MOSLEM HEAD AT HOME

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 984, 29 May 1930, Page 11

MOSLEM HEAD AT HOME

WESTERN CULTURE AND WARRIOR ANCESTRY VISIT TO THE GRAND MUFTI “Without any of the trappings of Oriental magnificence, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem received me in his home,” writes a special correspondent at Jerusalem. “The Mufti’s house overlooks the harem—the site of Solomon’s Temple —affording a wonderful view of the Mosque of Omar —the third most holy mosque of Islam—with the Mount of Olives rising dimly in the background. “We sat on English wicker chair-, comfortably, but not luxurious, in an open loggia. The domed, white ceiling and the austere walls were in unrelieved simplicity. Tea was served in English fashion, but, though the Mufti was all concern for the comfort of his guest, yet he neither drank nor smoked himself.” It is commonly said in Jerusalem that though the Mufti, as head of the Moslem Supreme Council, may not actually be responsible for the terrible riots of August, yet he did not exert his authority to stop them. In fact, the Mufti openly countenanced the tragic disorders in which so many Jews were killed. In consequence, the person of the Mufti has become invested with a stage halo of romance, and he appears in the general imagination as a powerful Arab chieftain, invested with power of life and death over the vast Moslem hordes and concerned only in maintaining the glory of Islam. But he is really nothing of the kind —most unlike a fanatical Arab warrior. Haj Haim el Husseini, Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, is a young man of thirty-five or so, but a slight beard makes him look older. Instead of gorgeous Oriental robes, he wore a gown of sober black. Underneath peeped out a white silk shirt, black trousers, and patent leather shoes.

The Mufti speaks Arabic. Turkish and French, but in compliment to his guest he welcomed me in English, of which he knows just a few words. He spoke sometimes in French. hut chiefly in Arabic, which his Eminence prefers. The development of Palestine is of real concern to the Mufti. Vivid Contrasts

“Palestine is an agricultural country,” he said, “which could be made much more productive. The Jews are on the right lines by introducing modern methods of farming, but they do not understand the country as the Arabs do. We are born farmers, and with the necessary money could do far more than the Jews. If the Government will restore the agricultural banks which we had in the Turkish regime, whereby Arab farmers can obtain small credits, then the country will really progress.” While the Arab leaders are thinking about all this, and hoping that the Government will advance the money, the Jews have mate a good start. Thriving colonies have been established all over the country, swamps have been drained and made into good land, malaria has been almost wiped out by the skill of the Jewish scientists, factories have been established, and a modern town built up at Tel-Aviv. yet still the Arabs say: “But if we had the money we could do much better than this.” For two thousand years and more the Arabs have been cultivating tbe land in Palestine, and it is still poor, undeveloped and primitive; where the Jews have settled is progress, initiative and modern culture. The Mufti of Jerusalem is not concerned with the future of Palestine as a country, but as a Moslem country. Arab efforts at development have failed so far, but still every effort is made to hinder the Jews because they are becoming Palestinian, while the Arabs retain the rigid limits of their own caste and creed. But the Mufti is cultured. At a sharp command the lights of the room were switched out, and we moved to the open loggia. With expressive hand he pointed to the entrancing beauties of the moonlit mosque and the tall minarets and stately cypress trees. “Is it not beautiful?” he asked.

Electric lights gleam now on the temple walls, but they still are as old as yore. Similarly, modern culture envelopes the mind of the Mufti, but beneath this lurks something of his wild ancestry. Scion of a warrior race- —son of wild chiefs of the desert. Haj Haim retains still the belief that all men are good which advance the Moslem cause. The same hope led Saladin’s wild hordes on to Crusaders' swords because their only hope of glory was to die in battle for Islam.