 Masjid Kampung Laut, Nilam Puri, Kelantan
Masjid Kampung Laut is regarded as the oldest surviving mosque in Malaysia as well as one of the oldest in the Malay archipelago. It is located at Kampung Pat Amat in Pasir Puteh, Kelantan. Although the actual age of Masjid Kampung Laut is not known, its design is similar to that of Masjid Demak in Jawa which was built in 1401. Most accounts place the age of Masjid Kampung Laut as around 300 years.
Masjid Kampung Laut is believed to have been built by Muslim missionaries who were travelling between Champa (in southern Vietnam), Pattani (Thailand) and Jawa. According to a story, the ship which was carrying the missionaries got into trouble. The missionaries vowed that if they could land safely, they would build a mosque where they land. As it happened, they were able to land at Kampung Laut, and hence, erected a mosque there.
Masjid Kampung Laut, Nilam Puri, Kelantan.
Masjid Kampung Laut was originally constructed in Kampung Laut, Tumpat, on the banks of the Kelantan River. However, when the big flood of 1967 caused part of the land on which it was standing to collapse into the river, Masjid Kampung Laut was moved to its present location in Nilam Puri.
The task to remove the most was carried out by the Malaysian Historical Society. In November 1967, the mosque was dismantled by a group of Kelantan carpenters, and put together again in Nilam Puri. As far as possible, the original material was used in the reconstruction. The reconstruction was completed in 1970, capping off with a ceremony on 8 May 1970 where Tun Haji Hamdan bin Sheikh Tahir of the Malaysian Historical Society handing back the mosque to Dato Haji Mohd Asri Haji Muda, the Menteri Besar of Kelantan at that time.
The architectural design of Masjid Kampung Laut is now adopted for some of the government buildings in Kelantan including the State Secretariat, the Menteri Besar's Office, and State Religious Department, among others. I visited Masjid Kampung Laut together with a small group of AsiaExplorers members when we were sights in Kelantan.
Main prayer hall, Masjid Kampung Laut.
The tiled roof of Masjid Kampung Laut is topped by a small minaret.
Main prayer hall of Masjid Kampung Laut.
Side view of Masjid Kampung Laut.
Minaret of Masjid Kampung Laut.
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