Abstract
Anjuman Khuddam-i-Kaaba or Society of the Servants of Kaaba was established in May 1913 in colonial India. Colonial India witnessed mushroom growth in social socities or organizations but formed on communal basis since almost every society owed its members and resources to a particular community. The genesis and growth of a large number of such anjumans were due to peculiar socio-structure of Indian society, to use the words of Karl Marx. Moreover, under the umbrella of British government, the Christian missionaries had introduced model of social work and they were reaping its results too. Individuals from various religious communities were converted to Christianity. As a response, the Indians established anjumans to work for the betterment of religious communities of their affiliation. A pan Islamic element is also important with relation to the establishment of Anjuman Khuddam-i-Kaaba. The contemporary declining conditions of Muslims and their subjugation by colonial powers encouraged their solidarity on the basis of ummah as increasingly relevant to take refuge in. The establishment of Anjuman Khudam-i-Kaaba was but once such expression of assertion of Muslim identity by bringing sanctity of the sacred places of Islam in political perspective. It envisioned massive projects for the welfare of Muslim community of India including making its own shi--making company to work for pilgrims of Hajj besides its main function of the protection of holy places of Islam in Makkah and Madina from any impending aggression. The British government in India viewed this anjuman as a corollary of the onging Indian political movement and perceived it as a threat to the law and order in their Indian Empire. It was, moreover, taken as a grave threat to the Muslim and non-Muslim unity and cordial relations between religious communities. Since the anjuman had outlined making a volunteer force of Shaidaian-i-Kaaba (votaries of the Kaaba), the government viewd it as a tool of politico-criminal propaganda in the hands of workers of anjuman. The present paper is an endeavor to investigate Anjuman Khuddam-i-Kaaba with relation to its contribution in constructing Muslim identity in colonial north India. It will also explain the way this anjuman contributed in preparing ground for ensuing pan-Islamic Khilafat movement in India because it was the platform of this organization that provided the prominent leadership to Khilafat movement.
