20 FAMOUS MOSQUES IN PAKISTAN

1. Faisal Mosque, Islamabad.

Faisal Mosque is the mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan. Located on the foothills of Margalla Hills in Islamabad, the mosque features a contemporary design consisting of eight sides of concrete shell and is inspired by a Bedouin tent.The mosque is a major tourist attraction, and is referred as a contemporary and influential feature of Islamic architecture.

Construction of the mosque began in 1976 after a $120 million grant from Saudi King Faisal, whose name the mosque bears. The unconventional design by Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay was selected after an international competition.Without a typical dome, the mosque is shaped like a Bedouin tent, surrounded by four 260 feet (79 m) tall minarets. The design features eight-sided shell shaped sloping roofs forming a triangular worship hall which can hold 10,000 worshippers, while the surrounding porticoes and the courtyard up-to 200,000 more.

Combined the structure cover an area of 54,000 square ft, the mosque dominates the landscape of Islamabad.It is situated at the north end of Faisal Avenue, putting it at the northernmost end of the city and at the foot of Margalla Hills, the westernmost foothills of the Himalayas. It is located on an elevated area of land against a picturesque backdrop of the national park. The largest mosque in Pakistan, the Faisal Mosque was the largest mosque in the world from 1986 until 1993, when it was overtaken by mosques in MENA region. Faisal Mosque is now the fourth largest mosque in terms of capacity. 

2. Badshahi Mosque, Lahore.

The Badshahi Mosque or Imperial Mosque) is a Mughal era mosque in Lahore, capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab.The mosque is located west of Lahore Fort along the outskirts of the Walled City of Lahore.The mosque is widely considered to be one of Lahore's most iconic landmarks.

Badshahi Mosque was commissioned by Emperor Aurangzeb in 1671, with construction of the mosque lasting for two years until 1673. The mosque is an important example of Mughal architecture, with an exterior that is decorated with carved red sandstone with marble inlay. Upon completion, it became world's largest mosque and remained so for 313 years until the expansion of Prophet's Mosque.It remains the largest and most recent of the grand imperial mosques of the Mughal-era, and is the second-largest mosque in Pakistan.After the fall of the Mughal Empire, the mosque was used as a garrison by the Sikh Empire and the British Empire, but is now one of Pakistan's most iconic sights.

3. Wazir Khan Mosque

The Wazir Khan Mosque 17th century mosque located in the city of Lahore, capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab. The mosque was commissioned during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as part of an ensemble of buildings that also included the nearby Shahi Hammambaths. Construction of Wazir Khan Mosque began in 1634 C.E., and was completed in 1641.

Considered to be the most ornately decorated Mughal-era mosque,Wazir Khan Mosque is renowned for its intricate faience tile work known as kashi-kari, as well as its interior surfaces that are almost entirely embellished with elaborate Mughal-era frescoes. The mosque has been under extensive restoration since 2009 under the direction of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and the Government of Punjab,with contributions from the governments of Germany, Norway, and the United States.

4. Shah Jahan Mosque

The Shah Jahan Mosque also known as the Jamia Masjid of Thatta is a 17th century building that serves as the central mosque for the city of Thatta, in the Pakistani province of Sindh. The mosque was built during the reign of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who bestowed it to the city as a token of gratitude.The mosque is considered to have the most elaborate display of tile work in South Asia,and is also notable for its geometric brick work - a decorative element that is unusual for Mughal-period mosques

5. Masjid e Tooba

Masjid e Tooba or Tooba Mosque is in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, and is locally known as the Gol Masjid. 

Masjid e Tooba was built in 1969 in Defence Housing Society Karachi, Karachi. It is just off main Korangi Road. Masjid e Tooba is often claimed to be the largest single-dome mosque in the world. It is also major tourist attraction in Karachi. Masjid e Tooba is built with pure white marble. The dome is 72 meters (236 feet) in diameter and is balanced on a low surrounding wall with no central pillars. Masjid e Tooba has a single minaret standing 70 meters high. The mosque is the 18th largest in the world with the central prayer hall having a capacity of 5,000 people.

