OPINIONS ON THE ARRIVAL OF MUSLIMS AND THEIR EARLIEST SETTLEMENTS IN SRI LANKA- A REVIEW.

Transcription

1 OPINIONS ON THE ARRIVAL OF MUSLIMS AND THEIR EARLIEST SETTLEMENTS IN SRI LANKA- A REVIEW. Miss:S.Mangalaruby (B A Hons) Lecturer, Department of History, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. ABSTRACT Sufficient evidence is available regarding trade relations that prevailed between the Arabs and Sri Lanka even before the spread of Islam as a religion. However the truth remains that their relationship widened only after the introduction of Islam into Sri Lanka. Controversies exist among historians as to the actual areas and the time during which they settled in Sri Lanka. Though facts were presented on their own opinions, none of these opinions appear to be conclusive. Hence more evidence has to forth come to prove facts regarding their earlier arrival and settlements in Sri Lanka. This study aims at examining the various opinions held by scholars and presenting a gateway through which later researches will be able to reach a final conclusion. This research was initiated on the basis of a historical approach. Further, in this research the articles and books consulted by various historians are used as primary sources and they are considered as evidences as far as this research study is concerned. KEYWORDS: Early Islamic Settlements, Trade Monopoly, Pearl Trade, Spreading Islam. The arrival of Arabs in Sri Lanka Arab civilization which is the biggest desert land mass in the world originated from Arabia. It spread across various directions and established certain permanent characteristics of its own.(satthiyaseelan 1994). Its beginning is believed to be coinciding more or less with the middle of the 6th century A.D. Most civilizations of the world appeared along some of the fertile river basins of the world. To the 117

2 contrary, Arab civilization accepted the challenges paused to mankind by geographical location and landscape. It developed in a dry environment and exhibited an amazing growth. Today, the Sinhalese form the majority of the Sri Lankans. Among the minorities the Tamil rank first, while the Muslims form the second minority race. The Muslims who are deeply rooted in Sri Lanka, had their ancestors coming from the Middle East, South East Asia, North Africa and India. Anyone looking at the position of Sri Lanka in a map, will first observe that it is an island located in the Indian ocean like the hub of a wheel, in proximity to the largest landmass, viz. the Indian subcontinent. The natural harbors along the coasts of Sri Lanka had been very advantageous for their trade activities. In addition, commercial goods such as precious stones, pearls and tusks were available in plenty. These attracted traders to engage themselves in trade with Sri Lanka (Puvaji, A,A,M.,1997:205). The history of the Sinhalese people is depicted in the Mahavamsa and that of the Tamils could be gathered from Yalpaana Vaibawa Malai. Unfortunately, the lack of chronicles in the case of Muslims, makes it difficult to gather any tangible information about the life history of Muslims in Sri Lanka. Their history has to be written only with the occasional references found here and there, in history books. A lot of information has to be gathered from notes made by the Portuguese and Dutch who were really rivals of the Muslims in trade and religion. Hence any such information is likely to be dubious. Though a majority of the Muslims in Sri Lanka appear to be descendants of the Arabs, in the course of time they appear to have come even from other countries and settled here. That is to say that those Muslims who are known as Sonakas in Sri Lanka, were really Arabs who had come several years ago directly as well as through India. At the beginning they came to India for trading purposes from countries like Arabs and Persia and later they intermarried among the Tamils there, and settled down (Arunthavarajah,K.,2012). However there had also been probable direct contacts between Arabia and Sri Lanka. Most of these Islamic later accepted Tamil as their mother tongue and got engrossed into Tamil culture. As it is generally thought that Islam appeared during the 7th century A.D, most scholars opine that the history of Muslims in Sri Lanka belongs to a period after the 7th century. At the same time it is undeniable that the Arabs had trade relations with Sri Lanka even before the rise of Islam (Thanapackiyam,K. 2001). Two sections are found among Muslims living in Sri Lanka. The first group is identified as Sri Lankan Muslims while the second group consists of Malays. Their acceptance of the Tamil language may be due to relationship with South Indian Muslims. Particularly the trade relationship that existed between South India and Sri Lanka must have been the cause for the growth of south Indian influence in Sri Lanka. It is worth mentioning here that they called Sri Lanka by the names Ratnadveepam and Serendib because of the rich wealth resources found here. Plini, one of the famous European writers, mentions about the relationship the Arabs had with Sri Lanka. Cosmos, who belongs to the 6th century A.D. refers to the trade connections between Arabs and Sri Lankans. His book reveals that the relationship Muslims had with Sri Lanka before the appearance of Islam, extended even during the rule of the Kalibas. The intensity of this trade increased only after they had embraced Islam (Idris S.P. M. 1981) From these it is evident that the trade with Sri Lanka had been the monopoly of the Muslims for a long time. The history of Malays in Sri Lanka has its beginning comparatively in recent times. Since they associated closely with the Arabs, the Arab influence affected the Malays too. The Malays came from the great Island of Malacca and their mother tongue was Malay. 118

