Sunday, May 13, 2012

Oldest Mosque Of India : Village Ghogha, Dist.Bhavnagar,Gujarat,India


  

 Oldest Mosque of India
 Prof. Mehboob Desai

Old Mosque, its kibla rukh @ Baitul Mukaddas. around 1300 years old.
The first Arab traders landed at Ghogha, (Bhavangar, Gujrat India) around the early seventh century and built a masjid here. This was the time when Qibla (direction to be faced while offering namaaz,) of the Muslims was Jerusalem instead of Mecca. For a brief period of 16 to 17 months, between 622 and 624 A.D., after Hijrat (migration) to Medina, the Prophet (SALLALLAHU ALAIHE WASALLAM) and his believers faced Jerusalem while offering Namaaz. This ancient masjid, locally known as the Baarwaada Masjid or Juni Masjid, was built during this period and is one of the oldest if not the oldest masjid in India. Later the Prophet (SALLALLAHU ALAIHE WASALLAM) received Wahi (Revelation) commanding him to change the orientation point from Jerusalem in the north to Mecca in the south. This masjid, therefore, predates all the other masjids in India whose mehrab face Mecca. This ancient masjid also bears the oldest Arabic inscriptions in India. The masjid falls under the care of Barwaada Jammat.



  1. Over View




2. Kibala 


3. Aayats on the head of Kibala


4. Kibala



5. Space of Namaz


6.Back View of Masjit and Kibala

32 comments:

  1. I wonder how they got the direction, since the first navigational compass appears to have been used by the Chinese around the 10th century.

    Is the Qibla direction accurate?

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    1. The Arabs were master navigators using stars and calculations and probably also sundial shadows etc well before the Chinese knew of any compass the greatest Chinese armada's used maps found based on landmark rocks and visual markers etc , the Chinese imperial fleet under the command of the Muslim captain Zeng He formed strategic alliances and paid very greatly for the Arabs to assist his fleet in navigation.

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    2. The compass was invented more than 2000 years ago. The first compasses were made of lodestone, a naturally magnetized stone of iron, in Han dynasty China (20 BC – 20 AD).[1] (From Wikimedia)

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  2. This is not an oldesst mosque, instead it is an oldest temple which was converted into a mosque.
    Last pictures proved it that the back view of mosque?? is look like a temple and the inner carving of mosque?? can be seen at many temples and converted mosques of india.

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    1. The stone masons were locals and they carved their symbols of veneration on mosques as well, because they saw them also as places of veneration. that is how the lotus, the Kalash and the swastika came to be carved in a whole lot of structures that were commissioned by Muslim Kings or Nobles. Please do not make such unfounded statements that you have no proof of.

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    2. In Kodungallur taluka of Thrissur district in the state of Kerala, the Cheraman Juma Mosque was the Buddhist Temple before and it was given to Arab traders as a gift in 629 AD to worship in it by chera Raja Ram Warma Kulshekhar later he Reverted to Islam and went to Mecca there he met Malik Bin Deenar and Malik Bin Habib. They came to India to preach Islam Malik Bin Deenar then built this Mosque. If u visit this mosque u will acknowledge the truth Bro.

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    3. Tum chutyo ko gobar hi samaj me aata.hobar kha kha ker gobar jaisa dimaag hogaya hai

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    4. Abey chutye agar INDIANs mosque banaye to INDIAN structure hi rehta na chutye.
      Tu America jaaker gutkha khaini kha...
      Khair Teri auqaat to nahi hai America jaane ki

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    5. Rohit Sharma ji, Bharat me Musalmano ne Mandir ko covert Ker masjid Bana le hai. Aap log derponk dhey,yudh kerney SE merney Ka Der,aap Rajput ko aagey Ker merney ke ley uksatey,merney ke ley Chor detey .unki atma ki santike ley puja kerty aur paisa kamatey .Sharm Karo .

