 Damage to the mosque itself was, however, minimal.Desertification is defined by UNESCO as, “degradation in arid, semi-arid, dry sub-humid area resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities.”

Between 1901 and 1996, temperature rose by 1.4 degrees Celsius in the area, which enhanced desert encroachment, as well as sand blown damages.Efforts to repair and raise the walls of the mosque have been ongoing, but there is still a one-meter difference between the roof height in 1952 and today.