3 Though Arabic inscriptions found in Sri Lanka are less in number, they throw some light towards knowing about the relationship Muslims had with Sri Lankans. Such inscriptions belong mostly to the period between the 10th and 15th centuries A.D. A study of of these inscriptions reveals that the Arabs were the first foreigners to establish trade relations with Sri Lanka. They were followed by traders from many other countries among whom Persians were most influential at the beginning. From the 14th century onwards, the influence of South Indians increased in the commercial field of Sri Lanka. Further, the reference made by Iban Batuta of 1344 A.D also throws some light on the predominant role played by Muslims in Sri Lankan trade (Pathmanathan,S., 2001). On his journey returning from Maldives Islands to visit the Aryan emperor, Iban Batuta speaks of seeing Muslim ships anchored in Galle harbor. His notes also include mentioning about the existence of mosques around the Sinhala kingdom including the Muslim settlement in Beruwala area. Arabic literature also contains reference to their trade relationship with Sri Lankans. Notes have been made about Arab visitors to Sri Lanka and also about some members of the Islam clergy undertaking a pilgrimage to Adam's Peak. A book written by an Arab writer, Albaladoori has some references related to Arabic traders. (This is the opinion expressed by Dr.K.Arunthavarajah who addressed an international seminar conducted by the Jaffna Univesity on the 21st of July 2012, on the subject, "The role of Muslims in Jaffna social structure"). Opinions put forward by scholars in regard to the arrival of Muslims to Sri Lanka. Opinions propounded by scholars with regard to the arrival and early settlement of Muslims are highly controversial. Many of these appear to be unacceptable, while a few are reasonable and acceptable to a certain extent. The Muslims of Sri Lanka among the minority Muslim communities of South Asia have a very long history. Their heritage exceeds a period of 1000 years. The Muslims of Sri Lanka began to maintain their social, cultural and religious ties with those of South India, particularly after the 13th century A.D., while Muslims from the islands of Malacca and Java joined them after the 18th century A.D. Even the Boras and Memans of Gujarat have made up their ties with the Muslim community of Sri Lanka. Though minor cultural differences do occur among them, the Muslims of Sri Lanka share a common Islamic identity. It is quite apparent that the Arabs had begun to live in Sri Lanka even before the renaissance of Islam. After the rise of Islam during the 7th century A.D., their visits took place under a special Muslim identity. They converted Tamil and Sinhala women to Islam, married them and settled down in family life with them. According to Niroos, this led to the spread of Islam in Sri Lanka (Niroos M,H,M., 2005). As far as the Muslims who were hereditarily living within Sri Lanka as their mother country are concerned, much evidence has been put forward to prove that they belong to an Arabic heritage. Archaeologists like T.L.Bake (1987),Wimala Backlin(1987), Shanmuganathan (1980) and Ragupathy have indicated that archaeological excavations at the famous harbors in Sri Lanka brought out antiques which could have belonged only to the Arabs. Only a few such researches have been conducted in Tamil areas. Scholars who attempted to study the history of Muslims in Sri Lanka, were intent on relating the history of Sri Lankan Muslims to the rise of Islam. Thus, it may be said that the history of Muslims in Sri Lanka began to be written only after the 7th century A.D. 119

