Mosques

SC orders status quo till Aug 25 in Sambhal mosque row, issues notice

The Supreme Court on Friday ordered status quo till August 25 in the Sambhal mosque row and issued notice to the Hindu petitioners. A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and A S Chandurkar passed the orders. The top court was hearing an appeal filed by Masjid committee challenging an order of the Allahabad High Court which dismissed its plea against the survey ordered by a Sambhal court in the Shahi Jama Masjid and Harihar Temple dispute, upholding the civil court's direction for the survey. The high court said the order to appoint a court commissioner and the suit were maintainable. The mosque committee had moved the high court against the November 19 last year order of the civil judge directing the Mughal-era mosque' survey which took place the same day. A second survey carried out on November 24 last year, the committee claimed, was illegal as the civil court never ordered it.

Court to hear Sambhal Shahi Jama Masjid-Harihar temple dispute on Aug 28

A court in Chandausi on Thursday fixed August 28 to hear the ongoing Shahi Jama Masjid-Harihar temple dispute. The matter was listed for hearing before civil judge (senior division) Aditya Singh. Advocate of the Hindu side, Shri Shri Gopal Sharma told PTI that on Thursday the opposite side filed an application saying since this matter was pending in the Supreme Court, the present court did not have the jurisdiction to hear this case. The matter was then deferred to August 28. The Muslim side has challenged the maintainability of the case in the Allahabad High Court, but on May 19, the high court upheld the trial court's order permitting a court-monitored survey and directed it to proceed with the matter. While talking to reporters, Shahi Jama Masjid's advocate Qasim Jamal confirmed filing the application and a judgment related to the Worship Act. It was directed till the Supreme Court heard the case, all religious matters will not be heard by any other court, he added. "Neither

Gyanvapi case: Court rejects plea to transfer 1991 suit to another court

A district court here has dismissed a plea seeking the transfer of the original 1991 Gyanvapi suit from the court of the civil judge to another court. Advocate Vijay Shankar Rastogi, who is a party to the case, said District Judge Jay Prakash Tiwari rejected the transfer application on Monday, stating that the petitioners were not parties to the original suit and hence had no legal standing to seek such a transfer. The plea was filed by Manikuntala Tiwari, Neelima Mishra and Renu Pandey. They are the daughters of late Harihar Pandey, one of the litigants who filed the original suit. According to Rastogi, the plea submitted that they were not being given adequate time to present their side before the civil judge (senior division) fast track where the original suit is pending since 1991 and sought the case to be transferred to another court. Rastogi argued that the three sisters were not listed as parties in the 1991 suit and therefore did not have the locus standi to file a transfer

Krishna Janmabhoomi: HC junks plea to rename mosque as 'disputed structure'

The Allahabad High Court dismissed a plea to replace 'Shahi Idgah Mosque' with 'disputed structure' in the ongoing Krishna Janmabhoomi cases

Sambhal temple-mosque row: Court to hear plea for namaz ban on July 21

A Chandausi court in Sambhal district on Thursday set July 21 to hear a plea seeking ban on offering of namaz at the disputed Shahi Jama Masjid, which is claimed to be Harihar Temple. The petition sought the ban on offering of Islamic prayers citing its "disputed status". Civil Judge (Senior Division) Aditya Singh took on record the plea filed by one Simran Gupta. The dispute had previously reached the Allahabad High Court, where the Muslim side challenged the subordinate court's order for a survey of the mosque premises. On May 19, however, the high court upheld the trial court's decision and directed that proceedings continue there. The petitioner argued that since the site was deemed disputed by the court, Muslims too should be barred from offering prayers, just as Hindus were restricted from worship. The plea requested that the mosque be sealed and placed under the custody of the Sambhal District Magistrate. Gupta also sought to be made a petitioner on behalf of the Hindu ..

Mumbai mosques go digital with 'azan app' to overcome loudspeaker curbs

In the backdrop of curbs over the use of loudspeakers, half-a-dozen mosques in Mumbai have registered on a dedicated mobile phone application which relays the 'azan', or call to prayer, directly to the faithful in real-time. The app, Online Azan, has been developed by a Tamil Nadu-based company. Given the restrictions and sensitivities surrounding the use of loudspeakers for the call to prayer, the dedicated mobile app helps relay the azan directly to worshippers from local mosques, Fahad Khalil Pathan, managing trustee of Mahim Juma Masjid, told PTI. The free app will allow users to listen to the azan at home, especially during Ramzan (the Islamic holy month of fasting) and other times when public announcements are restricted, he explained. "The initiative comes after a police crackdown on the use of loudspeakers, where officers visited the mosque (Juma Masjid) and warned loudspeaker use could result in action. This led to the mosque temporarily disabling its sound system," Pathan

Allahabad HC upholds survey of Sambhal Mosque amid temple claim dispute

The court dismissed the mosque committee's plea and upheld the trial court's order for a survey after Hindu plaintiffs claimed the site was once a Harihar temple

Allahabad HC to give verdict on Sambhal Jama Masjid dispute case today

Sambhal mosque management committee has filed a civil revision petition seeking a stay on the ongoing trial court proceedings in an original suit pending before the district court in Sambhal

Owaisi distributes black armbands at mosque to protest Pahalgam attack

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi distributed black armbands at a mosque before the Friday prayers, urging people to wear them as a mark of protest against the Pahalgam terror attack. Owaisi, who also wore a black armband, distributed them at a mosque in Shastripuram here, party sources said. "Juma Namaz, please do wear a black band around your arms to protest the terrorist act perpetrated by LeT in Pahalgam against innocent Indians," he said in a post on 'X'. Terrorists had opened fire at a tourist spot near Pahalgam in Kashmir on the afternoon of April 22, killing 26 peoplemostly touristsin the deadliest attack in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019.

