Following the Supreme Court verdict on the Babri Masjid case, the proposed mosque in Ayodhya will be named after Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah, the warrior of the 1857 rebellion against the British. The building construction will be inaugurated on Republic Day.
The Indo Islamic Cultural Foundation, the trust constituted by the Sunni Waqf Board to supervise the construction of the mosque, is seriously considering to name it after Shah, who was known as the 'Lighthouse of Rebellion' in the Awadh region, Athar Hussain, Trust Secretary said.
Since the formation of the Trust, discussions have been on whether the mosque should be named after Babar or some other name should be given.
The Babri mosque was named after Mughal ruler Babar.
Dedicating the Ayodhya mosque project to Shah would promote the mosque project as a symbol of communal brotherhood and patriotism. The Trust sources said that Shah upheld these values and was a real follower of Islam.
Hussain said, "The Trust is thinking very seriously over the proposal of dedicating our Ayodhya Mosque project to the great freedom fighter Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah. We have got suggestions regarding the same from different platforms. It is a good suggestion. We will officially announce it after deliberations".
Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah
On 5 June 1858, Shah was martyred.
British officers like George Bruce Malleson and Thomas Seaton have praised Shah for his courage, valour and organisational capabilities. Malleson in his book the History of Indian Mutiny has frequently mentioned about Shah. The book is on the Indian revolt of 1857.
During the freedom movement, Shah had launched revolts in the Awadh region and made the local mosque, Masjid Sarai, located in Faizabad as his headquarters. After Shaah liberated Faizabad and the larger part of the Awadh region, the premises of this mosque was used to hold meetings with rebel leaders.
According to researcher and historian Ram Shankar Tripathi, "Besides being a practising Muslim, Shah was also the epitome of religious unity and Ganga-Jamunia culture of Ayodhya. In the revolt of 1857, royalties like Nana Sahib of Kanpur, Kunwar Singh of Arrah fought alongside Shah. His 22nd Infantry Regiment was commanded by Subedar Ghamandi Singh and Subedar Umrao Singh in the famous Battle of Chinhat."
Supreme Court verdict
On November 9, 2019, the Supreme Court had passed a judgement for the construction of the demolished Ram temple which was a disputed land in Ayodhya. The apex court had directed the central government to permit an alternate five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a new mosque at a "prominent" place in the holy town in Uttar Pradesh.
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Mosque inauguration on R-Day
The Uttar Pradesh government allotted a five-acre land in Dhannipur village in Sohaval Tehsil of Ayodhya. The blueprint of the mosque was unveiled on December 19.
The Ayodhya mosque project in Dhannipur village will formally begin on Republic Day. The plot will also have a hospital, a museum, a library, a community kitchen, the Indo-Islamic Cultural Research Centre and a publication house.