The Musa Khan Mosque is a

Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

, located in the southern part of

Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; , ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the capital city, capital and list of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh. It is one of the list of largest cities, largest and list o ...

, the capital of

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

. Built during the Mughal era, in the 18th century, the Mughal style mosque holds significant historical value and is named after Musa Khan the son of one of the most prominent

Baro-Bhuyan The ''Baro-Bhuyans'' (or ''Baro-Bhuyan Raj''; also ''Baro-Bhuians'' and ''Baro-Bhuiyans'') were confederacies of soldier-landowners in Assam and Bengal in the late Middle Ages and the early modern period. The confederacies consisted of loosel ...

s of medieval

Bengal Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...

Isa Khan Isa Khan (Middle Bengali: , 17 April 153629 August 1599) was one of 16th-century Baro-Bhuyan chieftains of Bengal. During his reign, he successfully unified the chieftains of Bengal and resisted the Mughal invasion of Bengal. It was only afte ...

. The mosque was founded by the grandson of Musa Khan, Diwan Munawar Khan. The three-domed mosque is currently situated in the

University of Dhaka The University of Dhaka (), also known as Dhaka University (DU), is a public university, public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 1921, it is the oldest active university in the country. The University of Dhaka w ...

campus, beside Shahidullah Hall and behind the Curzon Hall. The mosque is now under significant threat due to a metro-rail project of the government of Bangladesh and is included in the list of 75 structures that may face serious consequences due to the metro-rail.

Background

The land of Bengal in medieval age was used to be ruled by approximately twelve landlords who were popularly known as

in the history. Baro-Bhuyans were led by

, a Muslim Rajput commander who conducted a series of successful military campaigns and successfully resisted the Mughal invasion in Bengal till his death. His capital was situated in Sonargaon of

Narayanganj District Narayanganj District () is a district in central Bangladesh which is a part of Dhaka Division. It is the smallest district in Bangladesh. It is home to the ancient city of one of the oldest industrial districts in the country. The district lies on ...

. After his death in 1599, his son Musa Khan took over the control and continued his father's legacy to fight Mughals in the western and northern fronts but was eventually defeated by Mughal general Islam Khan I, and later became loyal to Mughals and served the

Mughal army The army of the Mughal Empire was the force by which the Mughal emperors established their empire in the 16th century and expanded it to its greatest extent at the beginning of the 18th century. Although its origins, like the Mughals themselve ...

during the Tripura campaign. Musa Khan died a natural death in 1623 and was buried in Dhaka. His grandson, Diwan Munawar Khan, in remembrance of his grandfather, built a mosque beside Musa Khan's grave.

Architecture

The mosque has three domes and it built on a vaulted platform of approximately high. The width of the platform varies from high. Under the platform there are series of rooms which are badly damaged. The top of the stage can be reached by an extended staircase on the southwestern corner. The mosque proper occupies the western half of the platform. The four octagonal corner

minaret A minaret is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generally used to project the Muslim call to prayer (''adhan'') from a muezzin, but they also served as landmarks and symbols of Islam's presence. They can h ...

s with extra towers by their sides rise above the flat fortifications and end in compact cabins with domes on the top.

Threat

The Mughal structure, which is one of the rarest one of the country, is under threat due to a metro-rail project located adjacent to the mosque. The structure is among 75 structures with historical importance that has fallen under threat due to the project.

Gallery

Musa Khan Mosque 17.jpg, Musa Khan's Mosque.jpg Mosque of Musa Kha.jpg চিত্র-২ মুসা খান মসজিদের পার্শ্ব দৃশ্য.jpg, চিত্র-৫ মুসা খান মসজিদের সম্মুখভাগ.jpg, মুসা খান মসজিদের ভিতরের সদর দরজা.jpg, Musa khan mosque inside view.jpg, ঐতিহাসিক মুসা খান মসজিদ 04.jpg চিত্র-১ মুসা খান মসজিদের সম্মুখভাগের সাইনবোর্ড.jpg Grave of Musa Khan in Curzon Hall compound, Dhaka University..jpg, Grave of Musa Khan at the north-east corner

References

External links