SiningSaysay (Larawan): The oldest mosque in the country was built in 1380, 141 years earlier than the arrival of Christianity. If the Spaniards did not arrive, the Philippines would most likely be predominantly Muslim by now.
“The Sheik Karim al Makhdum Mosque in Tubig Indangan, Simunul, Tawi-Tawi, is the oldest mosque in the Philippines. A marker in the mosque reads: “In 1380, an Arabian missionary named Sheik Makdum reached these shores and supervised the construction of this mosque thus marking the introduction of the Muslim Faith in the Philippines. The Sheik’s remains are interred within the mosque’s premises and his memory is honored and revered by the people of this community.”
In 2012, a law was passed (Republic Act No. 10573) declaring that “Sheikh Karimul Makhdum Mosque located at Tubig Indangam Simunul, Province of Tawi-Tawi, which was constructed in 1380 A.D. and considered as one of the oldest Muslim Houses of Prayer or Mosques in the Philippines” as a “national historical landmark to underscore the immense contribution of the Islamic faith to the enrichment, vibrance, and diversity of our culture and civilization.”
Text credit: www.visitpinas.com
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