Features
The Muslim contribution to Sri Lanka
Author Asiff Hussein, Vice President of Outreach, Centre for Islamic Studies Harmony Centre, on the Muslim Contribution to our Nation…
by Ifham Nizam
Q: You have written extensively on the Muslim contribution to Sri Lanka. How significant do you think that contribution has been?
A: The Muslim contribution to our nation has been immense but sadly little known. The Arabs of old were great mariners and merchants and were engaged in maritime or sea-borne trade in a big way. They imported foreign luxuries, such as horses and ceramic ware ,and in turn exported local products, such as gemstones, spices and even elephants which had a great demand overseas. As such they were much appreciated by both the local monarchs and the general populace.
Some of these Arabian merchants settled in our enchanting island and espoused local Sinhalese and Tamil women. One name they bestowed on our island was Jaziratul Yaqut which some believed referred to our precious stones and others our beautiful women who must have been very much prettier back then. The major draw, of course, was the belief that Sri Lanka, or Serendib, as they also called our country, was the first home of our forefather Adam, following his fall from paradise.
The fact that they were maritime traders is borne out by their earliest settlements which were in the coastal areas, such as Mannar, Beruwala and Galle. It is obvious that only those who came by way of sea would settle first in the littoral or maritime districts. It was only in later times that they settled in the hinterland and interior of the country. This is also supported by the fact that their descendants, known as the Moors, eventually came to adopt Tamil as their mother tongue. The obvious reason was when they first settled here, it was the Tamil-speaking communities, such as the Karaiyar and Mukkuvar fisherfolk, that dominated our coasts. So when they first settled here, they probably married Tamil-speaking women. However, a bit of their original Arab vocabulary survived among their Moor descendants in basic words, such as Ummawhich is from the Arabic Umm‘mother’ and Vappa, a Tamilised form of the Arabic Babaused for father or grandfather.
Asiff Hussein
In later times as these Arabs moved inland, they married Sinhalese women as well. This is suggested by the fact that those Moors settled in the interior regions of the old Kandyan Kingdom preserved traditions of intermarriage with Sinhalese women, such as among the Moors of Akurana and the Gopala Behethge family, not to mention the fact that many also bore Sinhalese ge-names some of which may have been acquired by way of Sinhalese ancestresses whom their forebears espoused under the Binna or matrilocal form of marriage then quite popular among the Kandyans. This is not to say that all Moors are paternally Arabs, but rather that the core of the early Moor community was composed of people of Arab origin but over time this was considerably diluted by later accretions of peoples originating from the Indian subcontinent as well as Sinhalese and Tamils. In fact, genetically the majority of Moors of today may well prove to be of South Asian origin. Recent genetic studies in fact indicate that they are genetically very close to the Sinhalese, even more than the Tamils.
Q: Can you be more specific about the exact nature of the contribution made by the Arabs and other Muslims to our nation?
A: Of course. The Arabs played a huge role in making our island known to the rest of the world. In fact, in the medieval era, Sri Lanka was known to the rest of the world through the medium of the Arabs. The very name Ceylon by which we were known until fairly recently is derived from a word of Arabic origin Saylanby which the Arabs of the 10th to the 14th century knew our country, including the famous Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta. It was in later times, from the 16th century onwards, that we hear the European colonial powers employing it in forms like the Portuguese Ceilao and the English Ceylon and the obvious inference is that these terms had their origins in the Arabic Saylan.
That’s not all. Sri Lankans and especially the Sinhalese knew much of the rest of the world through the medium of the Arabs. This is borne out by the classical Sinhala name for Egypt which is Misarayawhich comes from the Arabic term Misr. It was only in later times that Sinhala employed the word Egyptuvadue to European influence. Then take the old Sinhala term for Negro or black person which is Kavisi. This too comes from an Arabic word Habashi which literally means an Abyssinian or Ethiopian.
Other vestiges of Arabic influence on the Sinhala language could be seen in terms connected with maritime trading. One is MosamaorMosam-Sulanga which in Sinhala refers to the Monsoons. The word comes from the Arabic Mawsimmeaning ‘season’. Since the Monsoons were Seasonal winds that assisted in seafaring and maritime trading they may also be known as Trade Winds. it was this word of Arabic origin that was eventually adopted into Sinhala to mean the Monsoons.
Another very telling word is Malimaya used in the olden days to mean a ‘navigator’ in Sinhala. This comes from the Arabic word Muallimmeaning a ‘master’ and by extension a pilot or captain of a ship. In fact the name of the Muslim navigator who assisted Vasco Da Gama sail eastwards has come down to us as Malema Cana, the first element of which is obviously from the Arabic Muallim. It is the same word that is also the origin of the Sinhala word for compass, which is Malimava or Malima-Yantraya, now adopted as the symbol of the National People’s Power which is expected to make significant electoral gains in the upcoming elections.
