The Story of Masjid Panglima Kinta in Kampung Kuchai, Ipoh
A beautiful mosque with impressive original architecture stands on Jalan Masjid (Jalan Hume) in Kampung Kuchai, Ipoh. For your information, loyal readers of orangperak.com, the uniqueness of the design of this mosque, known as Masjid Panglima Kinta, lies in its British colonial style blended with Mughal and Neoclassical (Greek and Roman) motifs, and its design has remained authentic since the beginning.
Masjid Panglima Kinta was designed by a British architect and engineer who was also tasked with overseeing the mosque's construction. He had previously worked in India and other parts of the British Empire. The mosque was built using basic materials of brick and lime plaster, which at the time was modern compared to other mosques that were built entirely of wood. Masjid Panglima Kinta was built on a plot of land measuring 45,000 square feet, with a developed area of 8,288 square feet. Have you, loyal readers of orangperak.com, ever visited this mosque? This is a brief introduction to Masjid Panglima Kinta for your general knowledge. Do you know the story behind this mosque? Continue reading to find out.
It all began in 1898 when Datoh Panglima Kinta Mohamed Yusof bin Lasam wanted to commemorate his late beloved wife who passed away in the same year, 1898. Consequently, Datoh Panglima Kinta Mohamed Yusof bin Lasam decided to build a large mosque for the use of local residents and anyone wishing to perform their prayers.
With a construction cost of $15,000 (Straits Dollar), the beautiful mosque that you see today was built on the same site. For your information, loyal readers of orangperak.com, the Straits Dollar was the currency of the Straits Settlements from 1904 to 1939. At that time, this currency was also used in the Federated Malay States, the Unfederated Malay States, Sarawak, Brunei, and British North Borneo. You can refer to
the currency once used in the state of Perak
for additional information.
Several years after the mosque was completed, a family mausoleum for the Datoh Panglima Kinta family and a two-story wooden Madrasah were built at Masjid Panglima Kinta. Did you know, loyal readers of orangperak.com, that the mausoleum is reserved exclusively for the descendants of Datoh Panglima Kinta Mohamed Yusuf? The Madrasah, built before the Second World War, was later renovated by Dato' Haji Mahamed Eusoff Bin Mohammed Yusuf between 1951 and 1957 and named Madrasah Kamaliah, in honor of his wife, Hajah Kamaliah bt Haji Abdul Ghani.
Fakih Ghazali, a scholar, along with Shaik Tholji, also a scholar from Egypt, were once at Madrasah Kamaliah to start the first Islamic and Arabic language school in Ipoh. They taught the local residents to deepen their knowledge of the Quran and Islamic studies. The pulpit (mimbar) of Masjid Panglima Kinta is perhaps one of the most beautiful ever seen. It was built in 1928 by a famous carpenter and carver named Mahamed Sopian bin Haji Abdul Wahab, who hailed from Seberang Perai. This pulpit was crafted from wood using joinery methods without the use of nails.
Perhaps many do not know that in the past, the area around Masjid Panglima Kinta was one of the centers of education for the residents around Ipoh town. Next to the mosque complex is the building of the first Malay school in Ipoh, which is now the Aminuddin Baki Gallery building.