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  3. THIS SHOWS ISLAM HAS NOT COME TO INDIA WITH HELP OF SWORDS AND KINGS RATHER IT WAS A PEOPLE`S MOVE

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  4. سلام و علیکم
    The Barwaada masjid (Juni) is a significant land mark. Probabably, the only masjid which was facing Bait-ul-Maqdas and is still present in its original form. I am curious to know which of the Quranic surahs are written (chiseled) on the Mehrab and another two lines above. I could see that Sura Ikhlas is swritten on the Mehrab, but the above two lines are not clear. Then I see engravings on a circular stone of Ayat-ul-Kursi. It will be greatly appreciated if I may be provided the datails of all Arabic engravings in Barwaada Juni masjid. Thank you.
    Nusrat K Sidiqui

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    1. السلام عليكم ورحمه الله وبركاته
      May I know the engraving on the circular stone is which ayat or surah

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    2. First line is the verse from Surah Jinn . وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًا

      And that the mosques are Allah's, therefore call not upon any one with Allah: 72:18

      Second line is saying of the prophet.
      قال النبي عليه السلام من بنا مسجدا في الدنيا بنا الله له قصرا في الجنة صدق رسول الله
      The prophet peace be on him said whoever build a masjid in this world, Allah will build for him a palace in Jannah, the messenger said the truth.

      Circle around the Mehrab is surah ikhlas surah no. 112

      قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ

      Say: He, Allah, is One.
      اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ

      Allah is He on Whom all depend.

      لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ

      He begets not, nor is He begotten.

      وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

      And none is like Him.


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  5. السلام وعلیکم

    PROF. MEHBOOB DESAI, Sir

    Kindly note that the first two pictures (on top), I have selected to be used in my book. I request that a permision may be granted for the use. "PROF. MEHBOOB DESAI'S BLOG" will be duly acknowledged.

    Best regards,

    Nusrat K Siddiqui

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  6. By the way it's very wonderful..The direction of kibla was regarding Baitul Mukaddas or?

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    1. This is a Between Mosque like Hajaj Mosque in Wasit in Iraq. The Qibla of this Ghogha mosque does not point toward Mecca nor toward Jerusalm but in between the Mecca and ancient city Petra. The Qibla line (perpendicular to Qibla wall) measures 8.5 Degree from Mecca,9.0 Degree from Petra and 11.25 from Jerusalam.

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  7. This is a Between Mosque like Hajaj Mosque in Wasit in Iraq. The Qibla of this Ghogha mosque does not point toward Mecca nor toward Jerusalm but in between the Mecca and ancient city Petra. The Qibla line (perpendicular to Qibla wall) measures 8.5 Degree from Mecca,9.0 Degree from Petra and 11.25 from Jerusalam.

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    1. As Salaamu Alykum.
      Dear Al Baruni, as a "scientist" I will like to know how was the direction of the "Qibla wall" determined?
      Is there a Plan View of the Ghogha Masjid with the North Direction shown?
      Dr. Mohibullah N. Durrani

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    2. Walekum- Assalam.
      Dear Durrani Saheb, Sorry for late reply.You can see Plan View of the Ghogha mosque in Google Earth and do as given here below -:
      (1) Draw a line joining Dome of the Rock (Jerusalem) to Kaba at old heritage city Petra (Al Batra in Jordon) and again draw a line joining Kaba at Petra to Kaba at Mecca (Saudi Arabia).
      (2) Fix a mid-point at line joining Petra Kaba to Mecca Kaba.
      (3) Draw a line coinciding with qibla wall of Ghogha mosque also known as Barwada mosque and then fix a point at Mehrab of qibla wall.
      (4) Draw four lines from Dome of the Rock, Kaba at Petra, mid-point at line joining Petra Kaba to Mecca Kaba, and Kaba at Mecca to the mid-point at Mehrab of qibla wall of Barwada mosque
      (5) Measure the four angles.
      (6) You will find that the line joining mid-point (at line joining Petra Kaba to Mecca Kaba) to the mid point at Mehrab measures nearly to ninty degree. This way you can measure remaining angles.

