Shab Bhar Mosque, Indo-Islamic mosque in Lahore, Pakistan.
Shab Bhar Mosque is an Indo-Islamic prayer space made of brick, situated on the first floor above street-level shops. The compact room fits about twelve worshippers and includes separate areas for ritual washing.
This place began in 1917 when local Muslims rapidly built it to secure their land claim during British colonial rule. The hasty creation shows how determined the community was to preserve their prayer space.
An inscription at the entrance features verses by Mohammad Iqbal, weaving together spiritual devotion and literary expression in one place. This text connects the prayer space to a broader cultural conversation that extends beyond daily worship.
This prayer room sits above a busy shopping street and can easily be missed by passersby. Visitors should expect a tight space and wear modest clothing to participate respectfully at this site.
The name Shab Bhar means Night Mosque, reflecting how the community built this entire structure between sunset and sunrise. This unusual approach was a clever response to land claims of that era.
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