After the grand consecration ceremony of Lord Ram’s idol and the inauguration of the much-awaited Ram Temple, Uttar Pradesh’s temple town Ayodhya is set to witness the construction of the Mohammed Bin Abdullah mosque as well.
In an exclusive interview to News18, Haji Arafat Sheikh, the chief of the mosque development committee and a member of the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF), said the construction of the mosque would start from April this year. Sharing the newly made blueprint of the mosque, he said it would be India’s first mosque to have five minarets and an aquarium bigger than that in Dubai.
IICF is the trust formed by the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board (UPSCWB) to oversee the construction of the mosque on the five-acre land allocated in lieu of Babri mosque in Ayodhya’s Dhannipur village.
Sheikh, whom UP’s Sunni Central Waqf Board nominated to steer the development of the mosque in Dhannipur, is a BJP leader and a former chairperson of Maharashtra State Commission for Minorities. He is also a prominent social activist who has undertaken several social initiatives.
Edited excerpts:
It has been quite a long time since the five-acre land was allocated on the orders of the Supreme Court in November 2019. Recently, the country witnessed the grand consecration of the idol of Lord Ram and the inauguration of the Ayodhya temple. By when can we expect the work of the mosque to begin?
It’s a massive project. I consider myself fortunate that I have been chosen from among 25 crore Muslims for this task of establishing a sacred mosque. This mosque would be a masterpiece of Islamic structure. We are planning to develop it as one of the world’s most beautiful mosques and such projects do take time. Inshallah, the work will finally start after this Ramzan. Meanwhile, we are working on the technicalities and other related formalities.
Initially, the structure was named Dhannipur Mosque. Some also suggested the name Masjid-e-Aman and then it was named after famous freedom fighter Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah Faizabadi. Now it was finally been renamed as Mohammed Bin Abdullah Mosque. Is this name final or can we expect more changes?
Mohammed Bin Abdullah is the final name of the mosque. The sacred name holds profound significance as it encompasses the name of the father of our beloved Prophet Mohammed. This blessed name also carries the promise of safeguarding the nation from calamities and bestowing spiritual blessings upon all its inhabitants. While everything in this world may eventually fade away, this sacred sanctuary will stand as an everlasting beacon of light, illuminating not only India but also reaching far beyond its borders. Indeed, it’s going to be an unparalleled blessing and spiritual significance.
You said that this mosque is going to be a masterpiece. How different will it be compared to the other mosques across the country?
The very first thing that will make this mosque different is that it will be a mosque for Muslims and not particularly for Sunnis, Shias, Tablighis and so on. At present, Muslims are divided into sects and this mosque will bridge the sectarian divide.
As per the blueprint, another important feature of the mosque is that it will be the country’s first mosque with five minarets soaring to a height of 340 feet. The minarets will highlight the five tenets of Islam — Shahada (declaration of faith), Salah (prayer or Namaz), Sawm (fasting or Roza), Zakat (charity) and Hajj.
You said Mohammed Bin Abdullah mosque would be one of the world’s most beautiful mosques. Can you elaborate?
It will be a mosque where Muslim brethren would love to offer prayers. The entire mosque has been divided into two parts — the basement area and the ground floor.
The basement area is a multipurpose hall whereas the ground floor will have an expansive Namaz Hall with the capacity to accommodate more than 9,000 Namazis at a time. There will be five entries to the Namaaz Hall and it will be solely meant for offering prayers. There are also special arrangements for women Namazis.
The towering minarets, with interior staircases and a small window, will be an essential part of the new design of the mosque. Domes, another essential feature of Islamic architecture, will be a part of the proposed mosque as per the new design. The walls will bear Arabic calligraphy scripts or verses from the Quran. We have also paid special attention to designing the lock and key of the mosque. There will be stucco work on the interiors and exteriors of the wall along with decorative woodwork that would make the structure all the more beautiful. Some outdoor elements, including garden and grand courtyards with fountains and water reservoirs, will help Namazis carry out ablution practices before offering prayers.
You said the mosque would be a major attraction among tourists too. How?
We have tried to incorporate several features which one would find nowhere in the world. Other than Namazis, the mosque would be a major attraction for tourists too.
The mosque will house the world’s largest Quran measuring 21 feet by 36 feet. Similar to the Middle East, the Quran will be recited once a year during Ramzan. There will be an automated mechanism to turn the pages of the Quran.
A grand aquarium or underwater zoo will be another unique feature. The aquarium will be bigger than Dubai’s famous aquarium and will house more than 400 species of aquatic animals. The beautiful design of the mosque, a grand library and other features will make Mohammed Bin Abdullah mosque a major attraction. The minarets are being designed in such a way that the Azaan would trigger a fountain from all five minarets.
What happens to the board’s plan of running a massive community kitchen at the mosque?
That plan exists. It will be a pure vegetarian kitchen, similar to what runs in Ajmer Sharif. Our purpose behind running a vegetarian community kitchen is to make people aware of the teachings of Islam that solely believes in spreading love and peace. We want to tell the world that we are the believers of Khawaja Garib Nawaaz and not of Babar who came all the way to rob India. Over 5,000 people can have freshly cooked vegetarian meals at the kitchen that would be functional till eternity.
And the 500-bed multi-speciality hospital in the mosque complex?
Yes, we are also ready with the hospital plan. We are setting up a 500-bed hospital that will offer the best cancer treatment to patients. We have entered into an agreement with Wockhardt Hospitals to run the facility. I am sure that once the hospital is operational, UP-ites would stop going to metro cities like Mumbai or Delhi for treatment. I am anxiously waiting to hear the testimony of a Hindu patient sharing his or her experience after treatment at Mohammed Bin Abdullah mosque hospital. Our sole aim is to serve humanity and I am sure that the hospital would play a pivotal role in meeting our goals. Other than establishing a grand hospital, we would also be establishing a law college, engineering college, dental college, architectural college and an international school in order to spread education in society.
Will there be special prayers for those who lost their lives in the Babri demolition and related unrest?
There are many Hindus and Muslim brethren who lost their lives in the riots. At the Mohammed Bin Abdullah mosque, there will be a special prayer session for all those who lost their lives in the riots and to bring peace upon the nation.
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