Today’s
The World Around Us
will be presented in Urdu,
with subtitles in Arabic,
Aulacese (Vietnamese),
Chinese, English,
French, German,
Indonesian, Japanese,
Korean, Malay,
Mongolian, Persian,
Portuguese, Russian,
Spanish, Urdu and Thai.
Greetings noble viewers,
and welcome to
The World Around Us.
Five hundred years ago
in the land
of modern Pakistan,
there once existed
a great empire,
the Mughal Empire.
The Mughal,
meaning “Mongolian”
in Arabic and Persian,
were descendants of Timur,
the founder of
the Timurid Empire.
During the classical period
of the Mughal Empire
from 1556 to 1701,
the empire reached
the climax of its glory
and left a rich legacy
of literature, arts,
and architecture.
In today’s episode, we’ll
be visiting two mosques
in Pakistan,
the Shah Jahan Mosque
and the Badshahi Mosque,
built by
the Mughal emperors
Shah Jahan
and Aurangzeb Alamgir,
respectively.
The architectural
masterpieces
of the Mughal Empire,
including monuments,
mosques, temples,
gardens, etc.,
widely adapted
Islamic forms such as
domes and minarets.
Yet, Mughal architecture
remained flexible,
incorporating
local building traditions,
as the empire was
generally tolerant
of other religions.
Eventually,
Mughal architecture
created an innovative style
synthesizing elements
from India, Timur,
Persia, and even Europe.
Of all the Mughal emperors,
Shah Jahan was
the greatest patron
of Mughal architecture.
Shah Jahan,
or King of the World,
revealed his sharpness
and good memory
since young.
After he was crowned
succeeding his father
Jahangir in 1628,
he named himself
the Lord of the
Auspicious Conjunctions,
being proud of
his Timurid heritage.
He was also titled
the Meteor of the Faith,
as he was very religious.
Shah Jahan faithfully
visited the tomb
of the Sufi saint
Mu’in al-Din Chishti
in Ajmer, India through
the ups and downs
till the end of his reign.
As he governed the nation
with justice, people
revered Shah Jahan
as a semi-divine king.
He was always
portrayed with a halo
surrounding his face,
sometimes
with little angels
above his head as well.
By his feet,
the lion and the lamb
lay together
as a sign of peace.
Indeed, under his reign,
the empire enjoyed
its greatest prosperity
and stability.
Under Shah Jahan,
Mughal architecture
achieved
its classical zenith.
The architectural style
of this period showed
symmetry, uniformity
of shapes,
balustrade columns,
arched roofs,
and elaborate detail.
Most of them
were characterized
by white marble
inlaid with stones.
Shah Jahan’s most
famous construction is
the beautiful Taj Mahal,
which is still considered
a wonder of architecture
today.
To get an impression
about the great edifices
of Shah Jahan,
let us read a poem
by the Mughal poet
Abu Talib Kalim.
This is an ode
to Shah Jahan’s palace:
“How beautiful you are,
palace, almost like fire!
Your radiance
illuminates the world like
the glow of New Year!
Your roof is a mirror
for the cheeks of Heaven,
The stars receive their light
from you.
Your building so high,
so enormous your throne –
The dust underfoot:
the great Ctesiphon.
Your shade: God’s grace
upon the Earth,
Beggars entering your door
become princes!
No one who has gazed
upon your entrance arch
Could view with wonder
the canopy of Heaven!
Within sits Shah Jahan,
enthroned in all his might –
What could be higher,
or possessed
of great pomp?”
In addition to
imperial buildings,
Shah Jahan had constructed
numerous mosques in
the center of the kingdom
and other provinces
to accommodate
the increasing
Muslim population.
Many mausoleums
for holy men were also
constructed or renovated
during this period.
Among his famous
religious constructions
are the Grand Mosque
in Delhi, India,
the Wazir Khan Mosque
and the Pearl Mosque
in Lahore, as well as
the Jahangir mausoleum
and the Shah Jahan Mosque
in Thatta, Pakistan.
The Shah Jahan Mosque
is also known as
Jami Masjid of Thatta.
Built between 1644
and 1647,
Shah Jahan Mosque
is located in Thatta,
an ancient capital of Sindh.
This mosque was
commissioned by
Shah Jahan as a gesture
of gratitude to the people
of Thatta for sheltering him
during his youth.
With its 100 domes,
the Shah Jahan Mosque
is the world’s
largest mosque with such
a large number of domes.
These domes are laid with
a mosaic of Persian-style
blue and white tiles.
It is the first mosque
in this region
to be constructed
according to
the principles of Mughal
courtyard architecture.
It is also different
from other mosques
in the sense
that it was built with an
elongated east-west axis
rather than
the usual north-south axis.
Also used was red brick
rather than the pink
sandstone and marble
more often associated
with Mughal buildings.
Another unusual design
is the use of
pierced stone screens
in the three mihrabs
which allows
for the entrance
of actual light.
The acoustics of the mosque
was remarkable as well,
enabling the prayers
in front of the mihrab
to extend to all sides
of the building.
Meanwhile,
the careful design
of a ventilation system
provides indoor comfort
even during
hot summer months.
The Shah Jahan Mosque
represents the height of tile
decoration with
many different shapes
joined together
to complete a design.
The geometrical patterns
were done by
very small tiles, sometimes
only half an inch square.
