Gypjak Mosque

The Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque, also known as Gypjak Mosque, is located in Gypjak, Turkmenistan, and serves as the burial site for Saparmurat Niyazov, the country’s leader from 1985 to 2006. Situated about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) west of Ashgabat along the M37 highway, the mosque was built by the French company Bouygues in Niyazov's hometown. It was inaugurated on October 22, 2004, and constructed with a mausoleum in anticipation of Niyazov's death. He passed away two years later and was interred in the mausoleum on December 24, 2006. The mosque has sparked controversy due to the inclusion of inscriptions from both the Quran and the Ruhnama (The Book of the Soul), Niyazov's self-styled spiritual guide, on its walls. Many Muslims have expressed outrage at the placement of the Ruhnama alongside the Quran. Although the mosque can hold 10,000 worshippers, it often remains empty, as the Ruhnama inscriptions are viewed as blasphemous by many devoted attendees.