In the Topkkane neighborhood of Shkoder in northwestern Albania, the inauguration of the new mosque is not just a contemporary construction story, but also a reminder of an Islamic Waqf (endowment) dating back more than four centuries, myftinia-shkoder reported.

This mosque, with which the neighborhood's history is tied since 1027 AH, has gone through long periods of activity and closure, and has now returned to life in the form of a new mosque, preserving the spirit and historical background of the place.

The inauguration of this mosque is part of a broader process of revitalizing mosques and their role in Albanian Muslim society after decades of communist rule, a time when mosques were closed and religious rituals were prohibited.

The Topkhane Mosque is an example of the continuity of Islamic identity and the ability of the Muslim community to restore its religious presence.

Dar al-Ifta Shkoder and the Qatar Al-Khairiyah Foundation inaugurated the new mosque in the Topkhane neighborhood on Friday.

Sheikh Muhammad Sutari, the Mufti of Shkoder Province, noted in a speech that the first mosque built in this endowment was built 421 years ago by a philanthropist named Mustafa Efendi.

He built this mosque in the center of the neighborhood in the month of Ramadan in 1027 AH and himself was responsible for delivering sermons in it, Sutari noted.

Over the centuries, the Topkhane Mosque became one of the symbols of the neighborhood of “Baş Bayrak” (meaning “the first flag”), and a number of scholars served in it.

Throughout its history, the mosque was a place to strengthen Islamic awareness, morality, and Islamic identity among the local community.

The Topkhane Mosque went through a difficult period during the communist regime, especially between 1967 and 1990, but after the fall of this regime, religious life returned to the neighborhood.

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With the cooperation of the Islamic Mashikiyat of Albania, the Dar al-Ifta of Shkoder, and the Islamic Relief Foundation in Birmingham, England, the mosque returned to its place and finally, on July 10, 1997, after about 30 years, the call to prayer once again resonated in the Topkhane neighborhood.

Since then, the mosque has remained in the memory of the residents of the neighborhood. Then, with the support of Qatar Al-Khairiyah, the construction phase of the new mosque began.

The project to build the new mosque was the result of the cooperation of the Dar al-Ifta of Shkoder and Qatar Al-Khairiyah and the participation of a number of Qatari philanthropists who dedicated part of their wealth to this project.

After the inauguration of the mosque, the first Friday prayers were held there and the Friday prayer sermon was delivered by Sheikh Boyar Spahiu, the head of the Islamic Mashikiyat of Albania and the country's Mufti.

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