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    3. اسلام علیکم محترم
      آپ کا کمنٹ پڑھ کر جاننے کا تجسس ہوا اور گوگل میپ پر ہی میسرمنٹ ٹول کی مدد سے جب مسجد کی نارتھ اور ساؤتھ والز سے یروشلم گولڈن ڈوم تک دو لائن ڈرا کی اور پھر پیٹرا دوالشری ٹیمپل کو مارک کرکے میسرمنٹ ٹول کی مدد سے اس قدیم مسجد کے محراب کو نشان زدہ کیا تو وہ نشان مسجد کے قریب ہی بنے ایک مدرسے تک پہنچتے پہنچے ساؤتھ کی دیوار سے کراس کررہا ہے اس لئے گوگل سیٹلائٹ ویو اور میسرمنٹ ٹول کے مطابق آپ غلط فرما رہے ہیں کہ مسجد کا قبلہ پیٹرا ہے مینے میسر منٹ کی پکچرز اور ویڈیو بھی بنائی ہیں اگر یہاں انہیں کمنٹ کرنے کی اجازت ہوئی تو وہ بھی شیئر کردیتا ہوں

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  8. Dear Shri Mehboob Desai,

    It was fascinating and instructive to read about the Juni Masjid. What I liked most about the article was your finding that this mosque was constructed by the Arab community at a time when Prophet Muhammad had come to Medina as an exile and settled down with his followers and the direction in which the faithful prayed was Jerusalem and not Mecca. Are there any more early Islamic period mosques in Gujarat which you have explored? Would like to read about them. Thank you for enlightening me on these aspects.

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  9. Dear Shri Mehboob Desai,

    It was fascinating and instructive to read about the Juni Masjid. What I liked most about the article was your finding that this mosque was constructed by the Arab community at a time when Prophet Muhammad had come to Medina as an exile and settled down with his followers and the direction in which the faithful prayed was Jerusalem and not Mecca. Are there any more early Islamic period mosques in Gujarat which you have explored? Would like to read about them. Thank you for enlightening me on these aspects.

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  10. السلام علیکم
    بہترین معلومات

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  11. Unbelievable construction technology in old age. Alhamdulilla.
    Thanks for sharing.

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  12. Bismillah
    Assalamu alaikum!
    Ma'aSha ALLAH! Prof.Mehboob Desai, you have did a remarkable finding.
    I hope you will find many more such Mosques along the Western coast of India, where Arab traders used to land since time immemorial.
    -Amin, Ambur (Tamilnadu)

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  13. اسلام علیکم
    یہاں کچھ محترمین کے کمنٹ پڑھے جن کے مطابق اس قدیم مسجد کا قبلہ یروشلم کی بجائے پیٹرا کی طرف ہے یہ پڑھ کر مجھے بھی جاننے کا تجسس ہوا اور گوگل میپ پر ہی میزرمنٹ ٹول کی مدد سے جب مسجد کی نارتھ اور ساؤتھ والز سے یروشلم گولڈن ڈوم تک دو لائن ڈرا کی اور پھر پیٹرا دوالشری ٹیمپل کو مارک کرکے میزرمنٹ ٹول کی مدد سے اس قدیم مسجد کے محراب کو نشان زدہ کیا تو وہ نشان مسجد کے قریب ہی بنے ایک مدرسے تک پہنچتے پہنچے ساؤتھ کی دیوار والے نشان کو کراس کررہا ہے اس لئے گوگل سیٹلائٹ ویو اور میزرمنٹ ٹول کے مطابق یہ حضرات غلط فرما رہے ہیں کہ مسجد کا قبلہ رخ پیٹرا کی طرف ہے مینے میزرمنٹ کی پکچرز اور ویڈیو بھی بنائی ہیں اگر یہاں انہیں کمنٹ کرنے کی اجازت ہوئی تو وہ بھی شیئر کردیتا ہوں

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  14. Salaam,
    I would like to know was this masjid built during the lifetime of Mohd Rasullah SAW ??

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  15. Excellent Information by Mehboob Desai

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  16. हिन्दुस्तान की वो क़दीम मस्ज़िद जिसका रुख़ है ( बैतूल मुक़द्दस)
    https://historymeaning6.blogspot.com/2020/12/Juni-masjid.html

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