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amman, a small town in Talagang tehsil, is renowned for its mystics, mansions and mosques. Among these are the Bari Ban Wali Masjid, Masjid Phulan Wali, Chishmey (spring) Wali Masjid, Thanay Wali Masjid and Masjid Baghban. Among the historic monuments, the Masjid Baghban, also known as the Imam Ghazali Mosque, is one of the oldest and most prominent in Tamman town.
During my field research for my forthcoming book on the historical mosques of Pothohar, I visited the Imam Ghazali Mosque/ Baghban Mosque to document its architectural and historical features. Historically referred to as the Baghban Masjid, it is also popularly known as the Arain Wali Masjid, owing to its location in the Arain Mohalla of Tamman.
The mosque later came to be known as the Imam Ghazali Masjid after Maulana Muhammad Imam Ghazali began teaching there. Ghazali was a noted teacher (mudarris), scholar, poet and author, whose intellectual and spiritual influence extended well beyond Tamman. He enjoyed command of Arabic and Persian and composed poetry in both languages.
During my research on the historical mosques of Tamman, I interviewed several residents about the history of Masjid Baghban and the pivotal role of Maulana Muhammad Imam Ghazali in imparting religious education. My conversation with Mubashar Ahmad Ghazali, a grandson of Maulana Muhammad Imam Ghazali, was particularly informative.
According to Mubashar Ahmad Ghazali, Maulana Muhammad Imam Ghazali was born in Tamman in 1888. According to Tazkira Ulama-i-Punjab Vol-II (1998:633) by Akhtar Rahi, Maulana Muhammad Imam Ghazali’s father died when he was two years old. At the age of 6 or 7, his mother sent him to Madrasa Nomania, Lahore, for education. After completing the required course there, he returned to Tamman. He later pursued education under the supervision of eminent scholars, including Maulana Ghulam Mohiuddin Makhadi (d 1920), Maulana Qutubuddin Ghorghushtvi (d 1950) and Qazi Abdur Rehman (d 1953) of Pindi Saral village in Attock. These scholars had a lasting influence on Maulana Muhammad Imam Ghazali. Akhtar Rahi writes (1998:633) that Maulana Muhammad Imam Ghazali was a student of Maulana Mahmud-ul Hasan Deobandi, popularly known as Shaikh-ul-Hind (d 1920). He graduated from Darul Uloom Deoband in 1908.
Many remarkable individuals from Pothohar, especially from the town of Talagang, have left their mark on religious education after studying at the Darul Uloom Deoband. These scholars not only focused on imparting knowledge but also played fundamental roles in significant movements like the Khilafat Movement. The story of their impact on religious ducation in Talagang and surrounding districts remains largely untold.
One shining example is Maulana Muhammad Imam Ghazali. Upon completing his studies at Darul Uloom Deoband, he returned to his hometown of Tamman, where he laid the foundation of Madrasa Islamia Arabia and started teaching the students. He also used to teach at the Masjid Baghban. Additionally, he led Friday prayers at Thanay Wali Masjid, which affirmed its status as the central mosque in the area. This mosque holds historical significance, having been built near a British-era police station. Madrasa Islamia Arabia was located in Thanay Wali Masjid.
Akhtar Rahi (1998:633) writes in Tazkira Ulama-i-Punjab Vol. II, that Maulana Muhammad Imam Ghazali did not take an active role in most political movements. However, he played a significant part in the Khilafat Movement, serving as president of the Khilafat Committee for the Rawalpindi Division. He once organised a highly successful conference in Multan Khurd, graced by the presence of Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani (d 1949) as the chief guest. Maulana Muhammad Imam Ghazali devoted his entire life to promoting religious education in Tamman, leaving a lasting intellectual and spiritual legacy. His teachings drew numerous devoted students who, inspired by his scholarship and guidance, established seminaries in their areas.
Every arch and doorway in Tamman feels touched by Imam Ghazali, who taught its people that knowledge, too, is a form of worship.
Maulana Muhammad Imam Ghazali maintained close relations with Khwaja Ahmad Mairvi (d 1911), a distinguished deputy of Khwaja Muhammad Shah Suleman Taunsvi, alias Pir Pathan (d 1850). He remained closely associated with the darbar of Khwaja Ahmad Mairvi throughout his life.
Masjid Baghban, where Maulana Muhammad Imam Ghazali used to teach, is one of the most magnificent mosques of Tamman. It is built in a rectangular plan with three arched entrances leading to the main prayer hall. In 2021, the mosque underwent renovations, during which the wooden ceiling was replaced with a concrete one. This mosque is one of the earliest stone-built structures in Tamman.
