Sheikh Omar Basheer Mausoleum
Kampung Melayu, Air Itam

EarthDocumentary World Budget Travel Guide

Compare Hotel Room Rates from different Booking Sites

Sheikh Omar Basheer

Sheikh Omar Basheer Mausoleum is a big, whitewashed mausoleum tucked in the deep recess of Jalan Kampung Melayu in Ayer Itam. It is the largest Muslim Mausoleum in Penang. It was built in honour of Sheikh Omar Basheer Al-Khalidy, a famous Naqshabandiah Sufi teacher, imam of the Acheen Street Mosque, and a towering figure within the Muslim community in the late 19th century. Within his name, the word "Basheer" is his clan while "Al-Khalidy" is a honorific after Khalid Al-Naqshabandi, a tareqat teacher of Mecca.

Sheikh Omar Basheer originally stayed at 69 Acheen Street, but moved to the Malay settlement of Kampung Melayu (literally Malay village) at the invitation of his student Syed Hassan Al-Haru, who founded the Air Itam Mosque. He was an influential figure in the Malay community and was involved in stopping the Malays from joining the Penang Riots that broke out in 1867, pitting the two Malay secret societies, the Red Flag and the White Flag, against each other. Due to his status, he was often consulted by the British authorities on matters pertaining to the Malays and Islam.

Sheikh Omar died in 1881 and was buried beside his house in Kampung Melayu. His son Sheikh Zachariah, who was the Mufti of Penang as well as the first Muslim Justice of Peace in the Straits Settlements, erected the mausoleum in his father's honour. He imported labourers from India to complete the job.

When Sheikh Zachariah himself passed away, he was also buried in the mausoleum. His son, Haji Fathil Basheer, also made Justice of Peace, was a trustee of the Acheen Street Mosque as well as the first Secretary of the Muslim Religious Council.

Visiting Penang

If you're planning a trip to Penang, please go through the information I have assembled in Penang Travel Tips. You'd find there information covering all aspect about Penang, including accommodation, transport, food, shopping, places of interest and more. Everything you need to know Penang is right there at your finger tips!

How to go to Sheikh Omar Basheer Mausoleum
Sheikh Omar Basheer Mausoleum is located in Kampung Melayu, Ayer Itam (@ Air Itam). Going along Jalan Air Itam from the direction of Chung Ling High School to Kek Lok Si Temple, turn left into Jalan Kampung Melayu. Drive on until the road crosses a river (Sungai Air Itam). Look to your right and look for a lane. You will see the Sheikh Omar Basheer Mausoleum on the left side of the lane, visible from Jalan Kampung Melayu.

The whitewashed Sheikh Omar Basheer Mausoleum at Jalan Kampung Melayu, Ayer Itam, Penang.

Rear view of Sheikh Omar Basheer Mausoleum.

Front side of Sheikh Omar Basheer Mausoleum with entrance way.

Sheikh Omar Basheer Mausoleum, as seen from the side.

Click for list of Monuments and Memorials in Penang

Get the best rates when booking Penang hotels

Before booking a hotel room, make sure you are getting the lowest price for it. Different hotel booking websites offers the same room at different prices. If you stick with one site all the time, you could be paying more for the same room. Now why pay more?

The form below is a Research Engine. It doesn't take bookings. Instead it lets you find the hotel booking website that offers the room you want at the lowest price. You can see and compare what different sites are offering, and then click to choose the one with the best price. Do this, and you're guaranteed to save a whole lot of money on your room reservations!

Find a hotel

New York City
Bangkok
Amsterdam

Guests:

Rooms:

Great Travel Deals Wego.com

Flight Checker

Our Flight Checker helps travelers compare flights and get the lowest fare for their trips. If you're flying somewhere, use our Flight Checker to compare the rates from different airlines. To use it, enter where you will be flying from, where you will be flying to, your departure date and return date. Select the number of passengers, and then click search.

Our engine will return you a list of possible flights that you can take. You can compare the fare of different airlines for your trip. Click on your selected airline, and we transfer you to the airline website.

Return to Penang Travel Tips homepage

My message introducing God to all the world: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO TIM

Penang Travel Tips is researched and written by Timothy Tye, universally known as Tim. The text is the copyright of Timothy Tye, and may not be copied for commercial use or re-published in another website without the author's permission. Information provided is in goodwill and is believed to be correct and up-to-date at time of writing. Photographs on this website are the copyright of the author and may not be reused without prior permission. For commercial licensing of photographs, read the licensing terms.