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Written by www.cuti.com.my
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Saturday, 19 February 2005 |
Kapitan Kling Mosque
The largest mosque on the island
The Kapitan Kling moque is one of the oldest on Penang ( the other
Old mosque is located in Armenian Street). In 1801, Sir George Leith,
then Lieutenant Governor of Penang, granted the Muslims a 7ha piece
of land for religious purposes.
Cauder Mohhidden, the Kapitan of the Indian Muslim settlers, was credited
with the founding of the mosque that was subsequently named after
him.
The first people who came from India to Penang were Muslims and
settled down near Pitt Street an Chulia Street. They had their Kapitan
Kling Mosque.
The first Arab traders settled down near Armenian Street and that
became their Muslim enclave. They founded the Acheen Street Malay
Mosque in 1808.
Both (Arabs and Indians) became rich by buying in spices between
Sumatra (Aceh) and selling the spices on Penang to the Europeans.
In the old days there was some dispute between the people Armenian
Street (Acheen Street Malay Mosque) and the Kapitan Kling Mosque
about the ramadan.
But that's over now!
Nowadays there is a unique tradition in George Town in which Muslims
performed their Friday prayers alternately at the Kapitan Keling
Mosque and the Armenian Street Malay Mosque.
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