Azerbaijan is restoring destroyed mosques in Karabakh
Milli Majlis Deputy Könül Nurullayeva wrote in the Egyptian press about Azerbaijan’s policy of restoring Islamic heritage in Karabakh. The article, titled “Azerbaijan is restoring destroyed mosques in Karabakh” in Arabic and English, notes that Azerbaijan, as part of the Islamic world, has always ensured the highest level of protection for Islamic values. Following Azerbaijan’s major victory in the Karabakh war on November 10, 2020, a new stage has begun in preserving Islamic heritage. This is a restoration phase:
“For 30 years, serious acts of vandalism were committed against Islamic heritage in Azerbaijan’s occupied territories. Over the years, Armenia pursued a policy of destroying this heritage. However, with the return of Azerbaijanis to Karabakh, prosperity and the restoration of the destroyed heritage have begun.”
K. Nurullayeva highlights that on May 12, President Ilham Aliyev laid the foundation of a new mosque in Shusha, Azerbaijan’s cultural capital, on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan. She notes that the ancient Azerbaijani city of Shusha once had 17 mosques, all of which were destroyed during the Armenian occupation. Three mosques were partially destroyed—the Upper and Lower Govharaga Mosques (built in 1768-1769 and also victims of Armenian vandalism during the occupation) and the Saatli Mosque. Orders for their restoration have already been issued:
“The restoration of mosques in Shusha is carried out by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, which is one of the most active participants in humanitarian and charity projects in Azerbaijan and worldwide. The dominant building in Shusha will now be a mosque. I must note that all destroyed mosques were raised in the hearts of Azerbaijanis during the occupation. Five years ago, before our territories were liberated, President Ilham Aliyev built a replica of the Upper Govharaga Mosque in the village of Jojug Marjanly in the Jabrayil region. At the mosque’s opening, he stated that the day would come when we would restore mosques in Shusha and build new mosques.”
The deputy also emphasized that the call to prayer (azan) will always be heard from the mosques, stressing that truly historic moments are taking place in Karabakh:
“For the first time in 30 years, Eid prayers were held in Shusha. Holding the foundation-laying ceremony of a new mosque in the ancient city of Shusha on the eve of Eid has great historical and symbolic significance. It also shows that for Azerbaijan, safeguarding Islamic heritage and protecting it has always been, and continues to be, a priority. It is no coincidence that the first thing the Azerbaijani soldier did in the liberated territories was to pray, and even in destroyed mosques, the azan was heard. This was the 30-year-old aspiration of Azerbaijanis. From now on, we will live permanently in Karabakh, and the call to prayer will always be heard from the mosques. From now on, the precious Islamic heritage of Karabakh will be permanently preserved.”
