New Delhi: Mumbai is set to send the inaugural brick for the construction of Masjid Muhammad Bin Abdullah in Dhannipur village, Ayodhya, marking a development following the Supreme Court's directive in 2019.
The mosque, replacing the Babri Masjid, will be built on a five-acre plot allocated by the Uttar Pradesh government.
Preparations for the Ram Temple inauguration next month have spurred the Masjid Muhammad Bin Abdullah Development Committee into action.
Haji Arafat Shaikh, the committee's chairman, revealed that the mosque's old design—an egg-shaped structure—had been discarded in favour of a more traditional style, aligning with community preferences.
A descendant of Sufi saint Sarkar Peer Adil from Karnataka is expected to carry the first bricks from Mumbai.
The mosque, named after the Prophet Muhammad, will feature a departure from traditional designs with five minarets symbolizing the five pillars of Islam.
Unlike the delays in the mosque's construction, the Ram temple nears completion, prompting criticism from Muslim organizations.
Maulana Shahbuddin Razvi Barelvi, president of the All India Muslim Jamaat, expressed disappointment in the Sunni Central Wakf Board's perceived inaction. He stated, "It is sad that not a single brick has been laid on the land. If the Wakf Board did not want to construct the mosque, they should have given it to the Muslim community in Dhannipur; they had volunteered to build the mosque."
In response to the criticism, Haji Arafat Shaikh expressed uncertainty about the delay, citing a lack of information on why no progress was made. He disclosed that Jaffar Faqooqi, a representative of the UP Sunni Wakf Board, approached him to take up the responsibility of building the mosque, indicating a renewed commitment to advancing the project.
As the mosque's construction gains momentum, the committee plans to release a QR code for donations, emphasizing transparency and community involvement in funding.