Hyderabad mosque to open doors to one and all on Independence Day

HYDERABAD: In a bid to build a bridge of understanding among all religions, the Masjid-e-Madina on Road No. 10, Banjara Hills here will be open to people of all religions, irrespective of gender, this Independence Day. This is the fifth mosque in Hyderabad that has decided to open its doors to people of all faiths from 11am to 5pm.

On Aug 15, visitors will be able to see what a mosque looks like from the inside and meet experts on Islam.

In the past, four city mosques have opened their doors to an interfaith audience on Independence Day.

Key role in 1857 revolt

The choice of Aug 15 is significant as the historic Mecca Masjid played a key role in the 1857 revolt against the British. Moulvi Alauddin of the Mecca Masjid, along with Turrebaz Khan, had led the armed rebellion against the British by attacking the residence at Koti.

While Turrebaz Khan was hanged from a lamppost in Hyderabad, Moulvi Alauddin spent a little over two decades in a cell in the Andaman Islands. He was the first Indian freedom fighter from these parts to be imprisoned in the Andamans. He died while serving his sentence.

“We encourage citizens to welcome people of all faiths to the mosque and give them a glimpse of Islamic culture, religious practices and beliefs,” Mohsin Ali of Masjid-e-Madina told TOI.

Unity & friendship

He said the ‘Visit My Mosque’ concept enables fellow citizens to know more about Muslims and their belief system. “It promotes national integrity. It enables peace, brotherhood, unity and harmony in the neighbourhood,” he said, adding that it was a celebration of unity and friendship.

Educationist Zakir Hussain said that besides answering questions about Islam and Muslims, visitors could also learn about the contribution of the largest minority community to the freedom movement.

Helps to dispel misconceptions

Though the Hyderabad state under the Nizam was an ally of the British, many religious leaders fought against the British. They had to fight on two fronts — the Nizam on one side and the British on the other, he said.

Munawar Hussain, philanthropist, said the previous ‘Visit My Mosque’ programmes in Hyderabad were very successful and people of different faiths were able to get an insight into the mosque, Islam and Muslims. The events also helped dispel misconceptions and promote brotherhood and communal harmony in the city, he said.

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