In the aft ermath of the consecration of Ram Lalla in his newly erected temple, Dhannipur village echoes with a sense of despondency, particularly among its Muslim residents awaiting the construction of the Mohammad-bin-Abdullah mosque. Despite the Supreme Court’s landmark verdict in 2019, which greenlit the Ram Temple’s construction and earmarked 5 acres for the mosque in Dhannipur, the latter’s progress has been plagued by signifi cant delays, leaving the local Muslim community in a state of prolonged anticipation and frustration. Arman Ahmed, a resident of Dhannipur, expressed the community’s disillusionment, stating, ‘Look, you have a temple built in that place in fi ve years while not a single brick has been laid for the mosque. Promises were made about a hospital and a school-college, but nothing has materialised. The wait for the mosque seems unending, and it is disheartening for the community.’
Th e Supreme Court’s 2019 decision not only paved the way for the Ram temple but also allocated land to the Sunni Central Waqf Board for the mosque. However, the construction progress has been sluggish, primarily due to challenges related to funds and the approval of the mosque’s design. Strategically located on the Faizabad-Lucknow National Highway, Dhannipur village is home to around 2,000 residents, with approximately 60 per cent being Muslims.
Th e designated 5-acre plot near Shahgada Shah Mazar in the heart of the village remains vacant, raising concerns among the local populace. A poster near the Dargah in Dhannipur boldly declares, “A MASTERPIECE IN MAKING,” alongside an image of the proposed mosque with five minarets made of white marble. Faiz Mohammad, a local grocery shop owner, voiced frustration, saying,
‘Every year, offi cials measure the land, conduct surveys, and then nothing happens. The court could expedite this work, but there’s silence on the matter. The community feels let down.’ Zamer Athar, a worker commuting 28 km to Ayodhya for employment, lamented, ‘If the mosque had been built, I would have found work there, saving my family’s money