Kabul Residents Name New Mosque in Solidarity with Gaza
The Gaza Mosque, which opened its doors on January 11, is situated in Kabul’s Qua-ye-Markaz area, near commercial hubs and the city’s well-known carpet market.
The two-story structure, capable of accommodating approximately 500 worshippers, was constructed using public donations on land provided by the Kabul municipality.
Hajji Habibudin Rezayi, a businessman who spearheaded the fundraising efforts, explained the significance of the name. “The mosque was named Gaza Mosque to acknowledge the struggle and sacrifices of the men, women, children, youth, and elders in Gaza in defending their land,” Rezayi told Arab News.
He added that other names such as Palestine and Aqsa were also proposed, but “most of the campaign participants voted for Gaza as a symbol of solidarity.”
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Support for Palestine runs deep in Afghanistan, a nation that has endured its own experiences of foreign occupation, including the Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989) and the two decades of conflict following the U.S. invasion in 2001.
Afghanistan was also the first non-Arab country to recognize the Palestinian National Council’s declaration of independence in 1948, and successive Afghan governments have consistently voiced support for Palestine amid ongoing conflicts.
The latest Israeli aggression on Gaza, which began in October 2023, left much of the enclave’s infrastructure in ruins and resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians. In Afghanistan, mosques frequently held special prayers for Palestinian freedom during the war, and a ceasefire announcement last week was met with celebrations both in private homes and public spaces.
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Imam Abduraqib Hakimi of the Gaza Mosque emphasized the collective support of Afghan people for Palestine. “Afghans have been trying to help as much as they can to send support to Palestinians in terms of donations, prayers, and other acts of solidarity,” he said. “Every Muslim and human must have some solidarity with the people of Palestine and Gaza for what they have gone through during the past year and a half.”
Worshippers at the mosque expressed their hope for stronger actions in support of Palestine. Asadullah Dayi, one of the attendees, shared his views: “Israel’s actions in Palestine are nothing but genocide. Innocent women and children were killed, and houses were destroyed. There has never been so much oppression in the history of Islam like the Zionist oppression of the Palestinians.”
Source: Agencies
