Part II
In 2021, the mosque was damaged during clashes between Ethiopian and Eritrean government forces and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. The minaret was destroyed, its dome partially collapsed and its façade was ruined. Soon afterwards, the Government of Ethiopia vowed to repair the building. The mosque complex features tomb behind the main mosque building. There are 15 tombs of the first immigrants in Islam to Ethiopia.
The historic town of Harar is a walled city in eastern Ethiopia. It is known in Arabic as the City of Saints. It is regarded as the fourth holy city of Islam. It has 82 mosques (three of which date from the 10th century), as well as 102 shrine.
Islamic faith in Ethiopia is nowadays witnessing real rebirth as the faith is free from all kinds of restrictions oppression and marginalization it was subjected to in the past. It has taken many centuries to attain the present level of growth and the future seems promising for most Muslims who are exercising their faith in full freedom and unprecedented enthusiasm. This was the case during the recently celebrated Eid Al Fetir or Ramadan holiday that attracted tens of thousands of Muslims to the Meskel Square; the biggest square in the capital where Christians also celebrate the finding of the Holy Cross every year.
As leaders of the faith repeatedly testify Islam is enjoying now the freedom it has never known in the past. New mosques are being built in every town and city across the country and Muslims are living in harmony with followers of other religious denominations in mutual respect and mutual support despite some minor incidents of conflicts and misunderstandings created by politically motivated individuals. However, the rebirth and expansion of Islamic art and architecture will have a long way to go before attaining the level of development other Islamic societies have witnessed.
By Mulugeta Gudeta
The Ethiopian Herald 7 May 2022
