Lal Masjid, Islamabad

For the Lal Masjid of Delhi, India, see Lal Masjid, Delhi.

Lal Masjid
لال مسجد
Religion
AffiliationSunni Islam
SectDeobandi
Ecclesiastical or organizational statusCongregational mosque
LeadershipMawlānā Abdul Aziz (Imam and Khatib)
StatusActive
Location
LocationRed Zone, Islamabad, Capital Territory
CountryPakistan
Geographic coordinates33°42′46.3″N 73°05′13.1″E / 33.712861°N 73.086972°E / 33.712861; 73.086972
Architecture
Architect(s)
TypeMosque architecture
Style
Groundbreaking1964
Completed
  • 1966 (original)
  • 2010 (renovations)
Specifications
Capacity15,000 worshippers
Dome(s)One
Minaret(s)Two
MaterialsRed sandstone; marble

The Lal Masjid (Urdu: لال مسجد, lit. 'Red Mosque') , officially the Markazi Jāmi Masjid Islamabad (Urdu: مرکزی جامع مسجد اسلام آباد, lit. 'Central Mosque Islamabad') is a Congregational mosque located in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. The mosque was constructed in 1966 and is one of the oldest mosques in the city. It was also the largest mosque in the city for twenty years, until the Faisal Mosque was built in 1986.

Located in a very central position, it lies in close proximity to the two busy commercial centres - the Aabpara Market in the east and the Melody Market in the north and is a short distance away from the Presidential Palace and Prime Minister's Office.

The mosque later came to be known as the site of a siege which led to a military operation by the Pakistan Army against the leaders and students of the mosque, resulting in hundreds of deaths.[2]

As of 2021, Mawlānā Abdul Aziz remains the Imam and khateeb (sermon giver) of the mosque.[3]

History

When Pakistan’s capital was shifted from Karachi to Islamabad, a central grand mosque was needed to serve the new capital.[4] In October 1964, President Ayub Khan laid the foundation stone for the mosque.[5] According to Capital Development Authority (CDA) records the project was completed in May 1966 and was envisioned as a gathering place for the city's residents and also serve as Islamabad’s Idgah.[6]

Upon completion the mosque was named "Markazi Jāmi Masjid Islamabad"(Urdu: مرکزی جامع مسجد اسلام آباد),[7] and it was not initially painted red, however after the small yellow bricks used in its construction, turned out to be defective and started to rot, which the contractor found a solution to by applying cement and painting it red, and since its exterior and interior were now painted red, it became popularly known to the locals as Lal Masjid.[8]

President Ayub Khan requested to Muhammad Yusuf Banuri of Karachi, to suggest a preacher for the mosque and upon his recommendation, Mawlānā Abdullah Ghazi was appointed the first Imam and Khatib of mosque in 1966.[9]

The mosque was major tourist attraction frequently visited by foreign tourists and delegates during their visits to the new capital and was commonly featured on postcards.[10]

The mosque was also visited by prominent figures such as Prime Minister Balakh Sher Mazari and Presidents of Pakistan including Ghulam Ishaq Khan and Farooq Leghari.[11] as well as foreign leaders such as King Khalid and President Ziaur Rahman.[12]

After retirement, President Ayub Khan was also a frequent visitor to the mosque, as he lived in a villa nearby.[13]

The mosque gained significant prominence during President Zia-ul-Haq's government, undergoing extensive renovations and expansions under his orders. Zia frequently prayed at the mosque and especially attended Friday prayers there every week.[14]

Architecture

Mosque exterior inspired by Jama Mosque and Badshahi Mosque, with minarets resembling Süleymaniye Mosque

Designed by Pakistani architect Zaheer ud Deen Khawaja,[15] the mosque blends Ottoman and Mughal architectural styles.[16] The mosque’s exterior design takes inspiration from Jama Mosque and Badshahi Mosque, while its minarets and courtyard draw inspiration from Istanbul’s Süleymaniye Mosque.[17]

A reflecting pool built for ablution was originally part of the courtyard but was removed during restoration work in 2010.[18]

Political History

In 1974, the mosque emerged as a central hub for gatherings and processions organized by the Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Khatm-e-Nubuwwat. The movement’s leaders, Mufti Mahmood and Allama Yusuf Banuri, both former teachers of Imam Maulana Abdullah, this movement ultimately contributed to the Second Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan.[19]

By 1977, the mosque had become a key rallying point for the Nizam-e-Mustafa movement, a populist Islamist uprising that sought to overthrow Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s secular-socialist government and replace it with an Islamic system of governance.[20]

During the 1980s, the mosque also served as a recruitment center for mujahideen, many of whom went on to participate in the Soviet-Afghan War (1979–1989) and the Kashmir conflict.[21]

The mosque's Imam Maulana Abdullah was assassinated in 1998, his two sons Abdul Aziz and Abdul Rashid took over the mosque.[22]

2007 Siege and Assault

Main article: Siege of Lal Masjid

In 2007, female students of Mosque and its affiliated Jamia Hafsa burned down CD shops in Aabpara and occupied a Children's Library adjacent to the mosque and announced the implementation of Sharia law in Islamabad.[23] They demanded government also implement Sharia law and threats of armed jihad were made in case of refusal.[24]

On 3 July 2007, the stand-off between the students and the government resulted in bloody gun battles in which over twenty people, including students of the mosque, members of the media, paramilitary personnel, and a businessman were reportedly killed, and over one hundred others were injured.[25]

On 4 July 2007 at 8:05 a.m., The mosque's Imam and leader Abdul Aziz was arrested while leaving the complex disguised in a burqa.[26]

Mosque stormed

On the morning of 10 July 2007, government troops stormed the mosque and began by attacking and breaching the mosque from the south and assaulted it from three directions taking control of most of the complex at 4:00 am (23:00 GMT).[27][28]

The government claimed that one hundred people, including mosque's administrator Abdul Rashid Ghazi, were killed in the operation, while the mosque administration kept claiming that around two hundred were killed.[29][30][31]

2008 Bombing

Main article: Lal Masjid suicide bombing

On 6 July 2008, at 7:50 PM local time, a bomb exploded near Lal Masjid, killing 18 policemen and 1 civilian. A Pakistani official claimed the bombing occurred on the first anniversary of the siege and was a revenge attack. The attack occurred even amidst tight security in Islamabad, where thousands of Islamic students in Pakistan came to mark the day when Pakistani troops stormed Lal Masjid.[32] The blast was the work of a suicide bomber around 30 years of age.[33]

Advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik, who visited the blast site, said about 12,000 students attended the rally and the attack was directed at the police.[34]

Restorations

The mosque was repaired and opened to public three weeks after the siege and was initially painted white.[35]

Bahria Town carried out extensive renovations and restoration of the mosque, during which the exterior walls were embellished with sandstone, mosaics, and intricate calligraphy, while the interior of the main hall was enhanced with detailed wood paneling. The renovation project was completed in 2010.[18]

The redesign and renovations were overseen by architect Nayyar Ali Dada.[36]

COVID-19 Controversy

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, while nationwide lockdown measures were in effect, the mosque remained open, attracting hundreds of worshippers. who gathered for prayers.[37]

The mosque’s imam, Mawlānā Abdul Aziz, publicly refused to comply with lockdown orders, stating, “Lockdowns are not the answer to these problems. We should have faith in God at this time and place their hope in Him. If death is written for you, then it will come.”[38]

  • Exterior view of the Mosque
  • The inner prayer hall featuring the Mihrab and Minbar
  • Monument on the mosque's west side featuring Quranic verse 55:17
  • The mosque is very busy during the Islamic festivals of Eid and Ramadan

