Imam Mohammed Haroon breaks down in tears during Jumu’ah prayers in a trending video, pleading: “Allah, you’re our only hope.”
Imam Mohammed Haroon has appealed for divine intervention as a century-old mosque in New Delhi faces demolition amid a dispute over the government’s move to take possession of the land.
During Friday prayers on October 23, the visibly emotional imam called on Allah to help preserve the mosque, which is located inside the Race Course Club complex near the official residence of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Oh Allah, please help us. You are our only hope. Our faith is being tested,” Haroon said in a video of the prayer published by multiple international media.
The mosque’s future has become the subject of legal and political attention, with the authorities citing national security as the reason for taking possession of the surrounding area.
Eviction notice issued
According to The Siasat Daily, Haroon said officials of India’s Land and Development Office (L&DO) had served him an eviction notice directing him to vacate the premises within six days.
He said the officials warned that legal action could follow if he failed to comply.
The report said security personnel had been deployed around the site, with barricades restricting access, including for journalists.
A notice placed by the L&DO reportedly declared the land to be government property and warned against unauthorised occupation.
The mosque’s water and electricity supplies were disconnected on October 7, further complicating conditions for worshippers.
The mosque, which has a reported capacity of 800 people, is registered with the Delhi Waqf Board, the body responsible for administering Muslim religious endowments in the Indian capital.
Court declines to restore utilities
On October 15, the Delhi High Court declined to direct the restoration of water and electricity supplies to the mosque.
According to the report, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) told the court that demolition activities, including the removal of informal settlements in the area, were continuing and that restoring the services could pose a risk to the public.
The municipal authority also argued that the L&DO, which is overseeing the process of taking possession of the land, had not been included as a party to the petition.
The court noted that the Delhi Waqf Board, described as the original occupant of the premises, had not challenged the disconnection. It also observed that Haroon’s appointment as imam by the Board did not, in itself, establish a right to occupy the property.
The court’s decision concerned the request to restore the utility connections; it did not, on the information available in the report, establish the final outcome of the broader dispute over the mosque and the land.
Owaisi calls for ministerial intervention
The dispute has also drawn political attention, with Asaduddin Owaisi, president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), urging India’s Minister of Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, to intervene.
Owaisi reportedly argued that the Delhi Waqf Board’s lack of a constituted governing body since 2023 had contributed to the absence of effective intervention in the matter.
He said the minister had a responsibility to help resolve the dispute, adding that the Board’s chief executive officer could have intervened.
The mosque’s reported heritage status adds another dimension to the dispute. According to The Siasat Daily, the structure was notified as a Grade II heritage building in 2009.
The immediate future of the mosque remains uncertain as the authorities’ plans for the area and the legal questions surrounding its occupation continue to attract attention.
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