Juma Mosque (Qabala)
The Juma Mosque is a mosque and historical architectural monument from the 19th–20th centuries, located in the city of Qabala, Azerbaijan.
The mosque was included in the list of immovable historical and cultural monuments of local significance by the decision No. 132 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan on August 2, 2001.
History
Early years
Construction of the Juma Mosque began in 1898. The mosque was built in the city of Qabala with the help of the local population and under the leadership of master Salam from Shaki.Soviet occupation
After the Soviet occupation of Azerbaijan, an official campaign against religion began in 1928. In December of that year, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan handed over many mosques, churches, and synagogues to clubs for educational purposes. While there were 3,000 mosques in Azerbaijan in 1917, the number had decreased to 1,700 in 1927, 1,369 in 1928, and only 17 by 1933.The Juma Mosque of Qabala was closed for worship during this period. All the mosque's property was confiscated, and the religious and scientific books in the building were burned. For a time, court sessions were held in the mosque, and later, it was used as a club. From 1983 to 1985, the Scientific-Restoration Production Department of the Ministry of Culture of the Azerbaijan SSR carried out repair and restoration work on the mosque. After the restoration, the building housed the Qabala District History and Local Lore Museum.
After independence
After Azerbaijan regained its independence, the mosque was included in the list of immovable historical and cultural monuments of local significance by the decision No. 132 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan on August 2, 2001.In 2004, the mosque building was vacated and underwent major renovations. In 2005, it was returned to the faithful for religious use. A registered religious community operates within the mosque.