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.
by Dr Gotabhya Ranasinghe
Senior Consultant Cardiologist
National Hospital Sri Lanka
When we sought a meeting with Hon Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Health, he graciously cleared his busy schedule to accommodate us. Renowned for his attentive listening and deep understanding, Minister Pathirana is dedicated to advancing the health sector. His openness and transparency exemplify the qualities of an exemplary politician and minister.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala, the current Health Secretary, demonstrates both commendable enthusiasm and unwavering support. This combination of attributes makes him a highly compatible colleague for the esteemed Minister of Health.
Our discussion centered on a project that has been in the works for the past 30 years, one that no other minister had managed to advance.
Minister Pathirana, however, recognized the project’s significance and its potential to revolutionize care for heart patients.
The project involves the construction of a state-of-the-art facility at the premises of the National Hospital Colombo. The project’s location within the premises of the National Hospital underscores its importance and relevance to the healthcare infrastructure of the nation.
This facility will include a cardiology building and a tertiary care center, equipped with the latest technology to handle and treat all types of heart-related conditions and surgeries.
Securing funding was a major milestone for this initiative. Minister Pathirana successfully obtained approval for a $40 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank. With the funding in place, the foundation stone is scheduled to be laid in September this year, and construction will begin in January 2025.
This project guarantees a consistent and uninterrupted supply of stents and related medications for heart patients. As a result, patients will have timely access to essential medical supplies during their treatment and recovery. By securing these critical resources, the project aims to enhance patient outcomes, minimize treatment delays, and maintain the highest standards of cardiac care.
Upon its fruition, this monumental building will serve as a beacon of hope and healing, symbolizing the unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering a healthier society.We anticipate a future marked by significant progress and positive outcomes in Sri Lanka’s cardiovascular treatment landscape within the foreseeable timeframe.
by Fr. Emmanuel Fernando, OMI
Jesuit Fr. Aloysius Pieris (affectionately called Fr. Aloy) celebrated his 90th birthday on April 9, 2024 and I, as the editor of our Oblate Journal, THE MISSIONARY OBLATE had gone to press by that time. Immediately I decided to publish an article, appreciating the untiring selfless services he continues to offer for inter-Faith dialogue, the renewal of the Catholic Church, his concern for the poor and the suffering Sri Lankan masses and to me, the present writer.
It was in 1988, when I was appointed Director of the Oblate Scholastics at Ampitiya by the then Oblate Provincial Fr. Anselm Silva, that I came to know Fr. Aloy more closely. Knowing well his expertise in matters spiritual, theological, Indological and pastoral, and with the collaborative spirit of my companion-formators, our Oblate Scholastics were sent to Tulana, the Research and Encounter Centre, Kelaniya, of which he is the Founder-Director, for ‘exposure-programmes’ on matters spiritual, biblical, theological and pastoral. Some of these dimensions according to my view and that of my companion-formators, were not available at the National Seminary, Ampitiya.
Ever since that time, our Oblate formators/ accompaniers at the Oblate Scholasticate, Ampitiya , have continued to send our Oblate Scholastics to Tulana Centre for deepening their insights and convictions regarding matters needed to serve the people in today’s context. Fr. Aloy also had tried very enthusiastically with the Oblate team headed by Frs. Oswald Firth and Clement Waidyasekara to begin a Theologate, directed by the Religious Congregations in Sri Lanka, for the contextual formation/ accompaniment of their members. It should very well be a desired goal of the Leaders / Provincials of the Religious Congregations.
Besides being a formator/accompanier at the Oblate Scholasticate, I was entrusted also with the task of editing and publishing our Oblate journal, ‘The Missionary Oblate’. To maintain the quality of the journal I continue to depend on Fr. Aloy for his thought-provoking and stimulating articles on Biblical Spirituality, Biblical Theology and Ecclesiology. I am very grateful to him for his generous assistance. Of late, his writings on renewal of the Church, initiated by Pope St. John XX111 and continued by Pope Francis through the Synodal path, published in our Oblate journal, enable our readers to focus their attention also on the needed renewal in the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Fr. Aloy appreciated very much the Synodal path adopted by the Jesuit Pope Francis for the renewal of the Church, rooted very much on prayerful discernment. In my Religious and presbyteral life, Fr.Aloy continues to be my spiritual animator / guide and ongoing formator / acccompanier.
Fr. Aloysius Pieris, BA Hons (Lond), LPh (SHC, India), STL (PFT, Naples), PhD (SLU/VC), ThD (Tilburg), D.Ltt (KU), has been one of the eminent Asian theologians well recognized internationally and one who has lectured and held visiting chairs in many universities both in the West and in the East. Many members of Religious Congregations from Asian countries have benefited from his lectures and guidance in the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila, Philippines. He had been a Theologian consulted by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences for many years. During his professorship at the Gregorian University in Rome, he was called to be a member of a special group of advisers on other religions consulted by Pope Paul VI.
