Pakistan is a paradigm example of a failed state that has undergone an extremely dangerous form of radical Islamisation.
Quwwat-ul-Islam Masjid
The Quwwat-ul-Islam Masjid can be a bewildering experience for those
unfamiliar with its history. On one hand there is the beautiful, curvaceous
Islamic calligraphy, the arabesque designs and then there are pillars with
clearly pre-Islamic Hindu motifs. The reason is of course quite simple; the
pillars were taken from the 27 temples of Qila Rai Pithora, the city of the
Rajput king Prithviraj Chauhan (see history). This in fact has been recorded by
Qutub-ud-din in his inscriptions, who calls it the Jami Masjid (Friday Mosque)
in his inscriptions.
The Construction of The Mosque
The mosque was started in 1192 by Qutub-ud-din Aibak, the first ruler of the
Slave Dynasty (called so because the founder was once a royal slave). It was
finished four years later. However the masjid, much like the Qutub complex
itself, never stopped growing and many subsequent rulers, like Altamash in 1230
and Alauddin Khalji in 1315, added their own bits to it.
The Exquisite Interiors
As soon as you passing through the entrance (watch out for the steep steps) of
the poetically beautiful Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque the intricately carved temple
ceiling catches your eye. In front of you will be the spectacular courtyard of
the mosque which is lined by the rows of the profusely adorned pillars talked
about earlier on both sides. Hindu motifs, like tasseled ropes, bells, tendrils,
cows and leaves, frolic all over the mosque. The very first indication of the
Islamic character of the building come from the elegant pointed arches with
curvaceous and serpentine calligraphy of texts from Quran in Arabic crowning
them, towards the west of the mosque.
A massive stone screen was erected in front of the prayer hall, with a central
arch and two similar, though smaller, arches on either side; all of these are
shaped like an 'S' (ogee-shaped). The prayer hall of the mosque stands to the
west. It consists of a central arch which is over 6.15m (20ft) high and
profusely carved, crowded with exquisite decorations and is one of the earliest
and finest examples of the fusion of Hindu and Islamic art.
The Extension of The Structure
Later Qutub-ud-din's son-in-law and successor, Altamash had the prayer hall
screen extended, and added three more arches besides the original five. The
difference between the two arches is interesting: the earlier arches are not
really the 'true' arch which is such a hallmark of Islamic architecture,
Altamash's arches were built by workmen from Afghanistan and are stylistically
quite distinct. They use Islamic motifs such as geometrical shapes rather than
naturalistic designs (which were frowned upon by the Muslim clergy) that Hindus
used. Ala-ud-din Khalji added a courtyard to the mosquethe entrance to which is
the amazing Alai Darwaza.
In the mosque compound is the small but pretty tomb of Imam Zamim, who was the
Imam (head priest) of the mosque during Sikander Lodi's (1488-1517) reign.
