Rifai Masjid, Thengapattinam, Kanyakumari
Rifai
Masjid is located at Thengapattinam Village in Kanyakumari District of
Tamilnadu. This Mosque is located to the North of Thengapattinam Village and is
near Bus Stand. Thengapattinam has the unique and rare distinction of being one
of the few first places in India where Islam was propagated and accepted during
the time of Prophet Muhammad. Islam got firmly rooted here due to the peaceful
propagation of the great spiritual leader Malik ibn Deenar (rah) who came from
Arabia in the 7th century through Kodungalur in Kerala. His Arabic team built a
big mosque here made of hard rocks which is known here as ‘valiapalli’.
The
ancient Arabic history book ‘Rihlathul Muluk’ states that the headquarters of
Syed Ubaithath Kazhi’ appointed as the religious propaganda secretary of the
district was located here. Many Islamic religious scholars later came to this
place to propagate Islam. The Mosque is located at about 100 meters from
Thengapattanam Bus Stop, 800 meters from Thengapattanam Beach, 4 Kms from Keezhkulam,
7 Kms from Munchirai, 14 Kms from Marthandam, 13 Kms from Kuzhithurai, 14 Kms
from Kollemcode, 17 Kms from Colachel, 20 Kms from Eraniel, 21 Kms from Thuckalay,
40 Kms from Nagercoil, 55 Kms from Kanyakumari and 52 Kms from Thiruvananthapuram.
Nearest Railway Stations are located at Kuzhithurai and Eraniel. Nearest
Airport is located at Thiruvananthapuram.
