| Madayi Mosque | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Sunni Islam |
| Rite | Shāfiʿī |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Mosque |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Pazhayangadi, Kannur district, northern Kerala |
| Country | India |
  Location of the mosque inKerala | |
| Coordinates | 12°01′29″N75°15′58″E / 12.02486°N 75.26602°E /12.02486; 75.26602 |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque architecture |
| Style | Indo-Saracenic |
| Founder | Malik ibn Dinar |
| Completed |
|
| Materials | White marble |
TheMadayi Mosque, also known as theMatayi Palli, and as thePazhayangadi Mosque or as theMalik ibn Dinar Mosque, Madayi, is aShāfiʿīSunni mosque, located atPazhayangadi in the Kannur district in northern Kerala, India. It is one of the oldest mosques in Kerala, with local legends dating the mosque from 518AH (1124/1125 CE).
The mosque is believed to have been established byMalik ibn Dinar and contains a block of white marble said to have been brought fromMecca by ibn Dinar.[1]
According to Shaikh Zain ud-Din Makhdum, the firstqadi of the new mosque was Malik ibn 'Abdu Rahman.[2]
According to theLegend of Cheraman Perumals, the first Indian mosque was built in 624 CE atKodungallur with the mandate of the last the ruler (the Cheraman Perumal) ofChera dynasty, who converted to Islam during the lifetime ofMuhammad (c. 570 to 632 CE).[3][4][5][6] According toQissat Shakarwati Farmad, the mosques atKodungallur, Kollam, Madayi,Barkur,Mangalore,Kasaragod,Kannur,Dharmadam,Panthalayini, andChaliyam, were built during the era of Malik Dinar, and they are among the oldestMasjids in theIndian subcontinent.[7] It is believed that Malik Dinar died atThalangara in the town ofKasaragod.[8] TheArabic inscription, on a copper slab within the Madayi Mosque, records its foundation year as 1124 CE.[9][10] The 16th centuryTuhfat Ul Mujahideen also records the history of Madayi.[11]
The mosque contained a marker/plaque listing the year as 518 AH (1124/1125CE) as the date of its construction. As a part of renovation, the old structure was pulled down in 2006, and a new structure in theIndo-Saracenic style was built on the old foundations. The marker was preserved and incorporated into the floor of the new building, but the original date is no longer legible.[12]
The inscription, translated from Arabic into English, reads:[13]
"In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The mosques of God shall be visited and maintained by such as believe in God and the Last Day, establish regular prayers, and pay zakat, and fear none except God. It is they who are expected to be on true guidance. Dated on the 5[18]th year on Friday of Rabiul Akhir."
At the rear of the mosque an old wall was retained that incorporated the original mark of theqibla, while beside it stands the firstmimbar, a simple and visibly ancient raised stone platform. The second mimbar, also old, has been retained in the new mosque. It has four carved wooden posts holding up a flat canopy that is covered with painted flowers on its interior.[12]
The graves of two saints who were reportedly companions of Malik ibn Dinar were consigned to a rear room.[12]
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