Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque (built 1192-1316) Quwwat-ul-Islam was sponsored by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, founder of the Mamluk dynasty. The Quwwat-ul-Islam is best known for its tower of victory, celebrating the Muslim conquest of India. Located to the north-east of Qutb minar,it was built by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak in A.D. 1198. It is the earliest extant - mosque built by the Delhi Sultans. It consists of a rectangular courtyard enclosed by cloisters, erected with the carved columns and architectural members of 27 Hindu and Jaina temples, which were demolished by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak as recorded in his inscription on the main eastern entrance. Perhaps it was the first monument of iconoclast in India. It is in contradiction to Hasan Nizami's account of Aibak as peaceful and 'Lakh Baksh' or 'giver of lakhs' in his book Taj-ul-Masir. It is said he was generous and spent huge sums in charity.But it may also be that the monument was hurriedly built with the building material from the temple as Aibak had not established himself firmly in India at that time.