Noah 'rests in peace' in Ayodhya, blesses Hindus, Muslims alike

AYODHYA: Far from where he lies buried in Najaf (Iraq), there is a mazaar behind sheher Kotwali in Ayodhya of the Islamic apostle Hazrat Nuh, known as Noah in Christian faith. The site is around 1,000-year-old and people believe a visit to this shrine ensures well-being of family. It is customary among Muslim devotees and Hindus in the region to visit the prophet's shrine especially around occasions like weddings and childbirth.
Narrating the story of 'Nuh-alaih-Salam', mutawalli (care-taker) of the mazaar Mohammad Omar said when the descendent of prophet Aadam came under the influence of Satan and forgot the teachings of Allah, the Almighty sent Hazrat Nuh to show them that they were wrong. But no one listened to the prophet. "Eventually, Allah decided to punish the wrong-doers and told Nuh to build a huge ark near his house and store food in it. The believers of Allah were taken into the ark in pairs of each specie. Thereafter, heavy rain flooded the earth and everything except for the ark perished. As rain stopped, those in the ark stepped out into a new world," said Omar, narrating the Islamic belief.
Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahli of Islamic Center of India said Hazrat Nuh and Christian patriarch Noah are the same. "He is one of the most revered prophets and exemplifies responsibility," said the Maulana .
Krishna Kumar Mishra (alias Barfi Maharaj), convenor of Shri Saryu Avadh Balak Samiti, a 110-year-old people's group working to conserve Ayodhya's heritage and legacy stated that the place attracts a lot of tourists. State chief Indian Association of Tour Operators, Prateek Hira added that the place was a must visit for Muslim visitors from abroad.
"Many visitors from South Africa, Indonesia, Trinidad and Tobago take a trip to Ayodhya and other mazaars for nuh They club it with visit to places like Dewa Sharif (Barabanki) and Syed Salar Sharif (Bahraich)," he stated.
Sarvesh Kumar, UGC research fellow at Banaras Hindu University, who is working to map Islamic and Sufi structures in Ayodhya, said that Hazrat Nuh's mazaar is popularly known as Nughazi or Naughazi. Citing the traditions, he said, "The exact age is yet to be established. But it is surely 600 years old as suggested by writings of Abul Fazl who existed in the times of Mughal emperor Akbar."