PESHAWAR: Ali Masjid was built around 700 years ago by a few devotees for their spiritual guide, Ali, a reclusive Sufi, near the narrowest point of the historic Khyber Pass in the administrative limits of Jamrud subdivision of Khyber Agency, according to local people.

The 100 square feet Ali Masjid is located 15km from the main Jamrud Bazaar at an elevation of about 3,174 feet. A local tradition narrates that a Sufi saint, Ali, used to live in a cave on the nearby mountain where he could not worship properly. It adds that his only two devotees built him a small mosque for offering prayers and advised him to remain in the cave only for meditation. Even today only three persons could hardly stand to offer prayers in the old mosque.

Another myth relates that a pious person had seen in his dream Hazrat Ali staying at the site of the mosque. Two small rooms, a hall and mosque at Ali Masjid are a recent development.

Researchers are yet to trace any documentary proof to support the claims who and when the mosque had been constructed. “Serious cracks have appeared in its walls. Therefore, it has been closed for worship since long and requires immediate renovation,” a local resident, Turkistan Afridi, told this correspondent. He said that if renovated, Ali Masjid could attract visitors in large number. He said a clear water stream was located nearby where people came on weekends for picnic.

Zarwali, a resident of the area, told this scribe that thousands of disciples from parts of the country, Iran and Afghanistan used to visit the mosque since long and hold a three-day Jashn-i-Nauroz till early 80s. He said that the three-day celebrations included different activities from Qawwali and poetry recitation to spiritual whirling. He said that a local elder would lead the unfurling of flag ceremony while the residents would also participate in the event by extending their hospitality.

“Unfortunately, a jirga banned the centuries-old annual event, terming it an un-Islamic ritual way back in 1987 and since then no such cultural activity could be conducted at the site of the mosque. However, local tourists and casual visitors still trickled to Ali Masjid,” he stated.

According to war documents, Ali Masjid had been the scene of the opening battle of the second Anglo-Afghan war fought on November 21, 1878, between the British forces, under Lt Gen Sir Samuel James Browne, and the Afghan forces under Ghulam Haider Khan.

Currently, the historic mosque is under the control of JUI-F Jamrud chief Maulana Ghufranullah since 2014. Talking to this correspondent, he said that Ali Masjid was located in the limits of Abdaalkhel a subsection of Kukikhel Afridi tribe where he along with his two colleagues voluntarily taught around 150 children. He said that local elders wanted to build a religious seminary for 300 students where religious and modern education both would be imparted.

Mr Afridi said that two months ago high officials of the Frontier Constabulary paid a visit to the mosque and asked its local authorities to prepare a proposal for restoring the old mosque in its original shape. “Owing to its location on the Pak- Afghan highway, many people still visit Ali Masjid as a historic site. Our elders tell us that Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah during his visit to Landi Kotal in 1948 had also made a brief stay at the site of Ali Masjid,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2017