims during WW1 ?

I don't know much about WW1, my focus is on WW2. In WW2 the number of Muslims fought for Great Britain in Indian Divisions. But recently I never heard about Indian Divisions in WW1.

 

[Who Am I?]

I think there was at least one Indian Muslim division that fought in WW1.

I have two possible angles that I'm working on here. One is with regards to the Indian Muslim brigades and another is the Ottoman Empire. Thanks for that link, Chavun.

I haven't decided which way I'm going on that, but the story will be my story told through fiction.

 

[ardianto]

I think there was at least one Indian Muslim division that fought in WW1.

I have two possible angles that I'm working on here. One is with regards to the Indian Muslim brigades and another is the Ottoman Empire. Thanks for that link, Chavun.

I haven't decided which way I'm going on that, but the story will be my story told through fiction.

I didn't say Indian Muslim divisions, but Indian Divisions. If you watch photos from WW2 you can find soldiers from British Army who wore turban, not steel helmet like other British soldiers, they are Indians. Many people assume if those soldiers are Sikhs, but actually they came from Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs.

Do you mean you need this information because you want to write a fiction about British Muslim soldier in WW1 ?. Okay, you have my support, write a good story, and I hope one day I can read your story.

By the way, for this time my favorite story that pertain to soldiers in WW1 is "All Quiet on the Western Front", but Erich Marie Remarque wrote it from German side.

 

[Who Am I?]

Yeah, my idea is to tell a story that is very similar to my own: a white British officer raised a Christian who through his own experiences in the war fighting with Muslim soldiers, questions his own faith and who he really is. Take out the war part and that's practically my own story. For me it will be a way to tell my own story.

I picked WW1 because I have a certain fascination with this time period. I've said for years that I should have been born during that time, since my attitudes and thoughts really don't belong in the 21st century.

It's a project I've had in my head for a while (minus the Islam angle) but I've never done anything about it. Lately though I feel inspired again.

 

[thakir]

no slander and not harram, inshallah.
I'm a fan of the ww1 period for the incredible changes that over took the wold and the forms of government during that time. Islam was, like all religions pushed to the side in these unwinnable wars of international finance. the exception was Turkey under the ottoman who tried to harness Islam to their own gains. Which failed so badly that it ended up not even being believed by the Turks themselves. May Allah protect us.
Interestingly, the translator of the Quraanic meanings, Muhammad Picthal converted to Islam during the war. Maybe you could look in to his biography.

 

[al yunan]

the exception was Turkey under the ottoman who tried to harness Islam to their own gains. Which failed so badly that it ended up not even being believed by the Turks themselves. May Allah protect us.

Salam,

As you say you are Muslim, therefore you owe to your self to go and read again what happened in Turkey and what those outcomes meant for the Ummah in general for I fear you are most definitely committing Slander which is the spread of Fitnah.
It would suffice to point out the events in turkey spelled the end of the last Caliphate the execution and murder of thousands of Ulama and Mukmin and if that does not mean much or anything to you, it is possible you are in the wrong religion.
Unless of course you are a non Sunni, which would explain your stance and the need to reply to this post.

Masalam

 

[GuestFellow]

I don't know much about WW1, my focus is on WW2.

I'm personally very interested in the Cold War.

 

[al yunan]

I'm personally very interested in the Cold War.

Walaikum Assalam brother,

Has your interest have anything to do with Cold as in preserving cakes and War the effort involved ?

Masalam

 

[ardianto]

Interestingly, the translator of the Quraanic meanings, Muhammad Picthal converted to Islam during the war. Maybe you could look in to his biography.

I give you another name, SS colonel Haroun Al-Rashid Bey. Born as Wilhelm Hintersatz in Catholic family, he was German officer in WW1 who got tour of duty in Turkey. He became Muslim during WW1 and changed his name into Haroun Al-Rashid Bey. Later in WW2 he became a commander in SS and fought in Eastern Front.

There were many Muslims and Muslim units in German SS during WW2, which the biggest unit was the 13rd SS mountain division "Handschar", a Bosnian division.

But actually, they fought for Hitler not because they supported Hitler's dream, and not because they were anti-Jews. There was no conflict between Muslims and Jews before 1948.

I'm personally very interested in the Cold War.

So, don't forget Afghan Mujahidin, they played important role in Cold War.

 

[Who Am I?]

I give you another name, SS colonel Haroun Al-Rashid Bey. Born as Wilhelm Hintersatz in Catholic family, he was German officer in WW1 who got tour of duty in Turkey. He became Muslim during WW1 and changed his name into Haroun Al-Rashid Bey. Later in WW2 he became a commander in SS and fought in Eastern Front.

There were many Muslims and Muslim units in German SS during WW2, which the biggest unit was the 13rd SS mountain division "Handschar", a Bosnian division.

But actually, they fought for Hitler not because they supported Hitler's dream, and not because they were anti-Jews. There was no conflict between Muslims and Jews before 1948.


So, don't forget Afghan Mujahidin, they played important role in Cold War.

OK, that sounds a lot like what I'm looking for. I know a fair bit of German as well and at one time was really interested in WW2 German military. I'll have to look into this Colonel Rashid Bey. His story sounds a lot like what I am looking for.

I've read a little about the Muslim SS divisions in WW2 also.

Thanks for the replies, guys.

 

[Chavundur]

I give you another name, SS colonel Haroun Al-Rashid Bey. Born as Wilhelm Hintersatz in Catholic family, he was German officer in WW1 who got tour of duty in Turkey. He became Muslim during WW1 and changed his name into Haroun Al-Rashid Bey. Later in WW2 he became a commander in SS and fought in Eastern Front.

There were many Muslims and Muslim units in German SS during WW2, which the biggest unit was the 13rd SS mountain division "Handschar", a Bosnian division.

But actually, they fought for Hitler not because they supported Hitler's dream, and not because they were anti-Jews. There was no conflict between Muslims and Jews before 1948.


So, don't forget Afghan Mujahidin, they played important role in Cold War.

First of all, We have to know what WW1 is, one side of war was Muslims, Soviet Union has been established because Muslims won the Gallipoli war, WW1 is first modern war, tanks , planes, submarines, chemical weapons were used first, Muslim Caliphate ended,Even After war, Britain didn't approved Treaty of Lausanne, because Caliphate still in power, Turkish Parliament abrogated caliphate and then Britain approved Treaty of Lausanne, Also Muslims lost the war because their ally Germany lost. There were a lot of causes and effects, West didn't let a Muslim Government in Turkey, Britain planned dissolution of Ottomans, Turkey became a Fitnah house, our first minister of education was an Armenian who had a revenge on Islam, His first duty was to filter arabic words out of Turkish, because they were reminding Quran, Azan banned, yes Azan banned It's right, Qur'ans burned by government, All end of times fitnas have been appeared, Sufyan seemed, Great jihad has been started against Kemalist and atheist elites, We are in last phase of jihad now, What We say here is that, Standard of Islam fell down in Turkey, It will ascend here again Inshaallah

 

[al yunan]

What We say here is that, Standard of Islam fell down in Turkey, It will ascend here again Inshaallah

Amin.
Most people do not know what went on in Turkey at the turn of the last century and most refuse to believe anything bad even so called Muslims about "beton Baba" Kamal.
All modern books totally overlook that era but for Muslims there is no excuse.

 

[Who Am I?]

OK, so I'm thinking about taking a Turkish/German angle for this thing, since Ottoman Empire played such a big role in WW1 and Islam is such a big influence in Turkey. I don't speak very much Arabic and no Turkish, so that might be a problem. But I'll worry about that later.