By Mumtaz Alam Falahi and Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net

Have you heard of a mosque where prayers are offered only three times a day instead of five times, a universal feature of a mosque? Yes, such a mosque exists in the heart of India – New Delhi. Strange. Isn’t it? But hold your breath for revelations ahead.

Offering prayer is not free at Mosque located inside Kotla Firoz Shah Fort in capital. A faithful from India has to pay Rs. 5 for entry into the fort premises, while foreigners have to pay Rs 100. But the government becomes a little generous for few hours on Friday when no fee is charged from devotees. By far, I hope, you must have got a clue that this does not seem to be a common mosque.

Kotla Firoz Shah Mosque now consists of remnants of its grand structure built in 1354. Then was the regime of Emperor Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351-1388). Crumbling to pieces under the watchful eyes of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Kotla Firoz Shah Mosque still attracts faithfuls and tourists. Namaz is being offered in this historical mosque for the last 35 years.The southern and western walls with the gateway today are what could be termed as the remains of the mosque. It was the largest of the seven mosques built in Delhi during the Tughlaq period.

Also known as Jami Masjid, the mosque is located just next to the Ashokan Pillar. The mosque was built of local quartzite stone. It is said that Timur visited the mosque to offer prayers in 1398. He was so impressed by its beauty that he erected a similar mosque at Samarkand, says amateur historian Nadeem Ahmad of New Delhi. Later in 1761, Emadul Mulk, the prime minister of the Mughal Emperor Alamgir Sani, murdered his emperor here, adds Nadeem talking to TwoCircles.net about the history of the mosque.
Famous religious scholars and sufis of earlier eras visited this mosque and taught here. Famous among them are Shah Waliullah, Mujaddid Alf Sani. Mosque had a madrasa and khanqah attached to it, serving the religious, educational, and spiritual needs of the Muslims of India.

A view of Jami Masjid at Kotla Firoz Shah

Talk to the imam of the mosque and he bursts out against the restrictions imposed by ASI on the use of mosque. The mosque has no proper prayer mats or other amenities, let alone roof even temporary, says Mohammad Taslimuddin who is leading prayers at the mosque since 1992. He, however, hopes that the mosque management will overcome the problems soon. Imam is supported by skeleton staff which consists of a Mauzzin and a cleaner appointed by the Delhi Wakf Board.