See also

References

  1. ^ "A legendary architect: Zaheer ud Deen Khawaja | ARCHI TIMES & A+I Magazines Pakistan". 17 November 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  2. ^ "Lal Masjid at 40". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  3. ^ "Lal Masjid: Why Maulana Abdul Aziz Remains Untouchable". The Friday Times. 20 September 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  4. ^ Jonathan M. Bloom; Sheila Blair, eds. (23 March 2009). The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art & Architecture. USA: Oxford University Press. p. 309. ISBN 978-0195309911.
  5. ^ Syed Shoaib Hasan (27 July 2007). "Profile: Islamabad's Red Mosque". BBC News. Retrieved 21 May 2008.
  6. ^ "Islamabad history". Pakistan.net. Archived from the original on 30 June 2008.
  7. ^ asad.munir (2 July 2011). "Lal Masjid siege — four years on". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  8. ^ "لال مسجد آپریشن، جس نے پورے ملک کو خون سے رنگ دیا". Independent Urdu (in Urdu). 3 July 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  9. ^ "شہیداسلام مولانا عبداللہ شہید شخصیت و کردار۔۔۔تحریر مولاناتنویراحمداعوان". Shaffak (in Urdu). 18 October 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  10. ^ "Book Review: Negotiating the Siege of the Lal Masjid". Newsline. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  11. ^ Dolnik, Adam (2015). Negotiating the Siege of the Lal Masjid. Oxford University Press. p. 53.
  12. ^ Janjua, Simran Saeed; Malik, Mishaal; Malik, Simran Saeed Janjua and Mishaal (12 July 2024). "Miscalculation or Inevitable? The Lal Masjid Siege and its Legacy". South Asia Times. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  13. ^ Kapur, Saloni (2021). Pakistan after Trump: Great Power Responsibility in a Multi-Polar World. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 187.
  14. ^ Michelle Shephard (9 July 2007), "Mosque crisis highlights Pakistan's turmoil", The Star. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  15. ^ Farooq, Mohammad (21 May 2018). "A legendary architect: Zaheer ud Deen Khawaja". Mohammad Farooq. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  16. ^ "A legendary architect: Zaheer ud Deen Khawaja | ARCHI TIMES & A+I Magazines Pakistan". 17 November 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  17. ^ "New Orient". Czechoslovak Society for Eastern Studies. 4–6. Prague: 565. 1965. ISSN 0548-6408. OCLC 2264893.
  18. ^ a b umer.nangiana (16 July 2010). "Lal Masjid is still red three years on". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
  19. ^ Mufti Khalid Mahmood (7 September 2019). "7 ستمبر 1974ء 'یومِ تحفظ ختمِ نبوت'". Jang Daily (Urdu newspaper). Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  20. ^ Janjua, Simran Saeed; Malik, Mishaal; Malik, Simran Saeed Janjua and Mishaal (12 July 2024). "Miscalculation or Inevitable? The Lal Masjid Siege and its Legacy". South Asia Times. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  21. ^ "Profile: Islamabad's Red Mosque". BBC News. 3 July 2007. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  22. ^ "Islamabad Red Mosque Cleric Killed" Pakistan Times, 11 July 2007, retrieved 27 July 2009
  23. ^ "Chronology of Lal Masjid clashes". The Times of India. 10 July 2007. Archived from the original on 13 July 2007. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
  24. ^ Farooq, Umer (7 April 2007). "Religious Cleric Threatens Suicide Attacks". OhmyNews International. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  25. ^ Sohail Khan (4 July 2007). "Environment Ministry building, vehicles set on fire". The News International. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 24 May 2008.
  26. ^ Walsh, Declan (4 July 2007). "Red Mosque leader attempts to flee in burka". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  27. ^ "'Dozens dead' in Red Mosque assault". MWC. 10 July 2007. Archived from the original on 21 February 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  28. ^ "Troops storm Pakistan Red Mosque". China Daily. 10 July 2007. Archived from the original on 13 June 2008. Retrieved 24 May 2008.
  29. ^ Witte, Griff (12 July 2007). "Mosque siege ends, and grim cleanup begins". The Washington Post. Retrieved 10 May 2008 – via San Francisco Chronicle.
  30. ^ "Islamabad Red Mosque Cleric Ghazi Killed". Pakistan Times. 11 July 2007. Archived from the original on 12 July 2007. Retrieved 10 July 2007.
  31. ^ Declan Walsh (11 July 2007). "Red Mosque siege declared over". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
  32. ^ Jacinto, Leela (July 6, 2008). "Blast near Islamabad's Red Mosque kills dozens". www.france24.com. Archived from the original on August 4, 2008. Retrieved July 6, 2008.
  33. ^ Press Trust Of India (7 July 2008). "Pak terror reminder: 18 dead in Lal Masjid blast". www.ibnlive.com. Retrieved 6 July 2008.
  34. ^ "Suicide blast targeting police kills 16 at Pakistan rally". www.cnn.com. 6 July 2008. Retrieved 6 July 2008.
  35. ^ "Lal Masjid to reopen in time for Friday prayers". Daily Times (Pakistan). 24 July 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
  36. ^ Profile of architect Nayyar Ali Dada Retrieved 11 December 2019
  37. ^ Hashim, Asad. "Pakistanis gather for Friday prayers defying coronavirus advisory". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  38. ^ "Pakistani Crowds Still Gather For Friday Prayers". Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
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