Ali Muhammad Khan Mosque Explained

Ali Muhammad Khan Mosque
Map Type:Punjab Pakistan
Map Size:220px
Coordinates:30.1938°N 71.4733°W
Religious Affiliation:Islam
Location:Multan
Established:1753 A.D. (1171 Hijri
Country:Pakistan
Administration:Punjab Auqaf and Religious Affairs Department
Architecture Type:Mosque
Architecture Style:Mughal architecture
Minaret Quantity:1

Ali Muhammad Khan Mosque, also referred to as Wali Muhammad Mosque, or Masjid Wali Muhammad, is a historic mosque in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan, that is currently under administration of the Auqaf Department.[1]

History

Ali Muhammad Khan Mosque was erected in 1753 (1171 Hijri) in the midst of Chowk Bazaar by the then-Multan Governor, Nawab Ali Mohammad Khan Khakwani, during Mughal emperor Alamgir II's reign.[1]

In the era of Sikh governance, the Sikh governor would hold court at the mosque's main entrance, with the Guru Granth Sahib housed in the primary prayer hall.[1]

Following their ascension to power in the subcontinent, the British rulers returned the mosque to the Muslim community during the 19th century.[1] The mosque had been under the management of the Awan family's hereditary custodians for an extended period before the Auqaf Department assumed control in 1960.[1]

Architecture

Ali Muhammad Khan Mosque's complex features a small three-bay mosque at one end of a large courtyard, with a significantly larger gatehouse facing it from the opposite side.[2] Both structures are adorned in the late Mughal style with Shah-Jahani cusped arches and floral wall designs.[2] The mosque entrances have shallow muqarnas vaulting.[2] Multan's characteristic blue glazed tiles are sparingly used, primarily on the spandrels of the arches and columns dividing the bays.[2]

The mosque has a Kashigari-style interior design, a large prayer hall, a pool for performing ablutions and bathing, and two resting rooms for worshippers.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: A picture of neglect. Shakeel. Ahmed. October 4, 2007. Dawn.
  2. Web site: Wali Muhammad Mosque, Multan, Pakistan. Asian Architecture. 2023-05-19. 2023-05-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20230519001808/https://www.orientalarchitecture.com/sid/1383/pakistan/multan/wali-muhammad-mosque. live.