Sheikh Karimul Makhdum Mosque

The Sheikh Karimul Makhdum Mosque is located in Barangay Tubig Indangan, Simunul, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines. It is the oldest mosque in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia.

History


According to local folklore, it was built by an Syrian Arab trader and Sunni Sufi scholar named Sheikh Karimul Makhdum in 1380. It was first thought that the pillars of the old mosque found within the current mosque are the pillars of the original allegedly built in 1380.

However, studies from the National Museum of the Philippines have confirmed that the pillars found within the present mosque dates back to the 17th century. The four pillars are regarded as sacred and have high status in Philippine culture as they are at least 400 years old and are the oldest known Islamic artifacts in the entire Philippines.

The current mosque building was constructed in the 1960s, after most of the prior structure was burned down in 1941 during the Japanese occupation of World War II>

Cultural status
The mosque has been declared as a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Commission and a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum.

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (formerly the NHC) unveiled a historical marker at the mosque in November 7, 2023.