On February 6, 2023, the small village of Maland in Idlib, Syria was struck by an earthquake that left its mosque destroyed. The entire dome of the mosque had collapsed to the ground, leaving the villagers in shock. Maher Zaarour, 37, described the mosque as being very old and a place where he and his father used to go, and his father’s father before him. Everyone in the village had contributed to its upkeep, and it was a place of prayer, learning, and gathering. Fortunately, no one was inside when the earthquake hit, and the villagers have since begun to collect donations to rebuild it.
Mahmoud Aref Nadaf, 74, has lived next door to the mosque for 50 years and said he misses it more than his destroyed home. He was in the room nearest the mosque when the quake struck and was miraculously saved. He believes that his lack of ill will towards anyone is why he was spared.
Ahmed Abazli, Maland’s council head, reported that 34 people died in the earthquake and that 90 percent of the village’s homes were damaged. 198 families lost their homes entirely and 320 were badly damaged and uninhabitable. He has launched a campaign to collect donations from the villagers to rebuild the mosque.
Imam Adel al-Sheikh, who leads the Friday prayer in an open lot now, said that the destruction of the mosque is a great loss for the village of 7,000 people. He said that it was a reassuring presence for people to find peace of mind within its walls.
The people of Maland are deeply impacted by the loss of their beloved mosque. They are determined to rebuild it and restore it to its former glory. Despite their losses, they remain hopeful that with enough donations and assistance, they will be able to bring back their place of prayer and gathering.