Know how a Hindu king in Kerala converted to Islam to build oldest mosque in India

New Delhi: This mosque resembles a Hindu temple in appearance and is located 2 km from Kodungalloor town in Kerala. Built in 629 AD, this is the first mosque in India and the second in the world where Jumma prayers were started. People from far and near irrespective of caste and creed visit this holy place and offer prayers This mosque is unique. Mosques all over the world face the direction of Mecca, but this particular one faces east. It is situated in the Methala village of Kodungalloor Taluk, about 20 km away from Irinjalakuda railway station. This mosque was designed and constructed in accordance with Hindu art and architecture. The building until recently was predominantly made of wood.There was erosion mosque due to adverse climatic conditions and had to be partly rebuilt, though the wooden interiors are still intact. Kerala Vyasan Kunhikuttan Thampuran is of the opinion that a piece of land was gifted to the Muslims to establish a mosque. Since ancient times, trade relations between Arabia and the Indian subcontinent were active. Even before Islam had been established in Arabia, Arab traders visited the Malabar region, which was a major link between the ports of South and Southeast Asia. With the advent of Islam, the Arab merchants became carriers of the new religion and they propagated it wherever they went. Numerous Indians living in the coastal areas of Kerala accepted the principles of the new religion and converted to Islam. The Brahmin King Cheraman Perumal was the first Indian to convert to Islam based on a historical event. The event was that a group of Prophet Muhammad's Sahaba visited Kodungallur. The Chera ruler witnessed a miraculous happening — the sudden splitting of the moon, the celebrated miracle of Muhammad — and learned on inquiry that this was a symbol of the coming of a Messenger of God from Arabia. Soon after, Perumal traveled to Mecca where he embraced Islam and accepted the name Tajuddin. On his way back to India he died at Salalah in the Sultanate of Oman. On his deathbed he is said to have authorised some of his Arab companions to go back to his kingdom and spread Islam. Accordingly, a group of Arabs led by Malik Bin Deenar and Malik bin Habib arrived in north Kerala and constructed a mosque at Kodungalloor. As the construction of the mosque was sponsored by the King Cheraman, it was named the Cheraman Juma Masjid. The mosque has an ancient oil lamp which always burns and which is believed to be more than a thousand years old. People of all religions bring oil for the lamp as offering. Like most mosques in Kerala, this mosque allows entry for non-Muslims. The ancient mosque is a testimony to the strong bonds that existed between Hindus and Muslims in the largely secular state of Kerala.