Fatehpuri Mosque

{{Short description|Mosque in Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi, Delhi, India}}

{{Infobox mosque

| name = Fatehpuri Mosque

| image = Fatehpuri_Masjid_in_Delhi_19.jpg

| image_upright = 1.4

| alt =

| caption = The mosque façade and entrance, in 2018

| location = Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi, Central Delhi

| country = India

| map_type = India Delhi central

| map_size = 250

| map_alt =

| map_relief = 1

| map_caption = Location of the mosque in Central Delhi

| coordinates = {{Coord|28|39|24|N|77|13|21|E|type:landmark_region:IN-DL|display=inline,title}}

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| religious_affiliation = Sunni Islam

| status = {{ubl|Mosque {{small|(1650–1857)}}|{{nowrap|Profane use {{small|(1857–1877)}}}}|Mosque {{small|(since 1877)}}}}

| functional_status = Active

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| leadership = {{nowrap|Mukarram Ahmad {{small|(imam)}}}}

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| architecture_type = {{nowrap|Mosque architecture}}

| architecture_style = Mughal

| founded_by = Fatehpuri Begum
{{small|(wife of Shahjahan)}}

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| year_completed = 1650

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| dome_quantity = One {{small|(maybe more)}}

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| minaret_quantity = Two

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| spire_quantity = Two {{small|(maybe more)}}

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| materials = Red sandstone

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The Fatehpuri Mosque, also Fatehpuri Masjid, is a 17th-century Sunni mosque, located at the western end of the oldest street of Chandni Chowk, in the Old Delhi neighbourhood of Delhi, India. The mosque is opposite the Red Fort and, after Jama Masjid, is the second largest mosque in Delhi.{{cite news |author=Roy, Ishita |title=What the monuments in Delhi remember |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2024/Mar/08/what-the-monuments-in-delhi-remember |work=The New Indian Express |date=8 March 2024 |access-date=8 January 2025 }}

History

The Fatehpuri Masjid was built in 1650 by Fatehpuri Begum, one of wives of Emperor Shah Jahan, who was from Fatehpur Sikri,{{cite book |title=History of Mughal Architecture |author=Nath, R. |publisher=Abhinav Publications |year=2006 |location= |page= |isbn= }} and the mosque at Taj Mahal is also named after her.{{cite book |title=The History of the Taj and the Buildings in Its Vicinity: With 3 Illustrations from Photographs and 2 Plans |author1=Muʻīn al-Dīn, Muḣammad |author2=Muʻīn al-Dīn, Akbarābādī Muḣammad |publisher=Moon Press |year=1905 |location= |page= |isbn= }}

The British auctioned the mosque after the 1857 war to Rai Lala Chunnamal for Rs. 19,000{{cite web |url=http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/01-5-2000/fatehpuri_shahi_masjid_a_mute_wi.htm |title=Fatehpuri Shahi Masjid: A mute witness to the travails of Dillee |work=Milli Gazette |date=1 May 2000 |access-date= |author= }} (whose descendants still live in the Chunnamal haveli in Chandni Chowk{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/09/25/stories/2003092500260100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031107011100/http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/09/25/stories/2003092500260100.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 November 2003 |title=Beyond the WALL |newspaper=The Hindu |date=25 September 2003 |access-date=19 December 2018 }}), who preserved the mosque. Later in 1877 it was acquired by the Government in exchange for four villages and was restored to the Muslims at the Delhi Durbar when the British allowed the Muslims back in Old Delhi. A similar mosque, called Akbarabadi Mosque, built by the Akbarabadi Begum, was destroyed by the British.{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2005/10/03/stories/2005100301280200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090628092715/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2005/10/03/stories/2005100301280200.htm |title=In memory of a pious Begum |work=The Hindu |date=3 October 2005 |access-date= |archive-date=2009-06-28 |author= }}

The Khari Baoli, which is today Asia's largest spice market, gradually developed after the construction of the mosque.

Mufti Mukarram Ahmad is the chief mufti and hereditary imam of the mosque, succeeding his father, Maulana Mufti Mohammad Ahmad (d. {{AH|1391|link=y}}).

The grave of the wife of rebel leader Maulana Abdul Qadir Ludhianvi is located in the courtyard of the Fatehpuri Mosque.{{Cite web |title=Punjab mosque opens for prayers after 74 years |url=https://www.awazthevoice.in/india-news/punjab-mosque-opens-for-prayers-after-years-3498.html |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=www.awazthevoice.in |language=en-US}}

Architecture

The mosque is built using red sandstone and has a fluted dome with mahapadma and kalash finials. Flanked by twin minarets, the mosque has a traditional design with the prayer hall having seven-arched openings. The mosque has single and double-storeyed apartments on the sides.{{cite journal |author=Singh, Dr Aradhana |title=Monumental Legacy of Mughal Women |journal=Samvedna |volume=V |number=2 |date=2023 |page=33 |issn=2581-9917 |url=https://www.maitreyi.ac.in/uploads/research/Samvedna/issues/vol6/issue2/Eng/E4.pdf |publisher=maitreyi.ac |location=India |access-date=8 January 2025 }}

The central iwan in the middle is flanked by three arches on each side.

Gallery

1863 Dispatch Atlas Map of Delhi, India - Geographicus - Delhi-dispatch-1867.jpg|1863 map of Shahjahanabad (Old Delhi). Musjid Futtepoori is south of the Lahauri Gate, in the north.

Fatehpuri masjid delhi.jpg|The mosque in 2017

People offering Namaz on the occasion of Idu’l Fitr (Eid), at Fatehpuri Mosque, in Delhi on June 16, 2018.JPG|Worshippers offering namaz during Idu’l Fitr, {{AH|1439}}

Masjid_fatehpuri,_old_Delhi.jpg|The view from the mosque towards the old Delhi market