7th Century Mosque Built in Hijri 69 found in Lalmonirhat, Bangladesh

[VognoDuut 234]

Ruins of ancient Harano Masjid found in Lalmonirhat
LALMONIRHAT, Nov 16:-The ruins of a most ancient mosque, `Harano Masjid' were
found in a village under the district following excavation of the site where
the construction of a new mosque is now progressing, reports BSS.
The 'Harano Masjid', still under the ground, was discovered 17 years back in
village Ramdas under Panchagram union Parishad of Sadar upazila, is situated
about 14 kilometres off south-east of Lalmonirhat town and only two kilometres
away from the Rangpur-Kurigram road from Barobari point.
The historians and researchers reached the conclusion that it is the first
mosque built in the Sub-continent in the 69 Hijri year. The researchers found
that the `Harano Masjid' was built after 61 years of building the Koanta mosque
in the Chinese port city of Canton on the bank of the river Koanta in the Hijri
year of 8.
Locals said that the ruins of the mosque were first found in 1986 during
clearing of the jungle areas there to make the land arable. The area was
earlier known as' Mosder Ara' locally meaning that a deep forest containing a
mosque of ancient times. It was not known to the local people till 1986 that
there was a mosque.
In fact, they could not comprehend what `Mosder Ara' really meant for though
they knew the place as like as their forefathers. Now, they understand that
`Mosder' means mosque and `Ara' means a jungle or deep forest. The place was a
dense and fearful forest for centuries, full of wild animals like tigers,
poisonous snakes, foxes and other animals. Nobody entered the jungle till 1986
out of fear.
But, the locals said that in course of time, the mosque sank into the earth
long ago beyond the knowledge of anybody and a mound developed there under a
big `Sheora' tree, perhaps following an earthquake.
According to Imam of a local mosque Ayub Ali, 40, and elderly in the area,
there was a very big `Paikor', tree on about an acre of land there in the
jungle covering the whole area of the mosque long ago.
Hundreds of families were evicted from their lands during the British rule when
construction of Lalmonirhat Airport at Lalmonirhat town was going on for the
use of the British Air Force during the second World War.
The evicted families went to the nearby areas of village `Mosder Ara' for
resettlement there. In course of time, the deep forest was gradually reduced in
area with construction of houses. Some people or their forefathers had bought
two acres of land including the Ara of the then untraced mosque some decades
ago there.
The very big tree was also sold and the two acres of land were divided into
three equal parts among the owners of the land in 1985. The portion of the land
containing the untraced underground ancient mosque went to the share of one
Omar Ali of the village who sold his part to one Shamsul Haque.
During the clearing of the jungle in 1986, the ruins of an ancient building
were found while digging the land. One Ayub Ali (presently, Imam of the mosque)
then got six pieces of special size bricks with hand works on those. Other
people and labourers also took away bricks, thousands in number after digging
the area.
The bricks found by Ayub Ali had some inscriptions on them. Kalema Taiyeba `La
Elaha Ellallahu Muhammadur Rasullullah, 69 Hijri year' were inscribed in Arabic
on some of those bricks. Some other stones also bore inscriptions of flowers.
Local people then informed the journalists and researchers of their finds in
the beginning of 1987.
Hundreds of people including Islamic researchers and historians started
flocking there and became sure of an ancient mosque at the site which was built
in the 69 Hijri year (690 AD). The surrounding areas were partially dug then
and local people found huge ruins of minarets and other structures which were
built only for a mosque. There had been a number of miraculous incidents in the
village concerning the power of the `Harano Masjid'.
They also confirmed that the Harano Masjid at village Ramdas was built by those
Sahaba-E-Kerams in the Hijri saying that the Almighty has blessed the people of
the present time to know about the `Harano Masjid' which means a lost mosque'.
While talking to News agency recently in the mosque premises, Imam Ayub Ali,
40, said that an 11-member" 69 Hijri Harano Masjid complex committee" was
formed on April 12, 1993 with Dr Shah Muhammad Emdadul Haque as its president.
After his death, Motahar Hossain Chowdhury is carrying the responsibility as
the new President along with its secretary Muhammad Nuruzzaman Bosunia. The
committee has opened a visitor's book there on the same day on April 12, 1993
which has already been signed by thousands of visitors both from home and
abroad.
The committee has planned to rebuild the `Harano Masjid,' to establish a
Madrasha, one Islamic Library, a research centre, a Musafirkhana, an orphanage
with 100 seat capacity on the mosque premises.
Reconstruction and renovation works of the mosque had started some four years
ago. The ancient brick samples have been sent abroad for examinations.
Many people both from home and abroad have donated funds and other assistances
to assist the committee.
The Imam told that local MP and Deputy Minister for Relief and Disaster
Management Principal Asadul Habib Dulu along with State Minister for religious
Affairs Mossarref Hossain Shahjahan MP, visited the mosque site on June 5,
2003. They discussed with the committee members and they assured them of all
possible cooperation to reconstruct the mosque and other complexes there on 62
decimals of land as soon as possible. ( BSS)