The Shab Bhar Mosque (Urdu: شب بهر مسجد; meaning "Overnight mosque") is a colonial era mosque in the Shah Alami neighbourhood of Lahore, Pakistan. The mosque is said to have been built overnight, following a dispute between local Hindus and Muslims in 1917.[1]
History
The mosque was built in 1917 following a dispute between local Hindus and Muslims regarding ownership of a 3 marla site after a Muslim had offered prayer on the vacant site,[2] upsetting local Hindus.[2] Both communities then expressed a wish to build their house of worship there.[2] The matter was submitted to British colonial authorities, who decided to dispatch a judge to the site in order to determine to which community the disputed plot would belong.[2] A Muslim lawyer advised his community to build a mosque at the site before the judge arrived, so that ownership of the site would be declared in their favour as British authorities had pledged not to disturb religious sites.[2] Under the leadership of a local wrestler named Gama Pehalwan,[2] Muslims volunteers are said to have gathered after the evening Isha prayer, in order to build the mosque. The mosque reportedly was complete by the morning Fajr prayer,[1] and the judge then ruled in favour of the Muslim community.[2]
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