Ayodhya

The foundation stone for the proposed mosque in the northern Indian city of Ayodhya, replacing the controversial Babari Masjid, albeit at a different place, will be laid by Imam-e-Haram or the Imam who leads namaz at the holy mosque in the precincts that also house the Kaaba in Mecca.

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Masjid Mohammad Bin Abdullah is being constructed almost 25 kilometres from Ayodhya on a plot of land that the Uttar Pradesh government gave to the Muslim party as part of the Supreme Court order in the case in 2019. 

Notably, as part of the judgement, the Hindu side got space over the demolished Babri Masjid to build the new Ram Temple while the Muslim side was given a separate piece of land for the construction of the mosque. 

The mosque, expected to be the biggest in India, will house the biggest Quran in the world with dimensions reading 21 feet high and 36 feet wide, according to Mumbai-based BJP leader Haji Arafat Shaikh, who has been made chairman of the Masjid Muhammad Bin Abdullah’s Development Committee. 

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Watch | Ayodhya's Ram Mandir (Temple) set to open for public from January 2024

Beautiful than Taj Mahal

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The mosque will have five minarets symbolising the five pillars of Islam — namely kalima, namaz, roza, Haj and zakat. 

Shaikh added that the mosque will perhaps outshine the Taj Mahal, located in Agra and one of the seven wonders of the world. 

“It will be more beautiful than the Taj Mahal and people of all faiths will come to see this monument to peace and harmony even if not all of them will pray here.”

The start of the construction of the mosque comes at a time when the Ram Temple is nearing completion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone (Bhumi puja) in August 2020 and over three years later, he will be there to attend the consecration ceremony on January 22. 

Also read | India: Ram temple in Ayodhya receives 3,000 applications for 20 priest posts

Champat Rai, general secretary of the Sri Ram Janmbhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, under whose aegis the temple is being constructed, had met PM Modi in October and confirmed that a Lord Ram idol will be installed in the sanctum sanctorum with the BJP leader attending the ceremony. 

(With inputs from agencies)