Ghazni: Ancient Baba Haji mosque on brink of collapse

GHAZNI CITY (Pajhwok): Residents of southern Ghazni province say the ancient Baba Haji mosque in this capital city is on the brink of collapse and needs serious attention from the government.

The mosque, located in the Qala-e-Ghaznin area west of Ghazni's old city, is considered by historians to be the first Muslim mosque in Ghazni. About 2500 years ago, the Buddhists used it a place of worship.

Residents and cultural figures in Ghazni have expressed concern over the dilapidated condition of the historic mosque, saying it would collapse if the government did not repair it.

Sultan Mohammad, an elder from the old city of Ghazni, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the two-storey Baba Haji or Babaji Sahib mosque was spread over 200 square meters land.

He added Buddhists worshipped at the place 2500 years ago, after which a mosque was built on it during the reign of the third Muslim caliph, Hazrat Usman (RA).

He said the mosque was in danger of collapsing and the government should rebuild it.

Another Ghazni resident, Sanaullah, said he had heard from his elders that the mosque was built 1300 years ago.

"The walls of the mosque are cracked, people do not offer prayers on the second floor of the mosque fearing it would collapse, if it is not repaired soon, you will witness its collapse," he told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Agha Mohammad Khoshazada, an official of the Ghazni Information and Culture Department, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the Baba Haji or Babaji Sahib mosque was a place of worship for Buddhists in Afghanistan during the pre-Islamic Kanishka reign.

With the spread of Islam, it was converted into a mosque during the reign of the third caliph of Islam, Hazrat Usman (RA) and was considered as the first Muslim mosque in the province.

He says the historic mosque has been damaged over the years and is not in good condition, which needs serious attention.

He added that he had informed the authorities concerned about the mosque’s rundown condition so that they could take measures to preserve it.

Maulvi Habibullah Mujahid, director of information and culture in Ghazni, told Pajhwok Afghan News that although the mosque had been rebuilt by the ministry in 2013, it was crumbling due to lack of attention from locals.

He said that he had sent the first evaluation report to the Ministry of Information and Culture for the reconstruction of the mosque and hoped that budget for the purpose would be approved.

The old city of Ghazni is one of the oldest areas of the province which has 12 mosques.

Most of the mosques in the city are more than 100 years old and have been registered as historical monuments of the province.

Not only Baba Haji mosque but other historical places and monuments of Ghazni are also in bad condition due to neglect and some of them are even in danger of extinction.

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