Lebuh Aceh Mosque, 19th-century mosque in George Town, Malaysia
Lebuh Aceh Mosque stands on Acheen Street in George Town, Penang, built in 1808 by the Acehnese community on land given by Tengku Syed Hussain Al-Aidid. Beside it lies the cemetery of Tengku Syed Hussain and members of his family, and the houses around the mosque are part of the Muslim settlement laid out from the mid-19th century.
The mosque was founded in 1808 on land donated by Tengku Syed Hussain Al-Aidid. It became a center for Islamic learning and commerce in early Penang and played a significant role in the community's development.
The mosque gave its name to the surrounding Muslim settlement, which became known as the Second Jeddah. Each Haj season, pilgrims from the region gathered here with their families before sailing to Mecca. This role ended with the establishment of Lembaga Tabung Haji in the 1970s.
The mosque stands on Lebuh Acheh (Acheen Street) in George Town, the lane that gives it its name, with the benefactor's cemetery beside the building and 19th-century houses around it. Visitors should dress modestly and keep in mind that the prayer hall is in use during prayer times.
The area around the mosque earned the name Second Jeddah because it served as a gathering place for pilgrims preparing for their journey to Mecca. This historic nickname still reflects the location's special role in pilgrimage networks.
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