It was built keeping acoustics in mind. A person speaking inside one end of the dome can be heard at the other end. This mosque was designed by Pakistani architect Dr Babar Hamid Chauhan and the engineer was Zaheer Haider Naqvi. 

6. Mahabat Khan Masjid, Peshawar

The Mohabbat Khan Mosque is a 17th-century mosque in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It is named after the Mughal governor of Peshawar Nawab Mahabat Khan bin Ali Mardan Khan, known as Mahabat Khan and Ali Mardan Khan, who served under Emperors Shah Jehan and Aurangzeb and who was the grandson of Nawab Dadan Khan (a former governor of Lahore). The name of the Masjid and the governor who built is often mispronounced as 'Muhabbat Khan' ('Love Khan') by the public majority instead of the correct pronunciation 'Mahabat Khan' ('Awe-inspiring Khan').

The Mosque was built in 1630. Its open courtyard has a centrally-located ablution pool and a single row of rooms lining the exterior walls. The prayer hall, flanked by two tall minarets, occupies the west side. According to the turn-of-the-century Gazetteer for Pakhtunkhwa.

The minarets of the Mohabbat Khan Mosque were frequently used in Sikh times (especially that of Ranjit Singh) `as a substitute for the gallows’.

The interior of the prayer hall is sheltered beneath three low, fluted domes and is eloquently painted with floral and geometric designs. 

7. Grand Jamia Mosque, Lahore

Grand Jamia Mosque Lahore is a mosque located in Bahria Town, Lahore, Pakistan. With a capacity of 70,000 worshippers, it is the third largest mosque in Pakistan and the seventh largest mosque in the world.

Designed by Nayyar Ali Dada, it was inaugurated on Eid al-Adha on 6 October 2014. It can accommodate 25,000 worshipers indoors, while the courtyard and corridor leading to the main halls of worship can accommodate a total of 70,000.The architecture is influenced by Badshahi Masjid, Wazir Khan Mosque and Sheikh Zayed Mosque, with construction costs of over 4 billion rupees (or approximately $39 million).

The structure comprises four minarets, each 165 ft tall, and a grand dome, which is surrounded by 20 smaller domes. The exterior is surfaced with 4 million handmade Multani tiles. The interior is decorated with custom-made carpets imported from Turkey and over 50 chandeliers imported from Iran. One of the floors consists of an Islamic heritage museum displaying rare Quranic collections, an Islamic library and also an Islamic art gallery with various antique artifacts.Over four million Multanihandcrafted mosaic tiles cover the surface area of the mosque. 

8. Bhong Mosque, Rahim Yar Khan

Bhong Mosque is located in the village of Bhong, Sadiqabad Tehsil, Rahim Yar Khan District, Southern Punjab Pakistan. It was designed and constructed over a period of nearly 50 years (1932–1982) and won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1986. The construction of the Masjid (Mosque) was under control of Master Abdul Hameed (kamboh) who worked relentlessly hard for the mosque to make sure it was exquisite and a landmark for Pakistan.^[1] A postage stamp depicting it was issued on May 12, 2004 in Pakistan.

9. Moti Masjid Lahore Fort

Moti Masjid of the "Pearl Mosques", is a 17th-century religious building located inside the Lahore Fort. It is a small, white marble structure built by Mughal emperor Jahangir, and is among his prominent extensions (such as Sheesh Mahal and Naulakha pavilion) to the Lahore Fort Complex.^[1] The mosque is located on the western side of Lahore Fort, closer to Alamgiri Gate, the main entrance.

10. Eid gah Mosque Multan

The Shahi Eid Gah Mosque is an early 18th-century mosque located in the Pakistanicity of Multan, in southern Punjab.

located on the main Multan-Lahore highway in the Northeast of the oldest part of the city. The mosque is adjacent to the 20th century Sufi shrine of Ahmad Saeed Kazmi.

