The family of Sir Winston Churchill pleaded with him not to convert to Islam, a newly-discovered letter from his future sister-in-law has revealed.
The Prime Minister who led Britain to victory in the Second World War was apparently so taken with Islam and Oriental culture that his relatives wrote to try and persuade him not to become a Muslim.
He had been exposed to the religion during his time serving in North West India and Sudan
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The letter, pictured above, was discovered by Warren Docker, a history research fellow at Cambridge University. In it she writes that Churchill has a 'tendency to orientalise Pasha-like tendencies'
The revelation contradicts some of the beliefs expressed by Churchill in his own writings. The revelation contradicts some of the beliefs expressed by Churchill in his own writings.
In the note, written in August 1907, Lady Gwendoline Bertie - who would later marry his brother, Jack - urged Churchill to 'fight against' the desire to convert.
She wrote: 'Please don’t become converted to Islam; I have noticed in your disposition a tendency to orientalise [fascination with the Orient and Islam], Pasha-like tendencies, I really have.
'If you come into contact with Islam your conversion might be effected with greater ease than you might have supposed, call of the blood, don’t you know what I mean, do fight against i
The letter was discovered by Warren Docker, a history research fellow at Cambridge University, while researching his forthcoming book, Winston Churchill and the Islamic World: Orientalism, Empire and Diplomacy in the Middle East.
He told the Sunday Telegraph that Lady Gwendoline's concerns may not have been unfounded as Churchill admired the military prowess and expansion of the Ottoman Empire
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British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, centre, sitting with his son Randolph, left, brother John Churchill, right, and nephew John. At one point, his family were concerned that he would convert to Islam
The future Prime Minister also took the progressive stance that Islam and Christianity should be viewed as equal In the same year as Lady Gwendoline's letter, Churchill wrote one to Lady Lytton that read: 'You will think me a pasha [a rank of distinction in the Ottoman Empire]. I wish I were'.
Dr Dockter said that Churchill had 'much experience on being in "Islamic areas" after serving in Sudan and on the North West frontier of India.
But he added that his fascination was 'largely predicated on Victorian notions which heavily romanticised the nomadic lifestyle and honour culture of the Bedouin tribes'. Churchill's true understanding was so limited that, during his term as colonial secretary in the early 1920s, he had to ask what the difference was between Shia and Sunni Muslims.
Dr Dockter told The Independent that Churchill was never truly serious about converting.
He said that Churchill 'was more or less an atheist by this time anyway. He did however have a fascination with Islamic culture which was common among Victorians.'
There is also conflicting evidence of Churchill's own beliefs, as included in his book, The River War, which was published in 1899.
One passage of the book focuses on Churchill's observations about Islam while serving during the Anglo-Egyptian reconquest of the Sudan.
It reads: 'The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property – either as a child, a wife, or a concubine – must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men. 'Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the faith: all know how to die but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it.
'No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith.'
Re: Revealed: How Winston Churchill's future sister-in-law had to plead with him not to convert to Islam after time spent in India
I have studied Churchill's books on Swat and Sudan expeditions which are downloadable on www.Gutenberg.org . I don't think Churchill was in process of conversion . Christianity is per se not a religion like Judaism or Islam. But for the world there are on plate only two religions of Abrahmic type as Jewish faith is race limited and infact Christianity was supposed to be Bani Israel faith only but they rejected it .
Sir Winston Churchills family begged him to fight against the desire to convert to Islam, according to a newly-discovered letter.
Please dont become converted to Islam; I have noticed in your disposition a tendency to orientalise, Pasha-like tendencies, I really have, the letter from Churchills future sister-in-law, dated August 1907, says, the Independent reported.
If you come into contact with Islam your conversion might be effected with greater ease than you might have supposed, call of the blood, dont you know what I mean, do fight against it, Lady Gwendoline Bertie, who was soon to marry Churchills brother Jack, added.
The letter was found by a historian at Cambridge University, Warren Dockter, while he was researching for his book Winston Churchill and the Islamic World: Orientalism, Empire and Diplomacy in the Middle East.
The former UK prime minister was greatly interested in Islam and oriental culture, but never seriously considered converting, Dockter told the paper.
Churchill in military uniform, 1895. (Image from Wikipedia/the Imperial War Museum)
"He was more or less an atheist by this time anyway. He did however have a fascination with Islamic culture, which was common among Victorians," he added.
Churchill became acquainted with Islamic culture during his army service in Sudan, and was greatly taken with it.
The researcher noted the possible reason behind the letter, and that those close to Churchill neednt have been worried. He may have been a great admirer of the culture, but was also critical in his views on Islamic society.
The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property, either as a child, a wife, or a concubine, must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men,Churchill wrote in 1899 of his experience in Sudan.
Sir Winston Churchills family begged him to fight against the desire to convert to Islam, according to a newly-discovered letter. Please dont become converted to Islam; I have noticed in your disposition a tendency to orientalise, Pasha-like tendencies, I really have, the letter from Churchills future sister-in-law, dated August 1907, says, the Independent reported. If you come into contact with Islam your conversion might be effected with greater ease than you might have supposed, call of the blood, dont you know what I mean, do fight against it, Lady Gwendoline Bertie, who was soon to marry Churchills brother Jack, added. The letter was found by a historian at Cambridge University, Warren Dockter, while he was researching for his book Winston Churchill and the Islamic World: Orientalism, Empire and Diplomacy in the Middle East. The former UK prime minister was greatly interested in Islam and oriental culture, but never seriously considered converting, Dockter told the paper.
Churchill in military uniform, 1895. (Image from Wikipedia/the Imperial War Museum)
"He was more or less an atheist by this time anyway. He did however have a fascination with Islamic culture, which was common among Victorians," he added. Churchill became acquainted with Islamic culture during his army service in Sudan, and was greatly taken with it. The researcher noted the possible reason behind the letter, and that those close to Churchill neednt have been worried. He may have been a great admirer of the culture, but was also critical in his views on Islamic society. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property, either as a child, a wife, or a concubine, must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men,Churchill wrote in 1899 of his experience in Sudan.