Q: How would you look at the cultural contribution made by Muslims to Sri Lanka? Has it been that significant?
Moor Trader Late 1800s
A: It has been considerable. Take for example the sweetmeat Aluvawhich actually comes from an Arabic word Halwa simply meaning ‘sweet’. Another is Saruvat or Sherbet which likewise comes from the Arabic Sharbat meaning ‘drink’, When it comes to articles of dress, there is one such item that survived until recent times. That is the Saruvalaya which meant a loose kind of trousers and derives from the Arabic word for trousers Sirwal. Such trousers were worn by Sinhalese farmers when working in the fields in certain parts of the country such as the eastern hinterland instead of the more common amudeor loin-cloth. Another was gold lacing which was known in Sinhala as Kasav and which comes from the Arabic word Qasab.
The Malay cultural influence has been even more profound. The traditional lower garment of the Sinhala male, the Sarong or Saramaas it is called in Sinhala comes from the Malay word Sarung which refers to the same garment. Fancy ear ornaments known among Sinhalese women to this day as Karabu actually comes from a word of Malay origin Krabu or Kerabu. Traditional Sinhala sweetmeats such as Dodol, Seenakku and Bibikkan are also of Malay origin. Dodol is a purely Malay word that refers to a similar item of food in the Malay world. Seenakku comes from the Malay word Cheena-Kuwe or ‘Chinese Cake’ and Bibikkan comes from the Malay Bikang which refers to a similar cake prepared in the Malay world.
The Malays even had an impact on our popular pastimes. This includes the playing of the Rabana or Large One-Sided Drum which comes from the Malay Rebana, and Kite-Flying which we may suppose was originally introduced by the Malays here since the Sinhala word Sarungalaya for kite has no known Aryan or Dravidian etymology but in all probability derives from the Malay Sarang‘cross laths of split bamboo‘ or Sarenkol, a Sundanese or Malay dialectal form meaning ‘a small tubed bamboo, crooked at every joint, diverging at some angle from the preceding one’, it being understood that bamboo is best suited for the production of kite frames.
Q: In conclusion what would you expect from the other communities in respect of the Muslims given the immense contribution the followers of Islam have made to our nation?
A Moor Woman, early 20th century
A: What I would reasonably expect is respect. As Muslims we respect all other communities since religious tolerance is a well established teaching of our faith. Sadly, one does not see a corresponding show of respect among certain sections of other communities. Political indoctrination based on communal politics and also vernacular social media subtly influenced by Western Islamophobic ideas are largely responsible for this. In the villages and rural areas in general, one never finds any sort of communalism, this is basically a suburban malady.
But this needs to stop and it’s high time it stopped. Muslims are insulted for the way they dress and for what they practice. A notable example is the head covering of Muslim women. Christian nuns wear the same without any sort of discrimination but when a Muslim woman wears it, the racists are quick to pounce on it as an expression of religious extremism. In the olden days too, Muslim women covered their heads but it was never a problem to anybody, so why should it be now?
Another is female circumcision which local Muslim women practice on their daughters. This is an obligatory Islamic duty according to the dominant Islamic school of jurisprudence here, the Shafi school and is also supported by numerous ahadith or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). A recent survey conducted by the Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka in fact showed that the vast majority of Muslim women supported the practice and all indications are that they will continue to practice it regardless of what others say since they believe it to be sacrosanct religious obligation. Besides, what we practice here is a harmless practice that poses no threat to health and in fact if done the proper Islamically prescribed manner by removing the prepuce or fold of skin covering the clitoris confers considerable health and sexual benefit by enhancing sex pleasure rather than diminishing it.
Sadly, this religious duty practiced for countless generations of Sri Lankan Muslim women has been degraded by people with racist attitudes and falsely compared to the barbaric practice of Female Genital Mutilation as practiced in some African countries. The attitude has only been made worse by books like Waris Dirie’s Desert Flower translated into Sinhala as Kantare Kusuma. Such books are very dangerous as they give the masses a warped picture of Islamic practices, and should actually be banned as hateful literature meant to create religious disharmony. The manner in which these works have negatively impacted people engaged in Sinhala social media is frightening to say the least.
In conclusion all I can say is one has to give respect to get respect. This is a precondition, a sine qua non, for religious harmony. But to achieve this, prevailing attitudes need to change for the better. To understand the other is very important in this day and age.
It may be some time before the full impact of food inflation is felt in the West. Until such time the world would continue to keep itself in suspense over whether the Trump administration is in earnest when it seeks to convey the impression that it is backing a negotiated solution in West Asia.