SC stays Nashik Dargah demolition, seeks HC report on plea non-listing

The Supreme Court has stayed in the interim the demolition notice of the Nashik civic body for razing the Hazrat Saatpeer Sayed Baba dargah and sought a report from the Bombay high court on non-listing of the shrine's plea. According to the sources, the structure was razed by civic body personnel hours before the court hearing. The civic body's action against the dargah at Kathe Galli in Nashik was reportedly carried out during the intervening night of April 15 and 16. The hearing in apex court took place on April 16 noon. A bench of Justices P S Narasimah and Joymala Bagchi had then noted the petition was filed before the high court on April 7 but not taken up for hearing. "In the meanwhile, there shall be a stay of notice dated April 1, 2025 issued by the respondent number 1 -Nashik Municipal Corporation as prayed for," the bench ordered and posted the matter on April 21. The court's "extraordinary measure" came after senior advocate Navin Pahwa, who was representing the dargah

SC flags issue with undoing 'waqf by user'; says old mosques lack deeds

Supreme Court begins hearing on Waqf Act pleas, says undoing 'waqf by user' problematic as many old masjids have no sale deeds; asks Centre to clarify removal of key provision

21 cops injured in violence during Nashik dargah demolition drive; 15 held

Twenty one police personnel were injured and three police vehicles damaged when a mob attacked them while opposing the demolition of an unauthorised dargah in Maharashtra's Nashik city, officials said on Wednesday. The incident took place late Tuesday night and police resorted to lathi-charge and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the mob and brought the situation under control, they said, adding 15 persons have been detained in connection with the violence. The injured police personnel were on security duty during the anti-encroachment drive at the spot when the incident occurred. The situation is currently peaceful, a senior police official said. At around 6 am on Wednesday, the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) personnel removed the unauthorised Satpeer Baba Dargah located in Kathe Galli area of the city, following an order of the Bombay High Court, the police said. "As per the HC order, the Satpeer Dargah trustees started the process of removing the structure on Tuesday night.

Gyanvapi case: Allahabad HC to hear plea on Wazukhana ASI survey today

The Hindu side alleges that a shivling was found on its premises in 2022; however, the Muslim side has claimed it is a water fountain

SC rejects plea against Allahabad HC order on Sambhal mosque whitewashing

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a plea challenging an Allahabad High Court order that asked the Archaeological Survey of India to whitewash the Mughal-era Jama Masjid in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district. The high court had on March 12 asked the ASI to undertake and complete the whitewashing of the mosque within a week. "We are not inclined to entertain the present petition. Dismissed," ordered a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar. Appearing for appellant Satish Kumar Aggarwal, Lawyer Barun Sinha assailed the high court's order, saying the ASI was wrongly asked to whitewash the wall of the mosque. In his order, HC judge Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal had said, "The ASI shall undertake the whitewashing work and complete the same within a period of one week from today. Further, no extra lighting shall be put on the walls, as it may cause damage to the monuments, but exterior lights in the shape of focus lights/LED lights may be used b

Noida police deploys 5,000 personnel at mosques, other religious places

Shivhari Meena, Joint Police Commissioner, Gautam Buddha Nagar, said that the police personnel had interacted with all religious leaders to maintain peace and order

No Friday namaz on roads, police conduct flag march in UP's Sambhal

Stringent security measures have been taken to ensure that law and order are maintained during the festivities

Sambhal violence: Mosque chief arrested ahead of judicial panel hearing

Shahi Jama Masjid management committee president Zafar Ali was arrested on Sunday after being questioned in connection with the November 24 violence during a protest against a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era mosque. Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar Bishnoi told reporters, "Today, Jama Masjid's Zafar Ali has been arrested and sent to jail. He was also detained and questioned late last night before being released." "He was called again for questioning today. He was arrested after questioning," he added. A case has been registered against Ali under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 191(2) and 191(3) (rioting), 190 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 221 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty), 196 (promoting enmity between different

Friday prayers conclude in Sambhal's Shahi Jama Masjid amid tight security

Friday prayers concluded peacefully in Sambhal's Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid amid tight security, an official said. Ulemas and mutawallis had fixed the time for 'Jumma Namaz', extending it by about an hour to 2:30 pm, because of Holi. District Magistrate Rajender Pensiya said both Holi and the Namaz concluded peacefully. He said tight security arrangements were made in view of Holi and the Friday prayers. Personnel from the Rapid Action Force, Provincial Armed Constabulary and the local police remained fully alert. Surveillance was also conducted through drones.

Allahabad HC directs ASI to whitewash Sambhal Jama Masjid's outer facade

The court directed the ASI to undertake the whitewashing, with costs being covered by the mosque committee

What prejudice will whitewashing walls of Sambhal mosque cause: HC asks ASI

Hearing a matter related to the whitewashing of the Jama Masjid in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, the Allahabad High Court on Monday directed the counsel appearing for the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) to come up with specific averments as to what prejudice would whitewashing the outer walls of the mosque cause. Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal passed the direction while hearing an objection raised by the mosque committee saying it sought permission only for whitewashing and lighting the outer side of the masjid, for which no specific reply was received from the ASI. The ASI is only talking about the interior side of the mosque, S F A Naqvi, counsel for the committee, argued. Posting the matter for next hearing on March 12, Justice Agarwal directed the Sambhal district magistrate to produce the original agreement entered in 1927 between the administration and the mosque committee to handover the masjid to the ASI. On February 28, the ASI submitted a report stating that the interior of