As the British historian
Henry Cousens remarked,
these patterns “required
the greatest skill and care
in piecing
the designs together
within their exact limits.”
The central dome
is decorated with tiles
showing
a glittering star motif.
These stars combine
to make a floral pattern
that is arranged in circles
around a central motif,
which represents
a starry sky
with all the stars
moving around the sun.
A dazzling place of light,
sound, shapes,
and spaces,
the Shah Jahan Mosque
seems to transport visitors
to another, higher realm
in which time stands still.
When we return,
we will continue our trip
in Pakistan to
another Mughal mosque,
the Badshahi Mosque.
Please stay tuned
to Supreme Master
Television.
Welcome back to
The World Around Us
on Supreme Master
Television.
We have just visited
the Shah Jahan Mosque
in Thatta, Pakistan.
Now,
we are going to Lahore,
the second largest city
of Pakistan, to visit
the Badshahi Mosque,
a splendid mosque
built by the sixth
Mughal Emperor
Aurangzeb Alamgir.
Aurangzeb was
Shah Jahan’s third son
who succeeded to his
father’s throne in 1659.
Since young,
he already revealed
his administrative talent.
From the beginning
of his reign, he applied
strict Islamic rules
to his subjects, such as
the ban on alcohol.
He himself also strived
to follow the precepts
as a Muslim according to
his understanding.
Unfortunately,
although disciplined
in his religious life,
he became more and more
pulled into belligerence.
After having expanded
the Mughal Empire
to its fullest extent ever,
Aurangzeb in his ripe age
reflected upon his deeds
and was pained with regret.
As revealed
in his communication
to his son
at the end of his life,
he realized the futility of
his actions, waging wars
and causing suffering
to people.
He said, “I came alone
and I go as a stranger.
I do not know who I am,
nor what
I have been doing…
I have sinned terribly,
and I do not know what
punishment awaits me.”
Aurangzeb’s portraits
often depict him
reading the Qur’an or
praying with his rosary.
In his spare time,
he earned his humble
but honest living,
copying the Holy Qur’an
and sewing caps.
When he passed on
at the age of 90 in 1701,
he left no personal wealth.
As a Muslim who
believed in simple living,
Aurangzeb did not
construct any grand
imperial buildings as
his predecessors had done.
The royal treasury
would be a trust
for the people, he said.
However, he built mosques
all over the kingdom.
He also took to repairing
mosques more than
any of his predecessors.
He felt great pride
in the maintenance
of mosques in detail,
such as replacing
old lamps, carpets,
and other furnishings.
If the emperor every
did spend lavishly,
it was for the building
of the vast and beautiful
Badshahi Mosque.
As Aurangzeb’s most
impressive construction,
the Badshahi Mosque or
the “Emperor’s Mosque”
is located in Lahore.
The construction
was supervised
by his foster brother
Muzaffar Hussain.
Built in 1673, it is
one of the most famous
landmarks in the city.
Capable of
accommodating over
60,000 worshippers,
Badshahi is the second
largest mosque
in Pakistan,
after the Faisal Mosque
in Islamabad.
In fact, for over 300 years
it was the world’s
largest mosque.
The spacious site,
still now the world’s
5th largest mosque,
succeeds in conveying
a completely enveloping,
serene atmosphere.
The design of
the Badshahi Masjid
is closely related to
the Jama Masjid
in Delhi, India,
which was built in 1648
by Aurangzeb's father,
Emperor Shah Jahan.
Badshahi Masjid
is a good example of
the Mughal style of bold
and majestic architecture.
It is built on
a raised platform,
emphasizing its grandeur.
The rooms above
the incredible entrance
are said to house relics
as well as the hairs of
Prophet Muhammad.
A vast square courtyard
is bordered
by the side aisles.
In each of the four corners
rises a minaret.
We can also see
the central transept of
the prayer chamber.
In the courtyard
is the tomb of
Allama Mohammed Iqbal,
the philospher poet
who in the 1930s
advocated for
an independent Pakistan.
The Badshahi Mosque
boasts an
elaborate ornamentation,
including floral designs,
cusped arches,
and cartouche motifs.
They are carved
with white marble
inlaid into the red surface.
These carvings
were much influenced by
Indo-Greek, Central Asian,
and Indian techniques
and motifs.
The interior stucco relief
and baluster columns
are painted with colors
to emulate the marble and
inlaid stone on buildings
of earlier periods.
The decorative features
formerly reserved
for palaces, such as
baluster columns and
elaborate floral patterns,
began to be incorporated
in mosques.
Thus, the mosque became
the emperor’s palace,
as Aurangzeb had found
doing ritual of prayer
more meaningful
than courtly ritual.
Today,
the Badshahi Mosque is
a place of prayer
and reflection
for many people.
It is also a destination
for visitors from
all corners of the world
who come
to stand in awe of one of
the most beautiful edifices
on the subcontinent.
This concludes
our journey today to
the Shah Jahan Mosque
and the Badshahi Mosque
in Pakistan.
These majestic structures
with a universal style
not only reflect
the glorious past
of the Mughal Empire,
but also represent
the sincerity of the ones
who built them.
May they remain as
two of Pakistan’s gems
of cultural beauty
and spiritual devotion.
Wise viewers,
thank you for joining us
on The World Around Us.
Please now stay tuned
to Supreme Master
Television
for Words of Wisdom,
after Noteworthy News.
May your life be blessed
with inner and outer peace.