Mufti Kifayat Ullah was born in Shahjahanpur. He helped start Jamiat-i-Ulema, a group of Muslim scholars, in 1919. He led this group for 19 years, from 1919 to 1938. Jamiat-i-Ulema worked closely with Congress and other freedom fighters to free India from British rule.
Working with Subhas Chandra Bose
Kifayat Ullah worked closely with Subhas Chandra Bose to fight against British rule. In 1938, he returned from a meeting in Cairo on a German ship. This was unusual because Germany was Britain’s enemy. In 1939, Bose met Kifayat Ullah and other Jamiat leaders. He wanted their support for his Forward Bloc party.
Fighting Against British Rule
Kifayat Ullah strongly opposed British rule in India. He signed a fatwa (religious order) asking Muslims not to work for the British government, including in the army. He supported Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920. The British government put him in jail twice, in 1930 and 1932, for his speeches and taking part in protests.
When World War II started in 1939, Kifayat Ullah and Jamiat-i-Ulema were among the first to speak out against helping the British in the war. This was similar to what Subhas Chandra Bose was saying.
The British were careful about arresting Kifayat Ullah because they feared his supporters might react violently. When he was first arrested in 1930, the government had to bring extra police to Delhi. They put soldiers with guns in areas where many Muslims lived.
In a radio speech on October 6, 1942, Bose praised Kifayat Ullah, calling him a “brave leader” who was in prison. He asked Jamiat-i-Ulema and other groups fighting for India’s freedom to speak up against the British politicians’ false claims.
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