In the city of Ayodhya, where the ancient Sarayu river has witnessed centuries of human devotion, a significant structure is taking shape, what is being called the india's largest mosque. The irony is not lost on those observing from across the border in Pakistan, where the echoes of demolished Hindu temples, Sikh gurdwaras and even Ahmadiyya mosques still resonate in the collective memory of religious minorities. This moment demands that we, as Muslims, pause and reflect deeply on what our faith truly teaches about living in diverse societies and what constitutes genuine Islamic practice.
The great poet-philosopher Allama Muhammad Iqbal captured this tension beautifully in his verses when he wrote, "Masjid to bana di shab bhar mein imaan ki hararat walon ne, mann apna purana paapi hai, barson mein namazi ban na saka" (The mosque was built overnight by those burning with faith's fervor, but my heart remains the same old sinner, unable to become a true worshipper even in years). These words pierce through the facade of our religious pretensions and force us to confront an uncomfortable truth the construction of grand mosques means nothing if our hearts remain unconquered by the true spirit of Islam.
When we examine the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), we find a remarkable blueprint for living in pluralistic societies. The Constitution of Medina, drafted by the Prophet himself, stands as history's first written constitution guaranteeing religious freedom and equal citizenship rights. This document declared that Muslims, Jews, Christians and polytheists of Medina formed one Ummah (community), with each group free to practice their religion without interference.
The Quran itself establishes the foundation for this pluralism: "There is no compulsion in religion" (2:256). This verse is not merely a suggestion but a divine commandment that has profound implications for how Muslims should conduct themselves in multi-faith societies. Allah further instructs in Surah Al-Kafirun: "To you, your religion and to me, mine" (109:6), establishing clear boundaries of religious autonomy and mutual respect.
During the Prophet's time, when a delegation of Christians from Najran visited Medina, he allowed them to pray in his mosque according to their Christian rites. Imagine that the Prophet of Islam inviting Christians to worship in the first mosque of Medina! This wasn't weakness or compromise, it was the confidence of authentic faith that doesn't feel threatened by the religious practices of others.
Yet today, in nations like Pakistan that were created in Islam's name, we witness the painful contradiction between Islamic teachings and Islamic practice. Temples are demolished, churches are attacked and even mosques of minority Muslim sects face destruction. The Ahmadiyya and Shia communities, regardless of theological disputes, faces systematic persecution. Hindu temples that stood for centuries have been reduced to rubble and Sikh gurdwaras have been converted or demolished with impunity. (22:39-40).
The Quran explicitly mentions that Allah protects not just mosques, but monasteries, churches and synagogues. The religion of Islam positions itself as the guardian of all houses of worship, not their destroyer. When Muslims in Pakistan demolish temples or convert gurdwaras, they act in direct contradiction to Quranic guidance.
Some Muslims mistakenly believe that secularism is anti-Islamic, when in reality, the Islamic principle of religious freedom aligns perfectly with secular governance that treats all citizens equally regardless of faith. The Prophet's Medina was functionally a secular state where people of different faiths had equal rights under the law.
Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab (R.A) known for his strict adherence to Islamic law, exemplified this when he conquered Jerusalem. He refused to pray inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, fearing that future Muslims might use his prayer as a pretext to convert it into a mosque. Think about that level of sensitivity and foresight a conqueror protecting the religious rights of the conquered.
The Quran commands Muslims: "O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even if it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin" (4:135). Justice is not conditional upon the religion of those affected. When minorities face injustice in Muslim-majority nations, we are Quranically obligated to stand with them, even if it means standing against our own community's prejudices.
Dr. Iqbal's poetry resonates even more powerfully today. We have become a people obsessed with the external manifestations of faith while neglecting its internal essence. We build magnificent mosques while our hearts remain far from Allah's teachings. We perform five daily prayers while treating our non-Muslim neighbors with contempt or indifference.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The best among you are those who have the best character and manners" (Sahih Bukhari). He didn't say the best are those who build the most mosques or pray the longest prayers. Character, ethics and conduct toward others, these are the true measures of faith.
In another hadith, the Prophet stated: "A person whose neighbors are not safe from his wrongdoing will not enter Paradise". Notice that it says "neighbors," not "Muslim neighbors." In our diverse societies, our neighbors are Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and people of all faiths and none. If we cannot treat them with justice and kindness, our mosques and prayers are hollow rituals.
The construction of the India's largest mosque in Ayodhya by the Indian government, despite the complex history surrounding the Babri Masjid, should be a moment of reflection for Muslims everywhere. Here is a secular, Hindu-majority nation building a grand mosque, while in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, minorities struggle to maintain existing places of worship.
This isn't about praising one nation over another, but about forcing ourselves to examine where we've gone wrong. Have we become so consumed with grievances that we have forgotten our own responsibilities? Have we demanded rights for ourselves that we deny to others?
The Quran asks: "Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture?" (2:44). Here we need to see how Pakistan treats its Hindu, Sikh, Christian and Ahmadi or Shia minorities. Islam came as a mercy to all humanity "We have sent you not except as a mercy to the worlds" (21:107). How can we claim to follow a religion of mercy while showing none to those who differ from us in belief?
True Islamic revival doesn't begin with constructing more mosques but with reconstructing our understanding of faith.
Government in Pakistan and elsewhere must engage in serious introspection. Before they criticize others, they must examine their own conduct. Before they demand mosques in india, they must ask whether they are practicing what mosques are meant to teach them. As Dr. Iqbal reminded us, the purpose of the mosque is to transform the worshipper, not to serve as a monument to our piety. A mosque built on injustice, on land taken from others, on the ruins of someone else's sacred space such a structure may have minarets reaching the sky, but its foundation is spiritually corrupt.
The India's largest mosque in Ayodhya should inspire Muslims not with jealousy or territorial possessiveness, but with a commitment to embody the values that mosques represent justice, compassion, humility and respect for all of Allah's creation.
Let us remember the words of the Prophet: "None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself" (Sahih Bukhari). Our brothers and sisters include all of humanity. Until we can genuinely wish for others the religious freedom and respect we desire for ourselves, our mosques—no matter how grand—are empty shells and our Islam is incomplete.
The greater jihad, as the Prophet taught, is the struggle against our own egos, prejudices and selfishness. That is the mosque we must build within our own hearts.