Madrasah Hamid Arabi, or by its full name Al-Madrasah Al-Mahmoodiyah Al-Arabia, now in a dilapidated state, was once an Islamic religious school and boarding house for Muslim students. It is located along Lebuh Ah Quee (Ah Quee Street) which is at the back of a substantial Indian Muslim settlement, and within a short walk from the Kapitan Keling Mosque.
The madrasah was founded in 1900 by Shaikh Abdul Hamid al-Khahirah, an Indian Muslim jeweller operating from Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, with funds collected from fellow Muslim merchants in the vicinity. The madrasah offered classes in the Arabic language as well as the Quran and Syariah law. At the height of its popularity, in the 1920's, Madrasah Hamid Arabi had an enrolment of about 200 students.
Today the madrasah is in a dilapidated state housing numerous tenants. So far there is no news of restoring it.
Getting there
From the Weld Quay Bus Terminal, cross Pengkalan Weld using the pedestrian bridge. Turn left and walk along Pengkalan Weld until you reach the junction of Gat Lebuh Chulia. Turn right into Gat Lebuh Chulia and walk until the junction of Lebuh Pantai. Turn left and walk along Beach Street until the junction of Lebuh Ah Quee. Turn right into Lebuh Ah Quee. On your left at Lebuh Ah Quee is the longest shophouse in George Town. Following that, you pass the Kew Leong Tong Lim Kongsi. Madrasah Hamid Arabi is located immediately after Lim Kongsi.
What to see and do
The Madrasah Hamid Arabi has beautiful stucco ornamentation all over its facade. The floral decoration is reminiscent of South Indian Muslim style. As it is not in a restored state, the madrasah is not geared for tourists. However, one can still visit it, just to admire it from outside.
Nearby Sights
Madrasah Hamid Arabi is located within the core zone of the George Town Unesco World Heritage Site. There are numerous sights around it that you can also visit. Their location is reference to the madrasah. Among them:
Lim Kongsi: Immediately to the right of the madrasah. Take note that it is locked most of the time.
Nagore Shrine: From Madrasah Hamid Arabi, head down Lorong Pitt. The Nagore Shrine is right up ahead, on the right side of Lebuh King.
Sri Mahamariamman Temple: From Madrasah Hamid Arabi, head down Lorong Pitt. At the junction of Lebuh Chulia, turn left. A short distance down is the junction of Lebuh Queen to the right. Turn right into it. The Sri Mahamariamman Temple is on the left side of Lebuh Queen.
Teochew Ancestral Temple: From Madrasah Hamid Arabi, head down Lorong Pitt. At the junction of Lebuh Chulia, turn left. The Teochew Ancestral Temple is on the left side of Lebuh Chulia, in front of the junction with Lebuh Queen.
Masjid Kapitan Keling: From Madrasah Hamid Arabi, turn left and walk along Lebuh Ah Quee until you reach the junction of Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling. Cross the road and Masjid Kapitan Keling is on the opposite side of the road.
Finding Accommodation in Penang
If you're going to Penang, you now have the option of finding accommodation in a hotel, or look for one in hostels and guesthouses. To book a room in a star-rated hotel, use the Penang Hotel Guide for Budget Travelers. To find accommodation in a Hostel or Guesthouse, use the Penang Guide to Hostels and Guesthouses. Each link provides detailed listing of the type of accommodation you can expect in Penang. Be aware that you get what you pay for. If you need a certain degree of comfort, then a star-rated hotel may be an ideal option for you. On the other hand, if you are able to forego a bit of creature comfort, then hostels and guesthouses are clean, safe, and incredibly good value for money. For accommodation in other destinations, visit Hotel Guide for Budget Travelers or Hostels & Guesthouses Accommodation Guide.
Let us keep you updated on everything related to Penang. Just copy and paste our link to your website or blog.
Here's the latest updates from my websites ...
Thank you very much for visiting Penang Travel Tips! My name is Tim. I am the writer of this website. I created it to share with travel enthusiasts information that I have assembled about Penang, which I hope is useful to you, and is as accurate as I am able to put together.
Penang Travel Tips combines my knowledge of Penang with talking to people, asking questions, taking photographs, snooping around, and lots and lots of research. I hope that through Penang Travel Tips, budget travelers can explore Penang on their own. This is one of over a dozen websites that I write - you can click my thumbnail photo above to randomly visit any one of them. All my photos are available for commercial printing - find out the photo usage rights here. If you wish to share your photos on this website, upload them to Panoramio (www.panoramio.com) and send the URL to me for consideration. I would love to display your photos here. Also, if you have additional information about the places I have written about, please write and tell me about it. If I include your information, I will provide an acknowledgement within the page.
I want to thank all of you who have written to me providing support and encouragement, and thanks also to those who helped me make the information more accurate. If you'd like to correspond with me, send your mails to my address as shown below:
