The Hedjaz Railway - Part I

here is a recent research i did about Hedjaz Railway. I think it is one of the last great projects muslims achieved. In the most difficult years of muslims, i think our grandfathers gave us a good example of our capabilities. if we come together, if we support each other, if we act determined, there is nothing we cant achieve. here is the first part of my research, i tried to keep iit short as much as i can, hope you dont feel bored while reading:


-------PART I-------------------
The Ottoman Empire was quite sensitive about adapting the country to the latest technological advances. The idea of construction railroad projects just starts after the railroads started to been constructed in west. The early proposals of railroad projects starts around 1830. for the Hedjaz Railway there were some proposes were received and some projects was developed.
In 1892, by Ahmet Izzet Efendi one of ottoman officials in Jeddah, it was reported to the Istanbul that the construction of hedjaz railway was compulsory for the goodness of the region, there were mentioned about the underdevelopment in the region and the safety problems for the travelers in the area. Besides it was pointed the colonization danger, and the western spies in Arab peninsula trying to make tribes riot again the ottomans and the caliph. So the building of the hedjaz railway was extremely important for the economic progress of the region, the safety of pilgrims and the travelers, and keeping the authority of the caliph.
In 1897 Indian journalist Muhammed Insallah proposed of a railway from Damascus to Medina, Mecca and Yemen built by Ottoman Empire, and financed by all Muslims around the world, and made many publications about it. His these efforts are mentioned to have a probability of carrying the subject on caliphأ¢â‚¬â„¢s desk again.
Sultan Abdulhamid II thought it was mandatory to realize this project. Being the Arab peninsula as a target of western colonization, it was extremely important to develop strategic projects to protect the holy lands from non-Muslims. There were financial difficulties for the empire. Plus The Empire was quite in difficult with the Balcanian and Trablusgarb wars. But with the expectations of Allahأ¢â‚¬â„¢s help and the spiritual support of our prophet he made his order.
The reasons of The Hedjaz Railroad can be divided into 3 categories, such as; Relational reasons, Militaristic and political reasons, Economic reasons.

In Muslim World The Project of Hedjaz Railroad caused a great excitement, and it was thought to be the greatest project of Muslims in the era. The newspaper of time was giving news about the project everyday. The Project was accepted among all Muslim world. Indian Muslims, Morocco, Egypt, Russian Muslims, Indonesia and the other Muslims living in other countries would prove their this support with the donations and the help they did during the project.
At first the project was not taken serious in Europe. They thought it was impossible that Ottomans would achieve such a great project in its current day situation. For them Ottomans had neither technical nor financial capabilities for such a project. For them this was only an Utopia. English was trying to riot Muslims against ottomans by claiming that Ottomans was only trying to collect donations from Muslims for its own needs but not the railway.


In that time it was needed 4 million Lira (most probably around $16 million, when the value of $ was much more than today). It was more than %18 of total spending of ottoman budget. It was impossible to arrange such payment from the budget. It was decided to finance the project by the donations of muslims around the world. Sultan started the donation himself with 50000 lira. Following him ottoman state officials, pashas, army officials, generals, clerks all donated. Many officials donated one of their salaries. The Muslim folk made donations. Plus a significant donation came from especially India, Egypt, Russia and Morocco. Besides lots of donations also received from the Muslims living in countries all over the world such as Tunis, Algeria, South Africa, Iran, Singapore, Java, China, Sudan, America, Cyprus, Balcania, England, Austria, France, Germany. Stamps and postcards are printed and sold. Significant amount of resource came from the sold of leathers of sacrificial animals in eids. Official ottoman papers, and ranks are sold. Plus after partial parts started to work, the gain of those parts also directed to the construction of unfinished parts.

In the Hedjaz Railway, the support of Indian Muslims are really needed to be appreciated. During the whole project their donations continued. In this Sultan Abdulhamid IIأ¢â‚¬â„¢s efforts on the idea of union of all Muslims was quite important. When the Sultan Abdulhamid II was dethroned, the donations from India cut immediately.
Sultan Abdulhamid II accepted donations by non-Muslim ottoman citizens, and some donations of non-Muslim Europeans. But he strictly rejected all donations offered by the Zionist communities within and out of the country. This directly shows his aproach to Zionism. The Sultan was known not to give Palestinian land to Jews when they asked to buy there with the price of paying the all debts of Ottoman Empire and making a big propaganda for ottomans in European communities. Sultan rejected them directly and forbidden sending any land to Jews in Palestine area even in personal commerce.
With a good economic and financial programming each year the incomes exceeded the outcomes in 1900-1909.


During the construction mostly native personnel used. There were founded commissions, and the process was being run by them. There were very few foreign personnel worked. There taken precautions to grow enough engineers, technicians for the construction of the railway. Ottoman soldiers used as much as possible in the construction. Thousands of soldiers worked as workers. The technical materials are mostly imported from Europe and America.
The railway line would start from Damascus, and would reach to Mecca. Then with an additional line it would reach to Jeddah from Mecca. And it was though to make it come to Yemen from Mecca, and to Necd from Medina. Besides after them all Jebel-i Durz, Ajloon, and Jerusalem was though to be the places to be built branches..
The construction started at 1 September 1900 at Damascus. At 1 September 1904 the line reached to Maan at its 460th km. the combination of the line to Mediterranean was accomplished in Haifa in September 1905.

There was an idea of combining the railway to Akabe gulf, with a Maan-Akabe line. By that way for the transportation there wouldnأ¢â‚¬â„¢t be any need to pay for Suez channel for transportations, and all transportation would be able to done by railway. While the preparation were being done for that line English triggered the Egyptians to found patrol stations in Sina Peninsula by claming Akabe is involved in Sina Peninsula. Ottomans were claiming Akabe was a part of Hedjaz. With the big efforts and the pressure of Englishs the Maan-Akabe line couldnt be built. Englishs achieved to keep Ottomans away from The Red Sea and Suez.
The Hedjaz line reached to 750kms in 1906. Maan-Tebuk, Tebuk-el-Ula lines completed each per one year. El-Ula was the limit for non-Muslims and it was forbidden for them to go more through the holy lands. Thats why from El-Ula to Medinah the construction was totally done by muslim engineers, technicians and workers. أ„آ°n this part of the construction ottomans had serious resistance of the tribes, and their sneak attacks. At the end this part also finished at 31 July 1908 and the whole Hedjaz Railway opened at 1 September 1908.
During the construction of Railway lots of bridges, tunnels, stations, factories and variety of buildings constructed. For example there consisted 2666 small and big stone bridges, 7 artificial lakes, 7 iron bridges, 9 tunnels, 3 factories, maintenance houses vs.
Total price spent for the Hedjaz Railroad was more than all railroads built in other ottoman land.

-----End of Part I-------------
(insallah i will translate the resources i have found for the rest of the story soon)..