On the occasion of the recent Muslim holiday of Eid’l Fit’r, I decided to take a break from my “Capital Dream” series to write this longstanding article
Apart from the Basilica of the Black Nazarene, Quiapo is also well-known for another religious structure that has become an area and city landmark as a whole. Of course, I am talking here of none other than the Masjid Al-Dahab or the Golden Mosque, purportedly the largest mosque located in the metropolis.
The mosque was originally built in 1976 as a project of then First Lady Imelda Marcos in time for a planned visit by the leader of Libya back then, Muammar Gadhafi. (or whatever his surname is spelled) Unfortunately, the Gadhafi visit did not push through for some reason. Nevertheless, the mosque remained as the symbol of the city’s thriving Muslim community, many of whom belonging to various ethno-linguistic groups like the Maranaos, Tausugs, and Maguindanaons.