As is usually the case, consumer stress would be one of the final determinants of political change. To the degree to which the average US consumer somehow ‘muddles through’ and puts the food on the table, to the same extent would the Republican sections of the US public in particular be tolerant of the Trump administration’s inconsistent handling of the West Asian war and the main issues stemming from it. That is, there would be no grave popular disaffection and a demand for political change in the short term.
However, the indications are that the Trump administration’s support base is suffering some erosion in the wake of the current economic crisis. While reports indicate that Democratic sections are firming-up their opposition to the political centre, Republican support for Trump is also showing signs of waning, we are given to understand.
The above developments are probably why Trump is on record as having given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a ‘dressing down’ recently on his seeming intransigence on the question of giving negotiations a chance in West Asia. The show of displeasure could be really aimed by Trump at containing the impatience of the American public.
However, the current ground situation in the Middle East, particularly the uncontained bloodshed, is likely to impress on the thinking sections of the world that more than temporary political change is needed in West Asia and the US.
A well thought out political solution that addresses all the contentious issues at the heart of the Middle East conflict is what enlightened opinion would demand, and very rightly. Right now, the ‘peace efforts’ initiated by the Trump administration give the impression of being piecemeal solutions at best.
There have been, of course, numerous initiatives in the past aimed at bringing permanent peace to the Middle East. These failed mainly because they did not address in full the root causes of the conflict.
At bottom the Middle East conflict is mainly about race and religious hate bred by socio-economic and material inequalities. For instance, if the Palestinian people were not displaced and deprived of land occupied by them at the time of the founding of the Israeli state, ethnic enmities would not have grown to the current unmanageable proportions.
When addressing the above questions, though, it must be remembered that the Israelis too were a displaced people who were entitled to land and a state of their own in the Middle East. Basically, out of these seemingly irreconcilable and conflicting demands have grown the Middle East imbroglio.
Middle East peace is considerably about reconciling these demands and arriving at a solution that would ensure the creation of two states that would opt for peaceful co-existence thereafter.
As long as the US does not see the need for a non-partisan solution that addresses the needs of both ethnicities and religions and goes all-out, as it were, to have it implemented, the Middle East would continue to bleed.
However, staunching the blood flow through the creation of two states would be only half the job done, though a very important part of it. More pernicious, pervasive and difficult to remedy are the inter-ethnic and inter-religious hatreds that have been unleashed over the decades.
However, if substantial, long-lasting peace is to be fostered in the region the latter ‘demons’ would need to be exorcised from the hearts and minds of the communities concerned. No doubt an uphill task but one that must be undertaken by those who wish the region well.
The UN would need to put its ‘best foot forward’ in such undertakings but it is time that it dawned on the international community and other caring quarters that Middle East peace, and all other such uphill challenges, require proactive peacemaking on the part of all civilized sections for their effective management. That is, public involvement in peacemaking too is a must.
Since hatreds are harboured in the human consciousness the enmities embedded in the latter need to be managed and defused judiciously alongside other undertakings in a peace process. In the case of West Asia, such enmities could be even spread globe-wide besides being multi-dimensional. For instance, it ought to be thought-provoking that Iran is insistent on a peace initiative that would also include Lebanon.
Besides security considerations it is also ethnic and religious affiliations that account for Iran making this demand. For instance, the Shias are a numerically important religious community in Lebanon and they provide a significant number of Hizbollah fighters, who are in a vital sense carrying out a ‘proxy war’ for Iran. It also needs to be factored in that Iran is a Shia-majority country.
Thus trans-border religious affiliations could add to the complexities and enormity of ethno-religious conflicts. However, the task of managing centuries-long enmities needs to be launched and prodded on with by peacemakers since a downing of arms alone would not guarantee substantive peace.
It is not realized sufficiently that the process of ending hatreds begins with mutual apologies by antagonists to a conflict for the harm inflicted on each other. This would be anathema in some ears but there is no getting away from the requirement. It is the vital first step to permanent peace anywhere.
In fact there could be no reconciliation worth speaking of without such mutual apologies. It is a point worth re-iterating in these times when even the government of Sri Lanka is voicing the need for national reconciliation. Well, without the words, ‘I am sorry’, there could be no permanent end to enmities – they would do well to remember.
The above requirements may not go down very well with governments, but they resonate in the hearts and minds of most people, since they are inheritors of religious traditions of some kind.
This is a principal reason why peacemaking works well when publics too are involved in them. The effectiveness of such campaigns increases several fold when they have a Mahatma Gandhi or a Jawaharlal Nehru at their helm. A strong proactive involvement by the public in peace could lead to the emergence of such leaders at some point in these campaigns.
