Supreme Muslim Council

The Supreme Muslim Council was a religious organization established in Palestine during the British Mandate period. It was formed in 1921 by the British high commissioner and headed by Amin al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem. The council controlled Muslim courts and schools and managed funds from religious endowments. Al-Husseini leveraged this religious position to become a significant political figure among Palestinian Arabs.1

Palestine, under the British Mandate from 1922, faced growing tensions between Palestinian Arabs and Zionists. The mandate aimed to establish a Jewish national home, facilitating Jewish immigration and land purchases, which Arabs sought to limit or halt. This led to conflict and violence, with Arab nationalist activities often fragmented by internal divisions. The Supreme Muslim Council played a role in representing Arab interests during this period of political and social change.1