Misri Masjid

Misri Masjid also known as Egyptian mosque is a 16th-century mosque located in Ponnani of Malappuram district, southern India. The masjid was initially built for the Zainuddin Makhdoom's army, come from Egypt to help the Zamorin king's army in the battle against the Portuguese. The mosque is one of the important cultural, historical and architectural monuments of Kerala. The Misri Masjid is also a remnant of the medieval trade relationship between Egypt and Malabar coast.

Etymology
Because the Egyptians were locally called Misri, people started calling the mosque built in the area where they camped as Misri Masjid.

History
Zainuddin Makhdoom's army had come from Egypt to help the Zamorin king's army in the battle against the Portuguese at Ponnani, which was the headquarters of the Zamorin's navy headed by Kunjali Marakkar, that time. Misri masjid was built for the Makhdoom's army. This is mentioned in the work Tuhfat Ul Mujahideen by Zainuddin Makhdoom. As a tribute to the Egyptian soldiers, the Kammalikanakam family of Ponnani donated land to build the mosque and named it Misri [Egyptian] masjid. Historian T. V. Abdurrahiman Kutty of Ponnani says that Zamorin, Zainuddin and Marakkar joined hands to form an army and the army successfully resisted multiple attacks from the Portuguese.

Another claim exists that the Misri masjid was built following the visit of traders from Egypt. It is said that they came ashore after a shipwreck and promised to build a masjid in gratitude.

The mosque built there consists of a two-storied mihrab, mimbar, prayer hall and dars and is built in the architectural style of Kerala that period. Habeebul Rahman, a sociologist at Jamia Millia Islamia says that the mosque was built using local technology and architecture of that time. Then in relation to the Misri masjid, many small mosques, madrasas and ancestral houses were formed in Ponnani and they greatly influenced the socio-cultural life of Ponnani.

Significance
Misri Masjid is a 16th-century mosque which has cultural, historical and architectural importance in the history of Kerala. The mosque was built in the architectural style of Kerala in the medivial period. The architecture there is rich in Arabic calligraphy. The tombs of the soldiers who were martyred in the battle against Portuguese are in the Misri Mosque and in the adjacent mosque. The Misri Masjid is also the place where the tombs of many martyrs of the Indian freedom struggle stand.

The Misri Mosque is also a remnant of the medieval trade relationship between Egypt and Malabar coast.

Renovation
Due to lack of care and maintenance, the mosque suffered extensive damage and its façade, and the roof collapsed. following this, In 2019, a few members of the mosque committee tried to demolish the old mosque building and replace it with a concrete structure. But this led to opposition from the locals. Subsequently, the government took over the mosque following the intervention of former Kerala Legislative Assembly Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan following the demand of the people to protect the mosque. P. Sreeramakrishnan, who was also the MLA of Ponnani Assembly constituency that time, later summoned Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials, including conservation, heritage and architectural experts, to submit a plan for the protection of the monument.

The renovation was completed at a cost of ₹ 85 lakh (approx. US$1,00,000), under the Muziris Heritage Conservation Project by Government of Kerala. The restoration works have been completed in a manner that suits the unique Kerala architectural style of the mosque. The renovation was completed on 10 June 2023, and is opened to public by Minister for Public Works Department and Tourism P. A. Mohammed Riyas.