Mosques in Telangana serve as the religious place of Muslim community and also the tourist attractions. Some of the mosques and dargas are Toli Masjid, Mian Mishk Masjid, Khairtabad Mosque, Spanish Mosque, Koh e Qaim, Hayat Bakshi Mosque and many other mosques. These mosques and the Muslim religious places are concentrated in and around Hyderabad, which is now the capital of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. These mosques are built during the time of Muslim rule in India and Nizam rule in Hyderabad. During the rule of Golconda Sultanate, some of the mosques are built with grandeur of Mughal and post Mughal art.
Toli Masjid
Toli Masjid is also known as Damri Masjid. This mosque is located in Karwan, Hyderabad. Toli Masjid is about 2 kilometres from the Golconda fort on the way to Charminar, another tourist attraction of Hyderabad. Toli Masjid was built by Mir Musa Khan Mahaldar during the region of Abdullah Qutb Shah in the year 1088 (from Muslim Calendar). This mosque is INTACH awarded and a declared heritage site by Archaeological Survey of India. On scale of architecture, Toli Mosque ranks next after Mecca Masjid of Hyderabad. Toli Masjid was built by Mir Musa Khan Mahaldar in 1671 AD during the rule of Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah. It is one of the finest examples of Qutub Shahi architecture. He used architect Mecca Masjid of Hyderabad and royal architect of Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah.
Mian Mishk Masjid
Mian Mishk Masjid is an old mosque located in Hyderabad. It is located near Purana Pul. It was built during the reign of Qutb Shahi period in the 17th Century by Mian Mishk, a noble of Abdullah Qutb Shah, the Sixth King of Golconda. It has a garam hamam, which offers a hot bath, complying with the Islamic principle of hygiene and purification. It is among the 137 heritage list of Hyderabad Urban Development Authority, but is not part of Archaeological Survey of India.
Khairtabad Mosque
Khairtabad Mosque is in the town of Khairatabad, Telangana. Today Khairtabad is a well-known locality built around the mosque. The area had become a major business and IT hub of Hyderabad. Khairtabad Mosque was built by Khairunisa Begum in 1626 AD, also known as Ma Saheba, daughter of VI Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah (1612-1626 AD). The daughter of VI Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah built the mosque for her tutor Akhund Mulla Abul Malik. There is an empty domed building adjacent to the mosque. The reason for its being devoid of any grave is that it was built by Akhund for self burial; as he died during his pilgrimage to Haj in Mecca, the dome remains vacant. Khairunisa Begum asked his son-in-law Hazrat Hussain Shah Wali to build a palace, a mosque and a tank for the princess. The tank later became famous as Hussain Sagar, built in the northern boundary of Khairtabad. Khairatabad Mosque was designed and constructed by Hussain Shah Wali. Khairatabad Mosque has a three-arch opening in front. The slim minarets of Khairatabad Mosque have lot of decorative work and the Jali (net) work is worth seeing. The architecture of Khairatabad Mosque presents perfect harmony from bottom to top. The chief praying hall is on a raised platform.
Spanish Mosque
Spanish Mosque in Telangana is also known as Masjid Iqbal Ud Daula or Aiwan-E-Begumpet. This is a mosque located in Begumpet, which is in Hyderabad. Begumpet is located in Telangana. Spanish Mosque in Telangana was constructed by Paigah Nawab, Nawab Sir Iqbal Ud Daula in the year 1906, after his return from Spain, as he was very much inspired by the Cathedral-Mosque of Cordoba. The exterior and interior of the Spanish Mosque is mostly similar to the Cathedral-Mosque of Cordoba in Spain and Jama Masjid of Gulbarga in Karnataka. It shows state-of-the-art interiors and architecture of both Spanish and Indian architecture. Spanish Mosque in Telangana is also known as the Mosque of the Moors, due to its unique Hispanic (Moorish) style of architecture and is said to be one-of-its-kind in India. The stand-out feature is the spires instead of the usual minarets or domes; they give this mosque a church-like appearance.
Koh e Qaim
Koh e Qaim is a medieval mosque located in Hyderabad, the capital of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It is dedicated to the last of The Twelve Imams of Shia Islam, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Mahd. Kohe Qaim is an ordained summit of Imam al Mahdi. It was founded in the early 19th century by Molavi Abbas Ali Sharif from the lineage of Imam Hassan ibn Ali. According to historical legend, Molavi Abbas Ali Sharif dreamed of the place, and came to it after much toil. When Molavi Abbas Ali Sharif was about to climb through the present day entrance, he was confronted by a celestial being, who appeared as an Arab. The Arab asked him to take off his footwear. He followed this instruction, and while taking off his footwear, wondered where the Arab could have appeared from in this wilderness of Hyderabad. Once barefoot, Molavi Abbas Ali Sharif was astonished to see no sign of the Arab and the sheep who had been with him.
Hayat Bakshi Mosque
Hayat Bakshi Mosque is also Hayat Bakshi Begum Masjid or Hayathnagar Grand Mosque. This mosque is located in Hayathnagar, near Hyderabad. Hayat Bakshi Mosque was constructed in the year 1672 during the reign of Abdullah Qutb Shah the fifth Sultan of Golconda. Hayat Bakshi Mosque is built in typical Qutub Shahi architecture; with the Sarai, a rest house for the weary travellers. The facade features five arches, two minarets as well as a frieze and parapet which runs around the twelve-sided arcaded galleries protruding from the corner minarets. The prayer hall is set on a raised platform. Toward the eastern side of the platform and below the mosque is an ablution tank. The large complex occupies nearly 5 acres. The caravan Sarai (rest house) is a 150 meters by 130 meters courtyard. This guest house is said to have 130 rooms. "Hathi Bawli" which is located near the mosque, is a very large well for spiritual reasons. It is located at about north-east of the mosque.
Mecca Masjid
Mecca Masjid or Makkah Masjid is one of the oldest mosques in Hyderabad, capital city of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. And it is one of the largest mosques in India. Makkah Masjid or Mecca Masjid is a listed heritage building in the old city of Hyderabad, close to the historic landmarks of Chowmahalla Palace, Laad Bazaar, and Charminar. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, bought the bricks to be made from the soil brought from Mecca, the holiest site of Islam. These bricks were used by them in the construction of the central arch of the mosque, thus giving the mosque its name. It formed the centre-piece around which the city was planned by Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah.
