At a weekend symposium in Nampally, Islamic scholars and intellectuals called for pivoting away from treating mosques purely as prayer halls, advocating instead for their return as vibrant hubs for local governance, women’s empowerment, and civic literacy.
By Vaseemunnisa
Hyderabad: The visual landscape of Old Hyderabad is permanently tethered to its historic mosques – structures that for centuries have defined its skyline, its auditory rhythms, and its spiritual pulse. Yet, a growing chorus of voices within the city’s intelligentsia is asking a fundamental question: Has the modern mosque sequestered itself from the day-to-day realities of the very community it anchors?
On Saturday evening, immediately following the Maghrib prayers, the Nehru Auditorium at the Medina Education Centre in Nampally became the crucible for this introspection. Hundreds of mutawallis (mosque managers), Islamic scholars, and civil society members gathered for a consultation titled “The Role of Mosques in the Development and Construction of Society,” jointly organised by the Shaheen Group of Institutions and its Women’s Wing. The consensus was unambiguous: it is time to look beyond the minarets.
Revisiting the Prophetic Blueprint
The baseline argument of the evening was rooted not in modernisation, but in historical reclamation. Delivering the presidential address, Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, President of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, drew upon the civic architecture of early Islamic history.
“During the era of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the mosque was not an isolated sanctuary open only during prayer times,” Maulana Rahmani reminded the gathering. “It was a living, breathing Markaz – a central civic square where community disputes were mediated, educational policy was formed, and social welfare programs were executed right from morning till the late hours after Isha.”
Speakers argued that over generations, institutional rigidity has narrowed this expansive role, reducing the mosque to a temporal space for individual worship rather than a platform for collective social transformation.
A Five-Point Civic Manifestation
The symposium stood out for its pragmatic departure from abstract theology, outlining a concrete, five-point blueprint aimed at integrating the mosque into contemporary community development:
Socio-Legal Support & Family Welfare: The forum advocated for transforming mosques into local counselling cells. Beyond hosting simple, solemn Nikahs, mosques are envisioned as institutional spaces offering pre-marital counselling, dispute resolution, and structured guidance on modern family dynamics.
Decentralised Social Action: Recognising that micro-localities (mohallas) bear the brunt of urban poverty, speakers urged mosque committees to maintain active registries of the destitute within their jurisdiction, turning the place of worship into a primary centre for local grievance redressal.
Democratic and Civic Literacy: In a highly significant secular-civic push, the panel noted that Imams and Muezzins must actively encourage neighbourhood voter registration. Ensuring every citizen has access to electoral rolls and government welfare schemes was framed as a religious and civic obligation.
Inclusion of Women: Addressing a historical gap in the subcontinental mosque infrastructure, the resolution placed heavy emphasis on establishing dedicated, dignified prayer and assembly spaces for women with proper Pardah facilities, validating their role in community leadership.
Democratic Classrooms: To counter the lack of quiet, safe study spaces in congested urban pockets, the symposium suggested keeping mosques accessible outside prayer hours as reading rooms and educational centres (Dars) for school and college students.
Bridging the Sectarian Divide
What gave the conference significant weight was its cross-sectional representation. In a city where intra-community lines can run deep, the dais brought together leadership from diverse schools of thought.
Prominent figures present included Maulana Syed Sajjad Pasha Hussaini Quadri (Sajjada Nasheen, Quadri Chaman), Maulana Musaddiq Qasmi of Deeni Taleemi Board, and Syed Shujat Ulla Hussaini of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. The presence of Maulana Ghiyas Ahmed Rashadi (Mimbar-o-Mihrab Foundation) and Maulana Shafiq Alam Jamai (Jamiyat Ahle Hadees) further underscored the unified urgency of the mission.
The logistical architecture of the event was steered by conveners Mufti Omar Abideen Qasmi Madani (General Secretary, All India Milli Council, Telangana) and Dr. Abdul Qadeer (Chairman, Shaheen Group), with Director Dr. Naseem Majeed overseeing the massive gathering, which concluded with a community dinner.
As Hyderabad navigates rapid urbanisation alongside complex socio-political realities, the Nampally declaration marks an important evolution. By attempting to realign the pulpit with parameters like voter enrolment, women’s space, and student learning rooms, Hyderabad’s Muslim leadership is attempting to build a framework where faith does not merely retreat into the spiritual, but actively participates in constructing a more equitable, literate, and civically conscious society.
