First Masjid in India ( fwd by Hj.Habib )
These are pictures of the first masjid in India, in a place called Kodangallur in Kerala.
The story about this masjid is that the king of that place, Raja Rama Kulasekhara accepted Islam at the hands of the Sahabi of RasoolAllah (SAW), Malik Deenar (RA) (not the Tabayi of the same name but the Sahabi) who came here in 4 Hijri.
He gave him and his companions land to build a masjid which was built by local carpenters. It resembles a Kerala temple in construction and has a brass lamp for lighting. Inside it has a minbar and mihraab. Just outside the main chamber are the graves of the son of Malik Deenar's son and his wife.
Malik Deenar (RA) himself left this place and went to Kasargod where his grave is.
It is said that Raja Rama Kulasekhara then left, to go to meet RasoolAllah (SAW) but died enroute (or maybe after he met Him - and is buried in Salala in Oman.
This masjid is proof that Islam has been in India from 629 AD (4 Hijri) for 1376 years. The Raja accepted Islam after being told about the splitting of the moon when Rasoolallah pointed his finger at the moon when challenged by the unbelievers. The raja had observed the splitting of the moon in Kerala.
