By Mohd Rehan Ansari, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: When you are in a hurry and also don’t want to miss the Traveeh, Special Namaz prayed after Isha in the night during Ramazan, then there is only one option and that is the Hamidiya Masjid in Pydhonie, a commercial hub in South Mumbai.
More than 100 years old, Hamidiya Masjid is best suited for Mumbaikars where time is important and people are busy travelling from suburb to city for their work and then rush to home in the night after a tidy day. Sharique Ahmed, a resident of Mumbra, nearly 60 kilometer from city, has to come in the city to earn his livelihood. He Said, “I had to rush to catch the train at 9.45 p.m. and I have only one option i.e. offering Traveeh in Hamidyah Masjid and reach home early.”
Hamidiyah Masjid offers 2 traveeh prayers, one at 8.50 pm that ends at 9.30 pm and another begins at 11.00 pm.
Hafiz and Qari Yusuf, in his late seventies, is leading a Traveeh prayer here since 1960. He was a teacher in Anjuman-e-Islam Urdu School situated opposite Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus Railway station from 1960 to 1976. He also used to recite Quran for Akashvani Radio on Eidul Fitr and Eidul Azha and was awarded for his excellent voice and Qirat. Remembering the old days he said, “I was in my teens when I started leading the prayer here. People are very co-operative and respect Ulemas very much in Mumbai.”
Qari Yusuf is highly respected in Mumbai. He leads Namaz in the four different mosques of South Mumbai and comes to lead Isha and Traveeh Prayer in Hamidiyah Masjid throughout Ramzan. He also leads the Namz of Eid and Eidul Azha in YMCA playground in Mumbai Central. He said, “Muslims should catch hold of Al-Quran, the words of God and the Sunnah, the teaching of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that’s the only way for success here and hereafter.”
Pydhoni Police station is situated just opposite the mosque and the staff takes care of security of the mosque. CCTV camera is installed here and it’s being monitored by the Senior Police Inspector. “After Masjid gets packed up Namazis offer the Traveeh on the road and that’s possible only with the help of Police” said Usman Patel, the Managing Trustee.
Hamidiyah Masjid is situated at a very distinct place. It is at the crossroad where on one side there is a Muslim locality and the Hindus live on the other side of the mosque. It’s surrounded by 5 Temples and a great example of communal harmony. Usman Patel, Managing Trustee said, “During and after the 1992 riots this place was very safe and no untoward incidents took place here. In fact after 1992-93 when electricity of the mosque went off, trustees of Temple situated near the mosque provided us the electricity and helped us to offer Namaz peacefully.” He also added that the trustees of the mosque and temple are in agreement that at the time of Namaz, temple will not allow ringing of bell.
Hamidiyah Masjid is built in 1880 by Haji Mohammed Kasam and his family and Abdul Hamid the then governor of Mumbai facilitated the land for the mosque therefore it was named after him as Hamidiyah Masjid. “It was a pond before the mosque where people used to wash their feet to go to the temples and that’s how this area is called Pydhoni. Abdul Hamid Sahab helped the trust to get the land and finally the Hamidiyah Masjid came into existence” concluded Usman Patel.