Ali Masjid
Ali Masjid (
Name origin
It was named in memory of Ali, the cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. A mosque and a shrine has been built here in the memory of Ali, who visited this place according to a local tradition. There is also a huge boulder which carries the marks of a hand believed to be that of Ali.[citation needed]
History
Ali Masjid is located at the narrowest point in the Khyber Pass. It contains a shrine to ʻAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (circa 600–661) the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad.[2] Travellers would stop to pray at the shrine while on the trading route between Kadam and Ali Masjid.[3]
The area was originally within Afghanistan, with a fortress built on the height above Ali Masjid in 1837 by the Afghan amir, Dōst Mohammad Khān (1793–1863). The shrine and fort are located in extremely rugged terrain overlooking a deep gorge.[2]
First battle of Ali Masjid
Ali Masjid was the scene of battles during the
Second battle of Ali Masjid
In November 1878, during the Second Anglo-Afghan War, the Peshawar Valley Field Force under General Sir Samuel Browne captured the fort from the Afghans under Faiz Muhammad.[4]
In May 1879, the Khyber Pass was ceded to British control by the Treaty of Gandamak, after which the fort was within the British Raj.[5] The British then established their own fort on the site, commanding a strategic view over the Khyber Pass. The fort has a small cemetery which contains the graves of British soldiers who fell in the second Afghan War. The valley walls bear insignias of regiments that have served here.[1]
References
- ^ a b "Ali Masjid". Lonely Planet. BBC. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
- ^ a b Caption of Ali Masjid from Bewlow WDL11473, Library of Congress
- ^ Forbes-Lindsay, C.H. (1903). India Past and Present. Henry T.Coates & Co. pp. 15, 16.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-313-33537-2. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
- ^ Treaty of Gandamak, 26 May 1879: text
See also
Battle of Ali Masjid, 21 November 1878