This mosque was also renovated in 1948, when the stone-built facade was replaced with a baked brick front. Two eminent masons, Mistri Hafizullah and Mistri Fateh Muhammad, renovated the mosque. The front of the mosque is plastered. Generally, stone-built mosques in Talagang are not plastered.Original stone carvings give those an elegant look. In some cases, the mihrab on the wester walls receives special treatmentand the northern walls are adorned with windows enclosed by carved stone frames. Such decorative features can also be observed in the Jamia Mosque in Suriali village, where both the northern and eastern walls have windows surrounded by decorative stone frames. This kind of rare decoration can also be found in a few other mosques in Chakwal tehsil.
But in Imam Ghazali Masjid, the two false arches flanking the triple-arched entrances are ornamented with domed masonry, a design element inspired by the stone-built mosques of Chakwal and Talagang.
The Imam Ghazli Masjid is also noted for its wooden doors. One of the most ornately carved doors can be found in the mosque. This door is on the southern side. The southern part is covered with wooden beams and burnt bricks, which were probably used during a renovation in 1948. The wooden door of the mosque is tastefully decorated. Most of the stone-built mosques of Talagang are noted for their wooden carved doors. Although wooden ceilings no longer exist in the mosque, this wooden carved door is reminiscent of the master wood carvers of Tamman. During interviews with local people in Tamman, I learnt that two of the masons, Mistri Hafizullah and Mistri Fateh Muhammad, were skilled stone and wood carvers. These masons left behind a number of their works in Tamman that still reflect their identity and unique style of wood carvings.
Maulana Muhammad Imam Ghazali died in 1960, leaving behind three illustrious sons, Hakim Hafiz Mehmood-ul Hasan, Allama Noor-ul Hasan and Agha Hafiz Ziauddin Ahmad. Hakim Hafiz Mehmood-ul Hasan, an eminent physician, died in 1979, leaving behind two sons, Zafar-ul Hasan and Masood-ul Hasan, and was buried next to his father in the Tamman graveyard.
Allama Noor ul Hasan received his religious education from Darul Uloom Deoband, completing his studies in 1942. He later served as a professor at the Oriental College, Lahore. He was an erudite scholar of hadith and tafsir.
Distinguished for his profound command of Arabic and Persian, Allama Noor-ul Hasan devoted his life to the promotion of Islamic scholarship and the intellectual cultivation of religious knowledge. He founded Jamia Ghazalia on McLeod Road, Lahore, which became a centre of religious education and scholarship. Following his passing in 1988, his legacy continued through his children – three sons, Sa’aduddin Hasan, Hafiz Mujibuddin Hasan Khan and Mu’inuddin Hasan, and his daughters – all of whom distinguished themselves in their respective fields. After his death, his son Hafiz Mujibuddin Hasan assumed the responsibility of managing the Jamia Ghazalia, ensuring the continuation of his father’s mission. After the death of Hafiz Mujibuddin Hasan in 2024, his son Hafiz Abdul Wahab became mohtamim of Jamia Ghazalia.
Maulana Allama Noor-ul Hasan was laid to rest at Madrasa Tahfeez-ul-Quran in Shahdara, Lahore. According to Mubashar Ahmad Ghazali, there are two graves at the madrasa, one belonging to Allama Noor-ul Hasan (d 1988) and the other his son Hafiz Muijbuddin Hasan (d 2024).
Maulana Muhammad Imam Ghazali’s third son, Agha Hafiz Ziauddin Ahmad, was a distinguished scholar and committed teacher. He received his early education at Madrasa Taleem-ul-Quran, Multan, and later completed the Munshi Fazil course. He first joined Chhab High School in Attock and was later transferred to a Government High School in Tamman. Apart from teaching (1951-81) at these schools, he also served as the caretaker of the Imam Ghazali Mosque.
Agha Hafiz Ziauddin Ahmad passed away in 2015, leaving behind four sons – Zaheer Ahmad Ghazali, Mubashar Ahmad Ghazali, Waheed Ahmad Ghazali and Mudasir Ahmad Ghazali – and was laid to rest beside his father in Tamman.
Maulana Muhammad Imam Ghazali’s sons, following in their father’s footsteps, continued to impart religious education. His grandsons have also upheld this scholarly legacy. Among them, Mubashar Ahmad Ghazali has taken special responsibility for preserving his grandfather’s rare collection of books.
The writer is ananthropologist at thePakistan Institute ofDevelopment Economics, Islamabad. He hasauthored 17 books onPakistan’s culturalheritage andanthropology. He tweets kalhorozulfiqar. He may be contacted at zulfi04hotmail.com