IMAA - Indian Muslim Association of Australia

12/09/2026

The Indian government’s continued attempts to erase the religious symbols of Muslims.

07/09/2026

A record of reported mosque demolitions under India’s Hindutva government since 2023.

02/09/2026

Mawlid Celebrations in the court of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan.

During the reign of the Mughal rulers, the observance of Mawlid, commemorating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, remained a private affair. The ceremony involved the recitation of the Quran, poetry, and stories honouring the Prophet. Gifts were also distributed to the pious and learned.

The historian Badauni, writing during Akbar's reign, recorded that the Mawlid was marked by acts of charity, with food and money given to the poor. Poets composed and recited verses celebrating the Prophet as the beloved, expressing longing for his city, Medina.

In the court of Shah Jahan, the Mawlid was similarly honoured. Shah Jahan, along with dervishes, scholars, and the nobility, would gather in prayers, commemorating the Prophet's birth.

Photo: Wikimedia

29/08/2026

23rd Grand Mehfil-E- Milad Un Nabi

28/08/2026

17/08/2026

Dilras Banu Begum (1622–1657); the first wife and chief consort of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. After her death, she became known as Rabia-ud-Durrani and belonged to the royal Safavid dynasty of Persia (modern-day Iran).

Her father, Shahnawaz Khan (Mirza Badi-uz-Zaman Safavi), was a powerful Mughal noble and a direct descendant of Shah Ismail I, founder of the Safavid Empire. He served as the viceroy of Gujarat and was famous for his grand lifestyle and love of ceremony.

In 1637, he arranged an elaborate marriage between his daughter and Prince Muhi-ud-Din, the future Emperor Aurangzeb. The union represented both a political alliance and a cultural connection between the Mughal and Safavid dynasties.

Dilras remained Aurangzeb’s most respected wife throughout her lifetime. A devoted Shia Muslim, she maintained her Persian heritage and religious identity within the predominantly Sunni Mughal court. She had five children, including Prince Azam Shah, who later fought for the Mughal throne.

Her death in 1657 reportedly left Aurangzeb deeply affected. He later commissioned the Bibi Ka Maqbara in Aurangabad as her mausoleum. Often called the “Taj of the Deccan,” the monument remains one of the most notable Mughal-era landmarks in southern India.