4 The number of Tamil scholars who placed opinions about the arrival of Muslims to Sri Lanka, is very limited. Heretoo most opinions have been put forward by Islamic writers. In fact it was a must as far as they were concerned. No one can deny their responsibility to seek their origin. According to the majority of their opinions, it has been established that Arabs were the forerunners of Muslim settles in Sri Lanka. On a hereditary basis, the Islamic people are categorized as Sri Lankan Moors, Malays and Indian Muslims. Those who consider the Arabs who came as travelers and traders as their ancestors, are known to be Moors. The Portuguese too when they classify Muslims, refer to them as natural Mouras and cost Mouras. The Muslims who established themselves in families in Sri Lanka are identified as Natural Mouras in their legal documents. An attempt to create a history for the Muslims of Sri Lanka was made by the "Muslim Nesan" magazine. The following is an excerpt taken from page 184 of the of the 1st part of a book Alkiyahurry, as seen recorded by Hussain Ibn Mohammed in its issue dated Exactly during Hijri year 6 coinciding with 628 A.D. Prophet Mohammed sent an envoy (Abihabsa) called Wahab Ibn Abihabsa with a letter of invitation to the king of Sri Lanka to embrace Islam. The king cordially welcomed that envoy, and allowed him to preach Islam. He also built a mosque and gave his people the freedom to follow that new religious path. Ashabi, admonished the Arabs who were here, and after converting some of the local people here, returned to Arabia in Hijri 10. In his work called, "The Preaching of Islam", Professor Thomas Arnold mentions about a letter sent by Propher Mohamed to the Chinese king, through Wahab Ibn Abihabsa. The names of these envoys mentioned by Muslim Nesan and Arnold, tally with each other. It was customary for Arab travelers going to China, to call at the important harbours lying in-between. Hence it is quite acceptable that messengers on their why to China used to visit the kings of Sri Lanka and present letters issued to them. This evidence alone is said to be sufficient to prove that Muslims were living in Sri Lanka during the 7th century A.D. as proclaimed by the writers. Sir Thomas Tenant, a writer celebrated both by Tamils and Sinhalese, and well versed in Sri Lankan history has clearly expressed that the ancestors of Sri Lankan Muslims were Arabs whose blood relationship was with the Arabs, who by virtue of their intermarriages with local residents had joined the heredity of Sri Lanka. "Moors who at the present day inhabit the coast of Ceylon are the descendents of those active adventurers, they are purely Arabs in blood, but descendants from ancestors by intermarriage with native races were those who embraced the religion of the prophet." Thus the Muslims of Sri Lanka, were originally and through blood relationship, were essentially Arabs. The above his opinion establishes that it was with the arrival of the Arabs that Muslims settlements began to be formed in Sri Lanka.(Jalaldeen M.S.M., 2005). In his work known as "Aja Ibl Hindu", Vihrayar wrote, "The Sri Lankans who heard about Prophet Mohamed, the messenger of God, selected one of their most intelligent persons and sent him to Arabia to clarify the truth about the God's messenger. That envoy, reached Mecca during the rule of the 12nd Kaliba Omar Ali ( ). Gathering from him all information about the God's messenger, that envoy died on his way at the bank of river Mran in Pakistan. His assistant came back to Sri Lanka and provided all information about Islam. This widened the path for the Arabs not only to visit Sri Lanka as traders but also to settle down here as Muslims (Http//Sonakar.com). 120

5 lines: Tenant further describes the earlier trade and monopoly they had in Sri Lanka in the following "In Course of time the Muslims acquired a virtual monopoly over the island's trade and economy." As far as the Islamic people of Sri Lanka were concerned, there are many evidences to prove that they were of Arab origin. Arabic influence in Sri Lanka was primarily due to the trade relations between Arabia and China. Geographers belonging to the Arabic period, including Thajir, Abu Wahab, Idris, Kalvini and Baladoori and the notes of travelers like Idris, Ibn Batuta and Marcopolo reveal that the Muslims were enjoying a monopoly not only over the harbor towns but also in all import and export activities. According to their thinking, it may be noted that Islamic settlements commenced by the 8th century A.D in Sri Lanka under an Arabic identity. Another historian Dr.R.V.Mohan says, "Sri Lankan Muslims have a definite past history. They have made an appreciable contribution to the social, economic and political life of this country. Through diverse sources of information it has been established that their settlements in the country took place even the Christian era" (Jalaldeen M.S.M,. 2005). Professor Sri Kandiah observes that even before the introduction of Veda, there had been wide trade connections between the western regions of India. Another scholar S.Krishnasamy Iyer, in his work, "The History and commerce in the Indian ocean" says, "Though the appearance of Prophet Mohammed (Sal) and the development of Islam took place along the Atlantic ocean, it was the Indian ocean that became a vast "Arabic ocean." The Arabs have left behind abundant traces to this effect on the western shores of the Indian ocean" (Niroos M.H.M,.2005). Thus according to the above views there is sufficient room to assume that Islamic settlements in Sri Lanka took place with Arabic concurrence. Thomas Arnold says that during the 2nd century A.D. Sri Lankan trade was entirely in the hands of the Arabs. During the 7th century A.D. Sri Lankan trade assumed great significance and by the 8th century A.D. Arab settlements had begun to appear in a number of areas around harbors(http//sonakar.com). Dr.Anes, who studied the life style of the Muslims in Sri Lanka, cites Hajjuwatta near Galle harbor as an evidence for the existence of Muslims for more than 1300 years in Sri Lanka. He says that the original name, "Hajjeewatta" got twisted to "Hajjuwatta" in the course of time. Hajjuwatte was the place from which pilgrims left for Mecca during the earlier days. He has also pointed out that a map drawn in 326 A.D. by the Greek sailor Onos Gritozal contains information about the settlement of Moors around Puttalam(Anes M.S.M,.2001). Dr.T.B.Abeysinghe puts forward the opinion that wide Muslim settlements took place at the time of the arrival of the Portuguese. According to him, Portuguese documents reveal that Muslim settlements were abundantly found along the south western coastal areas including Colombo, Kalutara, Beruwala, Aluthgama, Galle, Welligama and Matara. Among harbour towns they had appointed leaders for their social administration. For 164 years, the Muslim community had a very stable administration under three leaders. Among the historical documents of the Portuguese known as Thombus, one named Rua dos Mouros(Muslim street) 121

