British Rule & Islam in Palestine

This examines the British approach to institutional Islam in mandatory Palestine from 1917 to 1929. By looking at the establishment of Islamic institutions such as the Supreme Muslim Council (SMC), I clarify the process by which the Christian power transferred oversight over Islamic affairs to the local Muslim community. The period studied covers the beginning of British rule in Palestine, the elevation of the mufti of Jerusalem to the position of Grand Mufti, the riots at the Nabi Musa festival of 1920, the establishment of the SMC under the presidency of the mufti Hajj Amin al-Husayni, and the subsequent struggle between the Council and Zionists over the Western Wall from 1928-29.