A way from the bustling bazaar a stone stairway at the iconic Juma Masjid near Crawford Market leads you to a quiet space. From the racks peep out carefully arranged hardbound manuscript and books. This treasure trove of knowledge handed down to us by people who valued the scholarship says Mufti Mohammad Ashfaque Kazi secretary of Juma Masjid library. Built in 1774 Juma Masjid was in news recently, when the ancient pond on which it stands was cleaned. No less important at least for the scholars and researchers who trawl through the old brittle pages in the Masjid library.
Not many mosques in India can match the richness of this library . The likes of Averroes and Avicenna represent an era which is called the Islamic Golden Age. The library stock some of the tomes which attract students and researchers eager to understand that period of Muslim renaissance.
