New Books in Islamic Studies Imran Mulla, "The Indian Caliphate, Exiled Ottomans and the Billionaire Prince" (Hurst, 2025)
Jan 15, 2026
Imran Mulla, a journalist at Middle East Eye and author with a history background from Cambridge, dives into the fascinating aftermath of the Ottoman caliphate's abolition in 1924. He discusses the bold attempts by Indian Muslims and the wealthy Nizam of Hyderabad to revive the caliphate. Topics include the cultural background of Abdülmecid II, the Khilafat movement's ties to anti-colonialism, and the intriguing marriage alliance intended to unite the Ottomans and Hyderabad's royal family. Mulla even speculates on what an Indian caliphate could have looked like.
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Ottoman Rebooted The Caliphate
- The Ottoman caliphate was reimagined under Ottoman rule as a mystical, constitutional symbol rather than a jurist-defined Arab institution.
- This modernized caliphate gave the Ottomans transregional religious legitimacy despite lacking Arab origins.
Caliphate Became A Modern Political Role
- Sultan Abdul Hamid II and later constitutionalism reshaped the caliph into a modern political-religious actor.
- By 1922 the caliphate had become an elected, constitutional office distinct from imperial rule.
The Cultured Democrat Prince
- Abdülmecid II spent confinement studying art, music and calligraphy and later styled himself the "Democrat Prince."
- He was liberal, cultured, and publicly active after 1908, priming him to be elected caliph in 1922.
