Sheikh Karimul Makhdum, an Arab missionary, reached Simunul, Tawi-tawi more than one hundred years before Ferdinand Magellan stumbled upon Cebu. He also arrived in a manner that would probably beat the Portuguese navigator in terms of style and spectacle. The sarsilya (local histories) say that Makhdum was aboard a metal boat but when he saw the island from afar, he walked the remaining distance on water.
He then built a mosque at Tubig Indangan in 1380 AD and thus planted the very seed of Islam in the Philippines. A more modern building stands there this day, but inside the mosque are the four original pillars made out of Ipil wood. Makhdum, which is said to have more than one supernatural ability, carried these heavy posts from the forest all the way to the shore, like they were just merely matchsticks.
Little is know about what the missionary did after he planted the first Philippine mosque. He was laid to rest in Tawi-tawi, although the exact location is still being disputed. The burial ground, which is right beside the old mosque at Tubig Indangan in Simunul, is one of the sites in question. The residents observe that the mound of dirt on Sheikh Makhdum's tomb mysteriously grows every year.
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| Sheikh Makhdum's tomb. |
The Sheikh Makhdum Mosque is indeed a poignant reminder of the very beginings of Islam in the Philippines. It was aptly declared as a National Historical Ladmark by virtue of House Bill No. 99 which recognizes the contribution of Islam in the development of culture and civilization in the country.
Sheikh Makhdum's abilities may be real or imagined, but he undoubtedly left behind not just a mosque but an important religious and historical legacy for Tawi-tawi and the rest of the Philippines.
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2 comments:
A much needed respect must be paid to this group and to their ancestors. They've inhabited our country long before the bearers of my faith came into the picture.
Thanks for the history lesson.
Hi Kim, it is in my opinion, a complex issue which means that it also does not have straightforward answers. But you are right in saying that we have to recognize and to respect the rich history, culture and traditions of this group.
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