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.
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