BHOPAL: Around 150 Muslim men offered Friday namaz on land adjacent to the Bhojshala complex in Dhar town of western Madhya Pradesh, marking the first such prayer since the Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled on May 15 that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected monument was a Saraswati Temple.
“In accordance with the Supreme Court’s Thursday’s direction, around 150 Muslim men offered Namaz on Khasra Number 612, which is government land. The Namaz was offered under adequate police arrangements. Based on what the Supreme Court observes in the hearing, starting from August 5, an appropriate decision will be taken for future,” Dhar Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Rajkumar Haldhar said.
Meanwhile, residents of the neighbouring Vikram Nagar locality opposed the administration’s decision to allow Muslims to offer prayers on Khasra No. 612, claiming it belonged to them.
“Their plea was disallowed, as the concerned Khasra Number is a government land,” the SDM told reporters.
On Thursday, a three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, permitted the Muslim side to offer Friday prayers on the dargah land adjacent to the Bhojshala complex. The top court directed the Madhya Pradesh government to ensure that Muslims are allowed to offer prayers at the site between 1 pm and 3 pm on Fridays.
Earlier, on July 14, the apex court had directed the state government to provide a separate open space adjacent to the disputed site for Friday prayers between 1 pm and 3 pm until the case is decided.
The Muslim side later alleged non-compliance with the order, contending that the Dhar administration had identified a site 1.3 km away from the Bhojshala complex instead of a location close enough for worshippers to sight the mosque while offering prayers.
Hearing the plea on Thursday, the Supreme Court declined to pass an interim order restoring the status quo ante but directed the state government to facilitate Friday prayers at the dargah premises adjacent to the disputed complex, while leaving open the possibility of identifying an alternative site by mutual consent.
“Three Khasras (unique plot-specific identification numbers) had been suggested to us by the administration, including the main 611, besides 596 and 612. But keeping in mind the maintenance of communal harmony, we accepted performing the Namaz on Khasra No 612. Final decision on where Namaz would be held was taken at 1.30 pm. Today’s arrangement was temporary and on the next date of hearing (August 5) in the apex court, we will request to allow us Namaz on our main Khasra/Survey No. 611 next Friday,” Kamal Maula Welfare Society head Abdul Samad said.
“Today we offered namaz amid rain and sludge, next time we hope to perform our prayers in a better manner,” Samad added.
Before the Madhya Pradesh High Court's May 15, 2026 ruling that the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex was a Goddess Saraswati Temple in accordance with a 2003 ASI order, Muslims were allowed to offer namaz at the disputed complex between 1 pm and 3 pm every Friday, while Hindus were permitted to offer prayers every Tuesday and on Basant Panchami.
In 2022, the Hindu Front for Justice (HFJ) challenged the ASI’s 2003 order, seeking unrestricted Hindu worship. In 2024, the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered a scientific survey of the complex, observing that its nature and character needed to be “demystified and freed from the shackles of confusion”. The subsequent ASI report stated that the existing structure incorporated architectural elements from earlier temples.
On May 15, 2026, the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court held that the disputed complex was a Hindu temple, following which Friday namaz at the complex came to an end.
The Muslim side has challenged the High Court's May 15 order before the Supreme Court. While declining to stay the High Court order, the apex court directed that an alternative site be provided near the complex for Friday prayers while the petition is being heard.