Sheikh Karimul Makhdum was a Syrian Arab Sunni Sufi Muslim and an early missionary who traveled to Maritime Southeast Asia. He is historically recognized for introducing Islam to the Philippines in 1380 CE, predating the arrival of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan by 141 years.
Biography
Karimul Makhdum was born in Makdonia, a village near Damascus in Syria. He was affiliated with the Kubrawi Hamadani missionary tradition of the late 14th century, a connection he shared with the Wali Sanga (the nine saints of Islam in Java). He was a Sufi missionary who traveled across Maritime Southeast Asia, including Malacca, spreading Islam.
Role in the Philippines
Sheikh Karimul Makhdum is credited with bringing Islam to the Philippines in 1380 CE. He established a mosque on Simunul Island in Tawi-Tawi, Philippines, which came to be known as the Sheikh Karimul Makhdum Mosque. The mosque is considered the oldest in the country. According to local tradition, the original structure was built in the indigenous sacred Moro pagoda architectural style. While the current mosque building dates from the 1960s, four old pillars found within the mosque are believed to date from the 17th century, and local lore holds that the original mosque was established in 1380.
Commemoration
In his honor, Sheikh Karimul Makhdum Day is observed annually on November 7. It was first declared a special public holiday by the government of the now-defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in 1991 through Muslim Mindanao Act No. 17 and Executive Order No. 40. The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) continues to observe the day. On July 9, 2025, Philippine President Bongbong Marcos signed Republic Act No. 12228, designating November 7 as a special national working holiday throughout the country to commemorate the establishment of the first mosque in the Philippines and the introduction of Islam.