The mosque was built in 1735 AD by Khokhar family and Nawab Abdul Samad Khan and when he was the Mughal governor of Multan. After independence it was found insufficient to accommodate the increased number of people so its courtyard was enlarged further. 

11. Shah Jahan Mosque Thata

The Shah Jahan Mosque also known as the Jamia Masjid of Thatta is a 17th century building that serves as the central mosque for the city of Thatta, in the Pakistani province of Sindh. The mosque was built during the reign of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who bestowed it to the city as a token of gratitude. The mosque is considered to have the most elaborate display of tile work in South Asia, and is also notable for its geometric brick work - a decorative element that is unusual for Mughal-period mosques.

12. Dai Anga mosque Lahore

Dai Anga Mosque is a mosque situated to southeast of the Lahore Railway Station, in the city of Lahorein Pakistan's Punjab province. The mosque is said to have been built in 1635 in honour of the wetnurse of the MughalEmperor Shah Jahan, Dai Anga.The mosque was said to have been built in 1635, however, the inscription in the mosque is said to date it to 1649 Under Sikh rule, the mosque was used as a military magazine under the rule of Ranjit Singh.During the British Raj, the mosque was converted into railway administration offices.

13. Jhelum cantonment mosque

CMH Mosque or DIV Headquarters Mosque or simply DIV Masjid is a beautiful Jamia mosque in Jhelum Cantt, Pakistan.This mosque is adjacent to CMH Jhelum. Its foundation was laid by General Muhammad Ayub Khan on March 21, 1950 and opening ceremony was headed by Governor of Punjab Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar. It has capacity to occupy more than 25,000 people at a time.

During British rule Jhelum was chosen as the site of a cantonment and as the headquarters of the civil administration. For some years it was the seat of the Commissioner of the Division, but in 1859 his headquarters were transferred to Rawalpindi. Under British rule Jhelum has steadily advanced in prosperity; and it is the entrepôt for most of the trade of the District, though, since the completion of the Sind-Sāgar branch of the North-Western Railway; the salt trade no longer passes through it. It is an important timber dépôt, the timber from the Kashmir forests which is floated down the river being collected here. A good deal of boat-building is carried on. The cantonment, which is three miles from the civil station, contains the church and post office. The normal strength of the garrison is one Native cavalry and four Native infantry regiments. The municipality was founded 1867. During the ten years ending 1902-03 the receipts averaged Rs. 32,100, and the expenditure Rs, 31,900. Receipts and expenditure from cantonment funds in the same period averaged Rs. 31,900 and Rs. 6,100 respectively. The chief income of the municipality in 1903-04 was Rs.34,200 chiefly from octroi; and the expenditure was Rs. 41,000. The town has two Anglo vernacular schools, a municipal high school, and a middle school maintained by the American Presbyterian Mission. Besides the civil hospital, the mission also maintains a hospital.^[1] The mission hospital was opened for women and children under the leadership of Winifred Heston in 1910.

During the Indian Rebellion of 1857 35 British soldiers of HM XXIV regiment were killed by the local resistance. A lectern inside St. John's Church Jhelum the church shows the names of those 35 soldiers. St. John's Church is located in Jhelum cantonment Pakistan beside the river Jhelum. It was built in 1860 and is a landmark of the city. It is a Protestant church and was in use during the British period. For forty years it remained closed. Now it has been renovated and opened and almost in good condition. 

14. Chitral shahi mosque

Shahi Masjid of Chitral was built in 1924. It was built by Shujaul Mulk, the Mehtar of Chitral (1895 – 1936).

The Shahi Masjid Chitral is the main mosque in the town of Chitral. It is located on the bank of the Chitral river adjacent to the Chitral Forte. It was the principal mosque of Chitral at the time of the existence of the State of Chitral.

15. Bolan mosque Quetta

Situated in the CDS area of Quetta, this mosque e is the true reflection of the Islamic sophistication and serenity of the religion.

