The state of Gujarat houses some of the oldest mosques in the country. The famous SidiSaeed Mosque in Ahmedabad represents a clear picture of Muslims in Gujarat state showcasing the engulfing recognition of the tradition and local culture of the state maintaining the core of each religion including Islam. Muslims have a history in Gujarat that dated back to centuries;this is the reason for presence of ancient Muslim architecture in the state.

The oldest existing mosque of Gujarat, Jami Masjid is located in a small town Sanjan which is 150 kilometers towards the industrial town of Surat. This mosque had been constructed here by the founder of a Muslim Dynasty in Sanjan which lasted for a very short duration from 813-841 CE. The founder of the Mahan Dynasty, Fadl built the Jama Masjid. Here Khutba was read in the name of Abbasid Caliph Mamun.

A kind of misperception is there about the oldest mosque of the state. There are various structures in Bhadresvar which are considered to be the oldest Islamic structures in the state of Gujarat by some scholars.As per the MukhtasirTareekh-e-GujaratMadrasa MaulanaIshaq in Bharuch was built in 0038 CE and Jama Masjid of Bharuch was built in 1065 CE. There are two mosques in Kuch and a tomb in Bhadresvar that gives a glimpse of the earliest Muslim establishments in Gujarat. These two mosques and the tomb had been built by a small Muslim community. These constructions display the finest examples of the exclusive Gujarati Islamic Architecture. The architects associated with the construction of Islamic monuments were same who were also engaged in construction of temples in that region. During the mid-1100s, Solahkhambi Masjid, Tomb of Ibrahim and theChhoti Masjid was constructed. The architecture of these buildings was quite similar to the temple architecture of that region which had been transformed as per the Islamic impediments.

According to the travelers SidiSaiyyed Mosque, shaking minarets, jama Masjid, SarkhejRoza, Sidibashir Mosque etc areamong the most popular mosques of the state.

Famous Mosques of Gujarat

Jama Masjid, Ahmedabad

Literally menaing the Friday Mosque, is an example of superb Muslim Architecture. This mosque had been constructed during the reign of the Muslim Emperor Ahmed Shah, in 1424. It is located in the old area of the city, facing teen darwaza on its eastern side, on the Mahatama Gandhi road. The mosque was the largest Mosque on the Indian Subcontinent in that period.

Sidi Saiyyed Mosque

The other popular mosque located in the Ahmedabad city is the SidiSaiyyed Mosque which was constructed in 1573 AD. The mosque was built by SidiSaeed also known asSidiSaiyyed who was an Abyssinian. The work of the mosque was assisted by Bilal Jhajar Khan who was an army general of Sultan Shams-ud-Din Muzaffar Shah III , the last sultan of the Gujarat Sultanate. The mosque is a real peace of beauty that had been constructed during the last years of the continuation of the Sultanate. There are ten stone windows with the lattice work or the jalis which are very beautifully carved and add to the beauty of the architecture of the mosque. These windows are present on the rear arches and on the side arches. The stone pierced panels in square shape with some geometrical designs are filling the bck wall of the mosque. Near thecentral aisle two bays are present having carved stone slabs. The motif of Palm and the entangled trees are carved on the slabs.

Rani Sipri'sMosque

The city of Ahemdabad in Guarat houses the Rani Sipri’s Mosque also known as the Rani Siprini Masjid. The queen of Sipri who was the wife of the Sultan Mahmud Begada , authorized the construction of this mosque. The mosque as convulated carvings on its walls hence it is also called as jewel Of Mosques or masjid-e- Nagina.

Shaking Minarets

JhultaMinar or the Shaking Minarets is one the incredible monuments of the city of Ahmedabad. It is one of the popular tourist places. The minarets are situated in the Siddhi Bashir’s Mosque close to the Sarangpur gate and are one of its own kind.