New Delhi: A 550-year-old mosque, which was left abandoned due to communal violence during the 1947 partition, was reopened on Friday for Muslim devotees with the help of the Sikh community, reported Clarion India.
According to Sikh traditions, Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, had offered Namaz at the mosque situated inside a fort in Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala district of Punjab.
On November 13, Sikhs and Muslims of the area held a joint event to mark the opening of the mosque. The Sikhs also distributed sweets among the Muslim attendees.
After the event the Muslims held a ritual prayer of thanks.
Sikhs and Muslims from Malerkotla had reached Sultanpur to attend the event.
Sant Sukhdev Singh and Sant Balbir Singh from the Sikh community were at the forefront to get the mosque opened. Balbir is known for environment-related activism in the area.
The Punjab head of the Jamaat-experience-Islami Hind Abdul Shakoor was present on the occasion and spoke on the life and legends of Guru Nanak. He was accompanied by Maulana Yazdani, Dr Irshad and Dr Shahzad.
“The opening of the mosque is part of the events and celebrations happening around the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak,” Shakoor said in his address. “Guru Nanak lived among Muslims; his best friend was also a Muslim. Muslims and Sikhs have a great sense of attachment with each other,” he added.
Welcoming the development Jamaat-e-Islami Hind vice president Engineer Saleem said that it sent “a positive message across the country and globally from our Sikh brothers in Punjab at a time when some elements are trying to stoke anti-Muslim sentiments and even targeting religious places in the country.”