More than 40 people were wounded in the attack at the front of the mosque in Maymana, capital of Faryab province.
The provincial governor and police chief were said to be among those attending the prayers to mark the Eid al-Adha holidays, but they reportedly escaped without serious injury.
Civilians and police officers were among the dead, officials said.
Eye witnesses and officials said the suicide attacker approached the mosque and detonated his suicide vest after the Eid prayers had finished.
The BBC's Bilal Sarwary in Kabul says it is not clear now the attacker managed to get past at least four security checkpoints to target the mosque.
Deputy provincial governor Abdul Satar Barez told the AFP news agency that the attacker himself was wearing a police uniform.
from BBC
26 October 2012 Last updated at 07:25 GMT
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from XINHUA:
"A suicide bomber targeted a mosque while people were leaving the mosque building at around 9 a.m. local time (0430 GMT) Friday after the Eid-ul-Adah prayers in Maimana city, killing 32 people and injuring 34 others," deputy to provincial governor Abdul Satar Bariz told Xinhua.
He said the number of the casualties could rise further as many of the wounded said to be in critical conditions.
The blast caused a plume of grey smoke to rise above the scene.
The wounded, along with the bodies of the dead, have been taken to provincial capital hospitals, the official said, adding that those in critical conditions will be transferred to the neighboring Balkh province.
The Muslims'biggest three-day festival of Eid-ul-Adha falls on Friday Oct. 26, it is also known as festival of sacrifice and is being celebrated worldwide on the 10th day of Duhl-Hijja, the last month of the Islamic year.
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from France24:
The attacker was wearing a police uniform when he blew himself up in the crowded Eid Gah mosque in the provincial capital of Faryab province, deputy provincial governor Abdul Satar Barez told AFP.
"As a result of the explosion, 32 people are dead, 17 civilians and 15 police and intelligence agents. The provincial police chief, Abdul Khaliq Aqsai is among the wounded," he said.
Most provincial government officials were also at the mosque, which was crowded on the first day of the four-day holiday for the festival of Eid, which is celebrated throughout the Muslim world.
"We had just finished Eid-ul-Adha prayers and we were congratulating and hugging each other," Barez said.
"Suddenly a big explosion took place and the area was full of dust and smoke and body parts of police and civilians were all over the place. It was a very powerful explosion."
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