In 1876 Quetta was incorporated into British controlled territories of the subcontinent. British Troops constructed the infrastructure for their establishment as it was a strategic location. By the time of the earthquake on 31 May 1935 Quetta had developed into a bustling city with a number of multistory buildings and was known as "Little Paris" because of that. The epicenter of the earthquake was close to the city and destroyed most of the city’s infrastructure and killed an estimated 40,000 people

16. Mir landhi mosque Sindh

The mosque is situated in the newly established village Hathi Khan which had no masjid previously. .... Masjid Hazrat Abuzar Ghaffari R.A Village Mir Hazar Khanzad Khail (Dagar Kallay) Kherokhail.

17. Baitul mukarram Mosque darululoom Karachi

             Baitul Mukarram Mosque is located at Jamia Darul uloom Karachi.

Jamia Darul Uloom Karachi is an Islamic seminary located in Karachi, Pakistan. It continues the tradition of the Darul uloom system initiated by Darul Uloom Deoband. It was started by the late Mufti Muhammad Shafi and Maulana Noor Ahmad in 1951.He was previously associated with Darul Uloom Deoband, where he also served as the Grand Mufti, but moved to Pakistan following independence in 1947. The President of Darul Uloom Karachi is the Grand Mufti of Pakistan, Muhammad Rafi Usmani; the Vice President is Muhammad Taqi Usmani. Both are the children of the founder. Its near ogo water technologies.

18. Sakina-tu-Sghra Mosque Muzaffargarh

Muzaffargarh has so many worth seeing places and this master pieced Sakina-Tu-Sughra Mosque has complete elements to attract people, located  in a very small village of Kotla Reham Ali Shah,Tehsil Jatoi in the district of Muzaffargarh, Southern Punjab Pakistan. This beautiful mosque was founded by Dr. Ismail Bukhari and construction of the mosque was carried out by specialists gathered from Turkey.

19. Boat shaped mosque Karachi

Located in the Dhobi Ghat area near Lyari nadi of Karachi, Masjid e Safina looks like a boat. The building of the mosque resembles a huge boat. This beautiful mosque was constructed in 7 years with a cost of about 47.5 million rupees. This whole amount was donated by the general public and the locals of the area. The mosque is as beautiful from the inside as it is from the outside. This unique and beautiful piece of architecture has become the identity of the area.

20. Lal Masjid Islamabad

The Lal Masjid was built in 1965 and is named for its red walls and interiors. According to Capital Development Authority(CDA) records, the Lal Masjid is one of the oldest Mosques in Islamabad. Maulana Muhammad Abdullah was appointed its first imam. Abdullah was critical of all governments except Zia's with whom he was very close. General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq had very close relationship with Maulana Muhammad Abdullah, the former head of the mosque. During the Soviet war in Afghanistan (1979–1989), the Red Mosque played a major role in recruiting and training mujahideen to fight with the Afghan mujahideen. Throughout its existence, it has enjoyed patronage from influential members of the government, prime ministers, army chiefs, and presidents. Several thousand male and female students live in adjacent seminaries.

After Maulana Muhammad Abdullah was assassinated in 1998, his sons Abdul Aziz and Abdul Rashid took over the mosque, making it a centre for hardline teaching and open opposition to the government. Abdul Aziz remained the official khateeb (sermon giver) of the mosque until he was removed in 2005 for issuing a controversial fatwa stating no Pakistani Army officer could be given an Islamic burial if died fighting the Taliban.

The plot on which Lal Masjid was built was allotted by CDA. With the passage of time, the mosque administration encroached the surrounding area and a large complex-like a fort was constructed. Due to influence and the strong connections Lal Masjid has with the government high officials, the CDA remained unable to get the encroached land vacated until late 2006. In early 2007, CDA issued a vacation notice. Aziz and Rashid initiated the move by taking over the Children Library located nearby by using the female student force. These students were motivated in the name of religion and thus the visible conflict started. All this was to force the government to come to some compromise.