Indian court rules that ancient mosque is now a Hindu temple site

Madhya Pradesh High Court Rules Historic Kamal Maula Mosque as Temple Dedicated to Hindu Goddess

A recent ruling by the Madhya Pradesh High Court has determined that the historic Kamal Maula mosque in Dhar, India, is actually a temple dedicated to the Hindu goddess Vagdevi. The decision was made after a petition claimed that a temple predated the mosque at the site.

The mosque, which has been an important place of worship for Muslims in the area for decades, is now out of bounds for its community members. Mohammad Rafiq, who has served as the muezzin at the mosque for 50 years, expressed his disappointment with the ruling, stating that he had never imagined that something like this would happen.

The court’s decision was based on a survey of the monument conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) two years ago. The ASI survey found that the site was originally a temple dedicated to Vagdevi, and the court relied heavily on this information in its judgment.

As a result of the ruling, Hindus are now allowed to worship at the site, while Muslims are not. The Muslim community has pledged to challenge the decision in the Supreme Court, citing concerns about the methodology and rigour of the ASI survey.

The ruling is part of a larger trend of Hindu nationalist groups claiming that mosques were built on top of temples, which has been used to justify restrictions on Muslim worship and freedom of religion. Historian Audrey Truschke stated that this trend is part of an “entrenched Islamophobia” of Hindu nationalism and that it is one way for these groups to harass and harm Muslim communities.

The site of the Kamal Maula mosque is not alone in being disputed, as similar claims have been made about other mosques across India. The Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has also been subject to similar disputes over its origins.

Source: Al Jazeera