Desecrating the House of Allah: Islamabad’s Shameful Act

A Horrific Act by the Authorities

I write today not just as a citizen of Pakistan, but as a deeply grieved Muslim, heartbroken at the news of the desecration of an old mosque in our capital and the chilling reports that other mosques may soon face the same fate.

In a shocking act of desecration, the decades-old Madni Masjid near Rawal Dam Chowk—a mosque that stood even before Pakistan ever came into being—was demolished overnight on Saturday, 9 August 2025, by the Islamabad Capital Development Authority (CDA) under police protection. By morning, saplings and grass had been planted on the sacred ground, as if to erase not just a building, but a legacy.

It was a place of daily worship for hundreds of Muslims—a sanctuary of prayer, peace, and community—and the site became a centre of grief, defiance, and faith when they returned for prayer amidst the debris. Outraged citizens and religious groups rose in protest, uprooting the plants and demanding justice. The government, under pressure, eventually promised to reconstruct the mosque and halt further demolitions.

And this is happening right before our very eyes—a test of our faith. The hypocrites (munafiqeen) are testing the waters– measuring how much they can desecrate, how far they can push, and how long we will remain silent. Each mosque they bring down is not just the loss of bricks and mortar, but a calculated assault on our faith, our courage, and our covenant with Allah.

Even if a mosque is claimed to be “illegal,” decades after its construction, there is no justification—none whatsoever—to demolish a place where Allah’s name has been remembered and His worship performed. To raise a hand against such a place is to court the very wrath of the Almighty. Shame on those who sanctioned this act, and shame on those who carried it out.

Selective Morality — The Hypocrisy Exposed

What makes this crime even more unbearable is the hypocrisy surrounding it. Islamabad is plagued by prostitution, the open sale of alcohol, rampant corruption, and countless social evils. Yet none of these dens of vice are ever touched by the swift arm of the state.

Instead, the authorities choose to test the boundaries of the ummah’s silence. They demolish mosques while allowing bars and brothels to thrive, pushing the believers to see how much desecration we can tolerate. This is not governance—it is open hypocrisy, where vice is protected under the law while virtue is bulldozed in the dark of night.

And I ask those in power directly: On what moral or Islamic basis do you permit hotels to openly serve alcohol? What is your justification before Allah? Shameless! This is the capital city of a Muslim nation, yet sin is granted legal cover while mosques—the very houses of Allah—are torn down.

No “swift action” is taken against the dens of sin. The full force of the state is reserved only for the houses of Allah.

A Spiritual Catastrophe

Make no mistake—this is not just an administrative decision. This is a spiritual catastrophe. You and all those who follow in your footsteps will one day be six feet under, standing before the very Lord whose houses you brought down.

Islamabad suffers from many ills, but instead of addressing them, our authorities have chosen to provoke Allah’s wrath by targeting His mosque.

Closing Remark

We are witnessing a trial that strikes at the very heart of our faith. To harm the houses of Allah is to strip away the very soul of this nation. If our leaders and people do not repent, the consequences will not just be political or social—they will be divine.

This is not a time for silence or passivity. Each of us must raise our voice, so that history records us among those who stood for Allah’s houses, not among those who stood aside.