Official Digital Partner of the 2026 ‘Dakshina Prabha’ National Vesak Zone
Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s #1 connectivity provider, collaborated with the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs to bring one of Sri Lanka’s largest and most technologically advanced Vesak experiences to the ‘Dakshina Prabha’ National Vesak Zone. The three-day celebration, in Matara attracted more than hundred thousand visitors, who engaged with a series of innovative digital activities powered by Dialog 5G Ultra, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, digital pandols and a Data Dansala. The opening ceremony was attended by Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development and Hon. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Minister of Women and Child Affairs, along with distinguished guests and Dialog’s senior management.
One of the key attractions at the venue was the Dialog 5G Ultra-powered Virtual Reality (VR) experience, which attracted more than 35,000 participants. The activation enabled devotees to virtually visit and pay homage to sacred Buddhist sites, including the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in India and the Atamasthana in Anuradhapura, directly from the Vesak zone in Matara.
Visitors receive complimentary mobile data through Dialog’s QR-powered Data Dansala.
Dialog also conducted an AI Digital Vesak Greeting Card Competition from 21 May to 01 June 2026, attracting numerous entries from across the country. The shortlisted designs were showcased across 20 large LED screens throughout the venue and across Matara City, and were also made available for download via mobile devices. Further, through the use of AI, traditional Jathaka Katha were reimagined in a digital format, demonstrating how technology can be used to preserve and enhance cultural and religious heritage. Together, these initiatives blended traditional Vesak celebrations with emerging technologies, offering visitors a unique and immersive way to engage with Vesak traditions.
Extending the spirit of Vesak through connectivity, Dialog conducted a special Data Dansala powered by its QR Reload platform, enabling visitors to receive complimentary mobile data by scanning QR codes placed across the venue. In addition to the Matara National Vesak Zone, similar Data Dansala activations were also conducted at the Gangaramaya and Bauddhaloka Vesak zones in Colombo.Visitors also had the opportunity to create personalised Vesak-themed digital photos through an AI Photo Booth, generating AI-enhanced portraits using their own photographs and adding a contemporary digital element to the Vesak celebrations.
Visitors watch AI-generated Jathaka Katha
Commenting on the initiative, Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, said, “The 2026 Dakshina Prabha Vesak Festival marked the first time AI-powered digital innovations were incorporated into a National Vesak Festival in Sri Lanka. Presenting Buddhist stories and teachings through technology created a new and engaging way for visitors to connect with these traditions. We thank Dialog for supporting this initiative and for working closely with us to bring our vision to life. Their contribution played an important role in making this first-of-its-kind event a reality.”
Lasantha Theverapperuma, Group Chief Marketing Officer of Dialog Axiata PLC said, “We thank the Government of Sri Lanka for the opportunity to support the 2026 Dakshina Prabha National Vesak Festival and for embracing technology as part of this year’s celebrations. As the Official Digital Partner, we were privileged to contribute through our Dialog 5G Ultra and AI capabilities, creating new ways for visitors to engage with Vesak traditions while preserving their cultural significance for future generations.”
Beyond supporting the National Vesak Zone in Matara, Dialog also enhanced the Gangaramaya and Bauddhaloka Vesak zones through a range of digital activations during the Vesak season. The company additionally continued its sustainability initiatives, including the Thirasara Aloka Poojawa, which illuminated rural places of worship through solar-powered lighting solutions.
Universal Woman is an international pageant focused on “beauty, elegance, and talent” for women, positioning itself as a platform to shape global ambassadors. The 2026 edition will be held in Cambodia, and Sri Lanka will be there, as well.
According to reports coming my way, contestants, at the international event, will work with industry trailblazers, under international standards.
Sri Lankan supermodel, runway and pageant trainer Chulpadmendra Kumarapathirana, is the National Director for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026.
With over two decades in the industry, Chula was crowned Miss Sri Lanka 2006, and has since shaped the next generation of titleholders through her Colombo-based Chulpadmendra Catwalk Studio, widely regarded as one of the country’s leading modelling academies.
The team behind Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026
A former host of Derana Miss Sri Lanka for Miss World 2008 and a judge for Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2025, Chula now serves as National Director for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026, leading the franchise’s search for Sri Lanka’s delegate to the international final in Cambodia.
Applications for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 are being taken, via WhatsApp: 077 659 4994, says Chula.
The judging panel for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 includes Senaka De Silva, Pageant Aesthetic Advisor & Chairperson of the Judging Panel, Angela Seneviratne, Caroline Jurie, Rozelle Plunkett, and Suraj Mapa.
Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 officially began its journey with a first round of auditions, held in Colombo, marking the start of an exciting new chapter in Sri Lanka’s pageant industry.
Launching the first round of auditions
The platform aims to empower women while selecting an intelligent, confident, and inspiring representative to compete at the Universal Woman International Pageant 2026 in Cambodia, this September.
Universal Woman Sri Lanka now moves forward with the vision of creating one of the country’s most prestigious and empowering pageants while preparing to crown a queen who will proudly represent Sri Lanka on the international stage.
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