As another December 6 comes around, 34 years after the Babri Masjid was demolished in Ayodhya and nearly two years after a Ram Temple was inaugurated on its spot, construction is yet to start on the alternative ground given to the Muslim side to build a mosque.
The Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation, which has been given a 5-acre plot in the middle of the fields in Dhannipur village in Ayodhya, 25 km from the demolished Babri site, for construction of the mosque, is preparing to submit a structural map to the authorities. So the earliest any work, also dragged down due to lack of donations, can begin is after March 2026.
The Supreme Court which awarded the disputed Ayodhya site to the Hindu side in 2019 had ordered 5 acres of land at a “suitable, prominent place in Ayodhya” for the new mosque. The Uttar Pradesh government had then allotted land in Dhannipur to the state’s Sunni Central Waqf Board in 2020, which formed the Indo Islamic Cultural Foundation Trust for the purpose of the construction.
Final mosque design.
The mosque that will come up is to be known as ‘Mohammad bin Abdullah Masjid’.
Zufar Ahmad Faruqi, the chairman of the foundation, admits “there is nothing on the ground yet”. “Earlier, we changed one design submitted for the mosque following discussions, and based on the new one, a structural map is being prepared. We hope to submit it to the Ayodhya Development Authority by the end of this month.”
Sources said that once the map is submitted, it will take at least three months for approval. Foundation members remain apprehensive about funds, though there has been some spurt since the new design was decided. “Funds are coming, but they are just trickling in,” Faruqi told The Indian Express.
The earlier design of the mosque, unveiled in 2021, was seen as too “modern” and “futuristic”, with a skylit glass dome. Sources said this was not received well by the community, and was the reason behind the reluctance to donate. The new design is in a more traditional style, with five minars and traditional dome structures.
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To attract a broader group of donors, the mosque foundation is highlighting other initiatives which will be part of the structure, including a hospital, community kitchen, and an Indo-Islamic Cultural Research Centre, with an archives and museum.
The foundation’s website seeks donations saying: “Support the construction of the Muhammed Bin Abdullah Masjid through your generous donations. This project will create a sacred space for worship, healthcare, learning, and cultural preservation, serving communities for generations to come. Your contribution is not just towards building a masjid, but towards creating a centre of compassion, unity and service, that will benefit society today and in the future.”
Ten days ago, the Ram Temple in Ayodhya marked its completion with the hoisting of a religious flag by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Nripendra Mishra, chairman of the construction committee of the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, told The Indian Express that the main temple has been finished, while the ongoing landscaping and construction of the boundary wall and auditorium will be completed by 2026.
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Mishra also said that Rs 3,000 crore was received in initial donations for the temple, and an estimated Rs 1,800 crore had been spent on the construction.
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