The first companions of the Prophet Muhammad landed at Ghogha around the early seventh century and built a mosque here. This was the time when the Qibla (direction to be faced while praying salah) of the Muslims was Baitul Muqaddas (Jerusalem) instead of Mecca. For a brief period of 16 to 17 months, between 622 and 624 A.D., after the Hegira (migration) to Medina, the Prophet Muhammad and his believers faced Jerusalem while praying salah between 610 to 623 A.D. This ancient mosque, locally known as Barwada Masjid or Juni (Old) Masjid, was built during this period and is one of the oldest mosques in India.Later, the prophet Muhammad received wahy (revelation) commanding him to change the orientation point from Jerusalem in the north to Mecca in the south. This mosque, therefore, predates all the other mosques in India whose mihrab face Mecca. It also bears the oldest Arabic inscription in India. The masjid falls under the care of Barwada Jamat.
