Building bridges: Mosque opens doors to one & all in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: People of different faiths thronged Masjid-e-Azizia at Humayun Nagar on Sunday as it threw open its doors for public, cutting across gender and religion, to take part in a free guided tour of the mosque. The aim was to familiarise people with the place of worship — starting with the wazu (ablution), azaan (call to prayer), salatul-Jumu’ah (Friday prayer) to performing daily namaz, among other things.
Apart from Muslims, the gathering included Hindus, Christians and even heritage experts from the city.
The Masjid-e-Azizia committee members along with Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and other volunteers organised the ‘discover masjid’ programme as part of the interfaith Eid Milap initiative that took place between 11 am to 1.30 pm. Speaking to TOI, Mateen Ahmed, supervising the arrangements, explained that the event stands as an opportunity for an interfaith understanding. “We wanted to show what we do in the masjid and other activities that we follow as part of our religion. This will show what we have in common and understand the meaning behind our practices,” Ahmed told TOI.
Irrespective of the religion, people visiting the mosque found the experience ‘insightful.’ “This experience is an eye-opener for many who misunderstand the religion. I believe communities connecting like this can eradicate issues of disharmony among people of different faiths,” Srinivas Rao, a businessman and resident of Masab Tank, said. Another participant, Rajyalakshmi, from Humayun Nagar, lauded the volunteers who conducted the tour seamlessly and by involving everyone. “They were very welcoming. Not just in ushering us but also in giving straight answers to questions,” she said. Heritage expert Anuradha Reddy, convenor of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) said she always wanted to visit and understand more about the activities that take place inside a mosque.
The 56-year-old Masjid-e-Azizia happens to be the fourth such mosque that had opened its doors and conducted a guided tour for non-Muslims. “This isn’t the only service that this mosque offers to non-Muslims. We also provide interest-free gold loans as collecting interest is banned in Islam. The mosque also houses a clinic that provides free consultation and discounted treatments that several non-Muslims avail,” Mateen said.