The Masjid | The Delhi Sultans | Class 7

A mosque is a place where Muslims worship Allah. In a “community mosque” (masjid-i-jami or jama masjid), Muslims pray together (namaz). Community members choose the most respected and educated person to be the leader of the prayer ceremony (imam), who preaches a sermon (khutba) during Friday prayers.

Muslims stand facing Mecca during prayer. In India, this is in the west. This is called Qibla. The Sultan of Delhi constructed several mosques in subcontinental cities to demonstrate their claim to protect Islam and Muslims. The integration of a country as large as a country requires trustworthy governors and administrators. 

Masjid

Famous Masjid Built under Delhi Sultans

Jama Masjid

The mosque is located in the historic city of Shahjahanabad, now known as the Old Delhi district. Opposite the mosque are the Red Fort and the Suneli Masjid. After his wife’s death, Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan transferred his kingdom to Delhi and established Shah Jahanabad, which is now  Old Delhi In this new Mughal capital, the Jama Masjid was designated as the institution’s central mosque. Jama Masjid was designed by architect Ustad Khalil and built by Wazir Sadura Khan It took six years to complete from 1644 to 1656. It is believed that around 5,000 craftsmen worked on this masterpiece A million dollars for construction The Jama Masjid was then established in 1956 by Imam Syed Abdul Gafoor Shah Bukhari of Bukhara (now Uzbekistan).

The Jama Masjid is an impressive piece of architecture. It is made of red sandstone and marble. With three majestic gates, four towers, and a height of 40 meters, he consists of two minarets and faces west towards holy Mecca. The terrace of the mosque has three domes covered with black and white marble. These domes are surrounded by his two minarets. With a capacity of 25,000 people, the mosque is perched on a hill and accessed through three gates. In the center of the courtyard is a septic tank for washing hands and feet before prayer. The mosque consists of a huge chapel with various entrances and an altar for prayer leaders. There are also inscriptions detailing the history of the mosque and the reign of Shah Jahan.

Fatehpuri Masjid

Fatehpuri Masjid is a 17th-century mosque at the western end of Chandni Chowk, Delhi’s oldest street. It is located opposite the Red Fort opposite Chandni Chowk. Fatehpuri Masjid was built in 1650 by Fatehpuri Begum. Fatehpuri Begum was one of the wives of Emperor Shah Jahan, from her Fatehpur Sikri, and the mosque of the Taj Her Mahal was named after her. The mosque is made of red sandstone and has a fluted dome topped by Mahapadma and Kalash. Flanked by minarets, the mosque has a traditional design with seven arched chapels. The mosque has one-story and two-story apartments flanked by it.

After the War of 1857, the British auctioned the mosque to Lai Lala Chunnamal for Rs. 19,000 who preserved the mosque. It was acquired by the government in exchange for four villages in late 1877 and returned to the Muslims of Delhi Durbar when the British allowed them to return to Old Delhi. Only after the construction of the Fatehpuri Masjid did the Khari Baoli spice market gradually develop next to the mosque.

Moti Masjid

The modern look of Agra Fort is due to Shah Jahan dismantling several structures of Agra Fort and adding his own structures out of marble. One such building was the Moti Masjid. The mosque was built between 1646 and 1653, significantly later than all his other buildings in the Agra Fort (they were started in 1627, the first year of his reign, and completed in 1638). It was only 5 years after the Mughal residence was moved to Shahjahanabad that the mosque was completed in 1653. When Shah Jahan visited the mosque after its completion, he was so impressed with the structure that he returned two years later to show off his two sons.

Suneri Masjid – Lal Quira

Lalqila’s Suneri Masjid, also known as the Golden Mosque of the Red Fort, was a nobleman during the reign of Emperor Nawab Bahadur Javed from 1747 to 1751 for his Khan Kudushia Begum (Emperor Ahmad Shah His Bahadur It was built by order of the mother of Ahmad Shah Bahadur. Outside the southwest corner of the Delhi Gate in the Red Fort.

It should be noted that Javed Khan was very influential as he was a harem overseer and was very popular with Begum. Most notably, the Sunehri Masjid is made of Bashy Her Jung, a bright salmon-colored stone not normally used in the construction of mosques. The mosque has three domes over it, originally gilded with copper, hence the name. The mosque has a main chapel and two minarets. There was also the Akbarabadi Mosque built in 1650 by the Shah Akbarabadi Mahal, one of his Jahan’s wives. It was destroyed by the British after they recaptured Delhi in the 1857 mutiny.

Jamali Kamali Mosque

This is a 16th-century structure, now almost in ruins. The mosque is located in Delhi’s historic Mehrauli district, not far from the Qutub Minar site. The mosque is a beautiful structure built of red sandstone and finished in marble. It is a unique Mughal-era structure that showcases the unique architectural system of the Jharokha Mosque.

The mosque has five arches, the main central arch crowned by a dome. Two tombs of Jamali and Kamali are preserved in the mosque. Set in the middle of a beautiful garden with a large prayer hall and courtyard, the building is a historic landmark. Another interesting thing about the mosque is that the mosque prohibits entry after sunset, as many people have complained about supernatural phenomena in the mosque, such as apparitions of ghosts, strange sounds, and an eerie feeling.

Quwat-ul-Islam

This is one of the oldest mosques built in India after the first Muslim invasion. Located in Delhi, this mosque was built in 1193 AD and is the Mosque of Jami or Friday Mosque. It is one of Ghurid’s few surviving architectural works in India. The mosque was built again when Qutub-uddin-Aibak was the garrison commander of Muhammad Gori.

FAQs on Masjid

Question 1: Who built Jama Masjid?

Answer:

The Jama Masjid was built during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan between 1650-1656.

Question 2: Where is Masjid Al-Aqsa?

Answer:

Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is located in Old City at the terminal point of Prophet Muhammad’s Isra journey.

Question 3: How many Masjid in India?

Answer:

India has more than 300,000 active mosques, which is actually more than most Islamic nations.

Question 4: What is Masjid? How is it used?

Answer:

A mosque is called a masjid in Arabic. Literally a place where Muslims bow down in reverence to Allah. In a “congregational mosque” (masjid-i jami or jama masjid), Muslims read prayers (namaz) together. Community members choose the most respected and learned person to be the leader (imam) of the devotional ritual. 

He also preaches (khutba) during Friday services. Muslims stand facing Mecca during prayer. In India this is in the west. This is called Qibla. The Sultan of Delhi built several mosques in the subcontinental cities.

Question 5: Why did the Sultan of Delhi build mosques all over the subcontinent?  

Answer: 

The Sultan of Delhi built several mosques in different cities. They wanted to show that they are the protectors of Islam and Muslims. Mosques helped create a sense of community sharing common beliefs and codes of conduct. It was important because Muslims came from different backgrounds.