Mosque Amyr Kbyr Khblw Brwq

High in the mountain town of Khapalu in Gilgit Baltistan of northern Pakistan, Masjid Amir Kabir Khaplu Baruq is an enchanting wooden masjid that rises against a backdrop of soaring peaks and glacial rivers. Khapalu itself was once the capital of the independent Raja kingdom of Khapalu, which ruled the broad Shyok valley from the late fourteenth century until the mid nineteenth century, and its royal palace still stands on the hillside above the old bazaar. Islam came to Baltistan in the fifteenth century, brought by the missionary efforts of the great preacher Mir Shams al Din Araqi, after whom the honorific Amir Kabir traces, linking this masjid to the deep spiritual history of the region.
Mir Shams al Din Araqi travelled from Iran through Kashmir to Baltistan, establishing mosques, training teachers, and shaping a distinctive Balti Muslim identity that remains intact to this day. The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, taught that whoever guides another to goodness has a reward like the reward of the one who does it, and the scholars of Baltistan have lived that teaching by climbing on foot through mountain passes to bring the Qur'an, Arabic script, and Islamic practice to every valley. The masjid's name Baruq refers to a small settlement near Khapalu town, linking this particular mosque to a named neighbourhood in the wider community.
Architecturally Masjid Amir Kabir is a treasure of Balti mountain woodcraft. Thick walls of stone and timber resist the winter snows, intricately carved wooden pillars support a flat roof of logs and compacted earth, and delicate fretwork screens frame the windows. The interior is lit by soft natural light, and the mihrab is marked by carved calligraphy in the simple Kufic or Balti influenced Arabic script. Men pray in the main hall, and women gather in an adjoining chamber separated by carved wooden lattice. Ramadan transforms Khapalu into a valley of lamps and collective iftars of apricot soup and buckwheat bread. Accurate daily prayer times for Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha appear on this page for every worshipper of the Shyok valley.