‘Africa’s First Mosque’ in Ethiopia Renovated
It is named after Nejashi, the then Ethiopian king who hosted companions of the Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him) who escaped persecution in Mecca.
The companions fled persecution in Saudi Arabia and came to Ethiopia on the orders of the prophet who said there was a just Abyssinian king. The mosque has recently been renovated by the Turkish Coordination and Cooperation Agency (TIKA), Anadolu Agency reported.
The mosque stands majestically on a spacious location, which also is the site of the 15 tombs of the prophet's companions. A road leads to this glorious site at a short distance from the town of Wuqro, in the regional state of Tigray.
'A pleasant surprise'
Nasir Saidi Salih, a visitor from Germany, was obviously delighted to have the opportunity to make it to the site.
Pointing to the whitewashed outside walls and green minarets, Salih said, "From what I have read, the mental picture I had about the mosque was it that it was old. But, it actually looks it was built one or two years ago."
"It is a nice surprise for us," he said, explaining how he and his wife Flourans Lang ended up at the ancient site of Islamic heritage. The couple first visited the walled city of Harar in eastern Ethiopia - which also reveals ancient Islamic tradition and the relics of which TIKA helped preserve.
According to Salih, they learned about Al-Nejashi from the residents of Harar who recommended to the couple that a trip to "Africa's first mosque" would be worth the trip.
"We did some research and saw that it was on the road so we came here," he said with a smile on his face. "For the restoration and the investment, it is a good thing for Islam and for the world. I think everybody should come here. After Mecca, you should come here."
Lang, for her part, said, "We find it very, very beautiful. For us, Ethiopia has always the image of being a place of peace. We are happy to be able to come here."
"There is so much to see and it is very important place of Islam. It is a very nice heritage," she said, also advising people living anywhere in the world to consider a trip to Al-Nejashi - where one would get a rare chance of revisiting the proud history of the Ethiopians who embraced refugees.
"I think it is good that Ethiopia and the government of Turkey have this relation. It is good because the site is important," she added.
Increase of int'l visitors
Ali Mohammed Ibrahim, the imam of the mosque, said he is grateful to TIKA for having renovated Al-Nejashi.
"After the renovation the number of visitors greatly increased," Ibrahim said. "Not only Muslims, but Christians are also coming here to visit the mosque and its proud history, which the heritage site is full of."
Ibrahim went on to say the site offers a serene and safe stay to visitors, and that more people should come visit as it is "worth traveling from any distance to come here."