6 states that a separate street existed in Weligama exclusively for Muslims and that in Matara Muslims lived in the central areas around the markets (Http//Sonakar.com). Professor K.W.Gunawardhana states, "Though the early Muslim settlers in Sri Lanka were Arabs, they were very few in number" (http//rasmin misc.com). To this Mr.Arasaratnam adds, "As the number of males was more in the few early Arab Settlements, they would have married the Sinhalese women of their acquaintance in the vicinity." The opinions of all these scholars reiterate that earlier Muslim settlements coincided with the arrival of the Arabs and establish beyond any doubt that the ancestors of the Islamic population in Sri Lanka were Arabs. Another writer, Siddhi Lebbe's opinion runs as follows:" The Arabs settled down in areas from Beruwala to Galle and engaged in trade. During the same period Muslims from Nagore, Karaikkal, Thondi, and Kayalpatnam in South India, also arrived for business purposes and settled here. At a later stage the descendants of the Arabs and those who came from the South West mingled together under a single Muslim identity. This view shows that the Muslim community of Sri Lanka grew stronger, by the mingling of Arabic and Indian descendants. As a result, by the 15th A.D. the Muslim settlements lost their unique Arabic characteristics and developed an Arab/Indian identity. Professor Pathmanathan, Muslims of the past in Sri Lanka have not left any written documents about their history. For a long time, all information was passed down in a hearsay manner. However a common feature found among such hearsay tales was to the effect that they were all of Arab origin. This tale is prevalent in all areas where Muslims were dense. It is undeniable that this tale is reflective of an important aspect of their history. They spoke Tamil. However the earlier Tamil writings were in Arabic script. We must go back by 700 years to study the origin of this community" (Pathmanathan.S.,2002 p.287). Mr.Alexander, a judge who officiated during the British regime, tells that the original Islamic settlements took place in many places including Jaffna.(Abdul Rahim M.S. 1979:10:11) He further adds that Islam s of the Hashia sect were the first Muslim settlers. They were driven from their country during the rule of Kaliba, Abdul and Mali Meruvan. They arrived in Sri Lanka and South India and settled down in eight areas in the North East and North West in Sri Lanka including Trincomalee, Jaffna, Mannar, Odiyamalai, Puttalam, Arippu, Galle and Mathottam. This same view is held by Simon Kasichetty, and also by professors such as S.Sittambalam, S.Pathmanathan, S.Krishnarajah and P.Pushparatnam (Arunthavaraja,K., 2011,P:12). To say the least, Harry William's excellent comment says "The existence of Muslims in Sri Lanka, is a historical quandary" CONCLUSING The Arabs who developed into a higher civilization through the teachings of Prophet Mohammed, embarked on foreign trips for commercial purposes. Wherever they went, they created settlements to live in. These settlements which started with an Arab identity, became Islamic after the inception of Islam. This is why, Islamic are generally regarded as traders and merchants. The fact that, Arabs were the predecessors of the Muslims has now been widely accepted. That is why controversies have arisen among scholars in regard to the exact places and period of the arrival of Muslims. Though Islamic settlements took place with arrival of the Arabs, most scholars are of the opinion that Muslim settlements were named Islamic after the introduction of Islam as a religion. A general opinion also prevails among scholars to the effect that Islamic settlements appeared in Sri Lanka by the 8th century A.D. 122

7 REFERENCES / NOTES i.anes M.S.M.(1997) - The rise of Islam - A socio- cultural study, Cultural research circle, Peradeniya. ii. Anes, M.S.M. (2007) - Muslim Fine Arts in Sri Lanka, Kumaran Book Depot. iii. Abdul Rahim M.S.(1979)- The history and culture of Jaffna Muslims, Namagal Press. iv. Abdul Azeez L.M.(1907) - History of Sri Lankan Muslims - Islamic cultural centre. v. Ameen, M.I.M.(1996) Islamic civilization, Islamic Book House. vi. Appatthurai, K (2002) - South Indian Culture, Tamil research centre. vii. Arunthavaraja, K- Jaffna Muslims, Anju Publishing centre, Nallur. viii. Anushya, S - (2001) The early settlements of Muslims in Sri Lanka, South Eastern Univesity, Sri Lanka. ix. Azeez, A.M.A., - (2008) Senate speeches, Azeez Foundation.. x. Heywood, A - (1997) Politics, Macmillan, London xi. Mehta, J.L - (12009) Advanced Study in the history of medieval India, Vol.III, Sterling Publishers (P.V.T.) Ltd., New Delhi xi. Nuhman, M.A-(12007) Sri Lankan Muslims. International centre for Ethnic studies. 123