| Shaheed Ganj Mosque | |
|---|---|
%2c_ca.1930%2527s.jpg) Photograph of the eastern aspect of Masjid Shahidganj,c. 1930s | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam(former) |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Mosque(1753–1935) |
| Status | Demolished |
| Location | |
| Location | Lahore,Punjab |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque architecture |
| Style | Indo-Islamic |
| Creator | Abdullah Khan |
| Completed | 1134AH (1721/1722 CE) |
| Demolished | 8 July 1935 |
| Specifications | |
| Dome | Three |
| Minaret | Three |
TheShaheed Ganj Mosque, originally named theAbdullah Khan Mosque (Urdu:مسجد شَهيد گنج), is a formermosque, since demolished, that was located inLahore,Punjab,Pakistan.[1] The mosque was commissioned in 1722 during the reign ofMughal EmperorMuhammad Shah and built by Abdullah Khan. Construction was completed in 1753 during the reign ofAhmad Shah Bahadur. It was constructed next to the shrine of Pir Shah Kaku.Sikh rule began in 1762 and theGurdwara Bhai Taru Singh was built afterwards within the same grounds. The mosque site was under dispute duringBritish rule, and was demolished by Sikhs on 8 July 1935.[2]
The Abdullah Khan Mosque was built by Abdullah Khan during the reign ofMughal EmperorMuhammad Shah. Khan was acook ofPrinceDara Shikoh, the elder son ofShah Jahan, and in 1743 CE, rose up to the position ofkotwal (Chief police officer) of Lahor] for his services.[3] The mosque was completed in 1134AH (1721/1722 CE) by the Falak Beg Khan,[4] and was built on the premises of the shrine to Pir Shah Kaku.[1]
There was apublic square near the mosque, where criminals were punished during the tenure ofNawabZakariya Khan Bahadur, a Mughal governor of thePunjab in the 18th century.Taru Singh, a Sikh man who aided Sikhs against the Mughals was executed. After that incident, the Sikhs officially declared Taru Singh a martyr and named the public square as theShaheed Ganj (Martyr Square).[5]
In 1762, theBhangi Misl Sikh army conquered Lahore and occupied the mosque, together with the public square. The Muslims were not allowed to enter and pray, although Sikhs were given the right topray. The Sikhs built agurdwara calledGurudwara Shaheed Bhai Taru Singh in remembrance ofSikh martyrs in the courtyard while the Mosque building was used as a residence for the Sikh priest.[6]
AfterBritish colonial occupation of the Punjab in 1849, The Mosque became an issue between Muslims and Sikhs again. Muslims protested against the Sikh occupation Shaheed Ganj Mosque. On April 17, 1850, Nur Ahmed, a Muslim resident of Lahore, claimed to be amutawallī (trustee) of the mosque and filed a case in Punjab High Court. Nur Ahmed filed several suits between 1853 and 1883 to recover the Shaheed Ganj Mosque, but courts maintained thestatus quo.[7]
On 29 June 1935, the Sikhs announced that they would demolish the Shaheed Ganj Mosque. Several thousand Muslims assembled in front of the mosque to protect it and Anjuman-i Tahaffuz-i Masjid Shahidganj (Organization for the protection of the Shaheedgunj Mosque) was formed.Sir Herbert Emerson, theGovernor of the Punjab, tried to negotiate to find mutually acceptable solution. But, on the night of 7 July 1935 the [ikhs demolished the mosque, minutes ofBritish India Privy Council say "by or with the connivance of its Sikh custodians",[8] leading to riots and disorder in Lahore.
Jamaat Ali Shah (1834–1951), born in Alipur Sharif Dist,Sialkot, Pakistan, led the Shaheed Ganj Mosque movement.[9][10] After the mosque's demolition, Muslims held a public meetings on 19–20 July at theBadshahi Mosque, and marched directly on the Shaheedganj mosque. There were riots on 20 and 21 July in which the police opened fire, and killed 12 Muslims.[11][12][13]
On 25 May 1936, a Judge of theDistrict Court of Lahore dismissed the suit which Muslims had filed after the demolition.[11] The judgement ofBombay High Court on 2 May 1940 onMasjid Shahid Ganj Mosque vs Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak recognized the building as a mosque, but maintained that theStatute of limitations has passed since the property has been occupied by the Sikhs for more than 170 years.[14]
The mosque had three domes, each accompanied by aminaret and fivearches. It had acourtyard and anorchard offruit trees.[14]
