Editing Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani (section)

== Jamaluddin in Tsarist Russia to get their help against the British 1887-1889 ==

While Jamaluddin was in Paris, he made friend with Katkov” who was a famous Russian politician, and newspaper Editor. Afghani and Karkov both were anti-British, and against their presence in Asia. When Karkov returned to Moscow, from his Paris trip, he invited Afghani, to visit Russia and discuss his plans with Tsar and other Russian leaders. When Jamaluddin arrived in Russia. Although Russian economic and political influence in Iran had been generally growing through 1870-1880, as a result of the completion of Russian Railroad near the Iranian border, making the transport of goods into Iran much easier.

Salisbury ’s government in order to create a counter weight to Russian pressure in Iran and Afghanistan appointed Sir Drummand Wolff the hard boiled British diplomat as minister to Iran. In 1888 the British wanted to obtain all kind of concessions such as the opening of Karun River, concession of 1889 giving a British company the right to build the only modern Bank in Iran and the Tobacco concession to a British national, Jamaluddin who was unhappy about Anglophile policy of Nasir-ud-Din Shah, and his Prime Minister Amin as-Sultan. Wrote a strong article on the opening of “ Karun” in a German newspaper, which was translated and published in most of the Russian papers. This aroused hatred and hostility against Nasiruddin Shah all over Tsarist domain. The Shah considered harmful, to leave Afghani in Russia, to make all these propaganda. Shah on his way to Paris visited Russia, and soon after he left that country in mid-1889.Jamaluddin also left, and met the Shah’s party in Munich, who invited him to Iran to help him in the great task of his kingdom and offered him a high post, Amin as Sultan the Prime Minister after 5 hours meeting asked Afghani, if he could first go to Russia, and explain to the Russian authorities, that all the concessions were given to the British, before he took the office.

The Prime Minister expressed that he id ready, if the Tsarist government shows him a proper way, he wanted to concel all those concessions, provided, there will be no war, or a considerable financial payment on that account. Jamaluddin went to Russia and did what was necessary to help Iran and assured them for the good intention of “Amin as Sultan”, when he returned to Iran to report on his mission, the Prime Minister refused to see him. This strange attitude was partly because of Nasiruddin Shah’s animosity for Afghani’s demands for democratic reforms, and partly, because of his anti-British preaching which, put Drummand Wolff the British Ambassador back to work against him, which led to his banishment after Sayed was seven months in sanctuary of Shah Abdul Azim. The Shah took this unusual step, to send his guards to violate Jamaluddin sanctuary, arrest him during a cold and icy night, o winter, while he was sick. He was escorted in chains, to the Irano-Turkish border. This cruelty kindled fire in the heart of all the followers of Afghani, culminating to the assassination of Nasir ud-Din Shah by Mirza Reza Kirmani a follower of Afghani. Turning back to the arrival of Afghani on 1887 in Moscow, at the invitation of Kaktov who’s plans in organizing anti-British move in central Asia met with the views of Afghani. The Moscow Gazett of 13 th July 1887 published an interview with Afghani in which he said: “His object in visiting Russia was to make himself acquainted, with a country on which 60 million Indian Muslims place sole reliance, and which they hope, will afford them protection and emancipate them from the detested English yoke” Kaktov also, invited another Asian figure who was collaborating with “Afghani” against British. He was Maharaja Dilip Singh (1838-1839), the youngest son of Ranjit Singh who was deposed by the British in 1839. Dilip Sing attempted to go to India but was stopped in Aden. In 187 was invited by Kaktov announcing his plans, for the Sikh rising, and the speedy end of the British rule in India. Afghani and Dilip Sing collaborated in issuing manifestos, which was distributed by an Afghani named Abdul Rasul in Cairo and was working actively, with Dilip Sing and Kaktov to implement their anti-British schemes, Kaktov fell ill, and soon passed away in 1887.

Afghani after a while, moved to St. Petersburg in Aug. 1887. There he met with another friend of Kaktov, Pobedonostster and other officials of the Tsarist government. When Jamaluddin was in St. Petersburg he was offered to be Sheikh-ul-Islam for Muslims in Russia, he declined, the offer.

In 1888 the Indian C.I.D. had a report that Afghani was at St, Petersburg where “He had impressed upon some Russian officials, the prospects of a general rising in India, when ever the Russian choose to give the signal. Whatever he did with the Tsar and his officials, like England, Russia, was not ready, to take chances, to make any move against England. Because of the arrangement made in the congress of Berlin and also the economic difficulty due to Ruso-Turkish war. Furthermore, the relation, between the two Royal families, because of the marriage of the beloved daughter of Tsar Alexander with the second son of Queen Victoria was very cordial.

The close relationship between Tsar and Queen Victoria, is explained fully by “Grivas” in his book “ Iran and Afghanistan for the Defence of India” and he states: “When Tsar Alexander received Drummand Wolff in Berlin, when he was guest of Germany said: “I am most desirous, to come to an understanding with England in Persia. We have no interests in common in Europe, out common interest lie in Asia. There I desire to live in friendship with her, and to establish an understanding which will enable us to be friends”, Therefore, Jamaluddin was unable to make the Russian, to declare war against the British, and decided to rely on his last principal of “Pan-Islamism”. Jamaluddin after banishment from Iran, on arrival in Kirman-Shah, wrote to his friend Amin-az-Zarb on Feb. 1881, and says: “He was already sick when taken at Adul -Azim and that 20 Farash (royal guards) had broken at his house, and carried him off with much violence…..and pulled him off in such haste that his collar, almost suffocated him and he fell to the ground and was unconscious for four hours…without coat driven out, into bitter cold, and snow…..He experienced illness, deprivation and discomfort of all sorts. But he says he was inworldly happy, he knew that without doubt, wise Iranians, would know, that he had been to the highest degree, steadfast, in working for reform in their material and spiritual condition. He hoped that God would make this terrible event “A cause of my victory”. (6) The other famous letter, which, Afghani wrote on reaching “Basra”, to the leader of Iranian Shiat Haji Mirza Hassan Shirazi at Samara against the concessionary policy of the Shah’s government. A letter which in my view was master piece of logic, politics and persuasion, this indeed, became the main factor in Shirazi’s later FATWA (Boycott). On using tobacco.

Jamaluddin, on arriving London 1891 was able to influence, through his publication and articles and appeals to the people and religious leasers of Iran, to influence the famous tobacco movement all over Iran. He also joined hands with Malkum Khan the former Iranian Ambassador and editor of “Qanun”.

The speech of Jamaluddin which was published in contemporary Review on Feb. 1892 under the title of “Reign of terror in Persia” Jamaluddin gave. Also an Interview, printed in the “Pall Mall Gazette” of Dec. 19, 1891, on the same day at the “national liberal club” he spoke on tobacco.