Fr. Aloy is the author of more than 30 books and well over 500 Research Papers. Some of his books and articles have been translated and published in several countries. Among those books, one can find the following: 1) The Genesis of an Asian Theology of Liberation (An Autobiographical Excursus on the Art of Theologising in Asia, 2) An Asian Theology of Liberation, 3) Providential Timeliness of Vatican 11 (a long-overdue halt to a scandalous millennium, 4) Give Vatican 11 a chance, 5) Leadership in the Church, 6) Relishing our faith in working for justice (Themes for study and discussion), 7) A Message meant mainly, not exclusively for Jesuits (Background information necessary for helping Francis renew the Church), 8) Lent in Lanka (Reflections and Resolutions, 9) Love meets wisdom (A Christian Experience of Buddhism, 10) Fire and Water 11) God’s Reign for God’s poor, 12) Our Unhiddden Agenda (How we Jesuits work, pray and form our men). He is also the Editor of two journals, Vagdevi, Journal of Religious Reflection and Dialogue, New Series.
Fr. Aloy has a BA in Pali and Sanskrit from the University of London and a Ph.D in Buddhist Philosophy from the University of Sri Lankan, Vidyodaya Campus. On Nov. 23, 2019, he was awarded the prestigious honorary Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt) by the Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, the Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Dharmakirthi Sri Kusala Dhamma Thera.
Fr. Aloy continues to be a promoter of Gospel values and virtues. Justice as a constitutive dimension of love and social concern for the downtrodden masses are very much noted in his life and work. He had very much appreciated the commitment of the late Fr. Joseph (Joe) Fernando, the National Director of the Social and Economic Centre (SEDEC) for the poor.
In Sri Lanka, a few religious Congregations – the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Christian Brothers, the Marist Brothers and the Oblates – have invited him to animate their members especially during their Provincial Congresses, Chapters and International Conferences. The mainline Christian Churches also have sought his advice and followed his seminars. I, for one, regret very much, that the Sri Lankan authorities of the Catholic Church –today’s Hierarchy—- have not sought Fr.
Aloy’s expertise for the renewal of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and thus have not benefited from the immense store of wisdom and insight that he can offer to our local Church while the Sri Lankan bishops who governed the Catholic church in the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council (Edmund Fernando OMI, Anthony de Saram, Leo Nanayakkara OSB, Frank Marcus Fernando, Paul Perera,) visited him and consulted him on many matters. Among the Tamil Bishops, Bishop Rayappu Joseph was keeping close contact with him and Bishop J. Deogupillai hosted him and his team visiting him after the horrible Black July massacre of Tamils.
Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
By Gomi Senadhira
senadhiragomi@gmail.com
“You might tell fairy tales, but the progress of a country cannot be achieved through such narratives. A country cannot be developed by making false promises. The country moved backward because of the electoral promises made by political parties throughout time. We have witnessed that the ultimate result of this is the country becoming bankrupt. Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet.” – President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 2024 Budget speech
Any Sri Lankan would agree with the above words of President Wickremesinghe on the false promises our politicians and officials make and the fairy tales they narrate which bankrupted this country. So, to understand this, let’s look at one such fairy tale with lots of false promises; Ranil Wickremesinghe’s greatest achievement in the area of international trade and investment promotion during the Yahapalana period, Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA).
It is appropriate and timely to do it now as Finance Minister Wickremesinghe has just presented to parliament a bill on the National Policy on Economic Transformation which includes the establishment of an Office for International Trade and the Sri Lanka Institute of Economics and International Trade.
Was SLSFTA a “Cleverly negotiated Free Trade Agreement” as stated by the (former) Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate on the SLSFTA in July 2018, or a colossal blunder covered up with lies, false promises, and fairy tales? After SLSFTA was signed there were a number of fairy tales published on this agreement by the Ministry of Development Strategies and International, Institute of Policy Studies, and others.
However, for this article, I would like to limit my comments to the speech by Minister Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate, and the two most important areas in the agreement which were covered up with lies, fairy tales, and false promises, namely: revenue loss for Sri Lanka and Investment from Singapore. On the other important area, “Waste products dumping” I do not want to comment here as I have written extensively on the issue.
1. The revenue loss
During the Parliamentary Debate in July 2018, Minister Samarawickrama stated “…. let me reiterate that this FTA with Singapore has been very cleverly negotiated by us…. The liberalisation programme under this FTA has been carefully designed to have the least impact on domestic industry and revenue collection. We have included all revenue sensitive items in the negative list of items which will not be subject to removal of tariff. Therefore, 97.8% revenue from Customs duty is protected. Our tariff liberalisation will take place over a period of 12-15 years! In fact, the revenue earned through tariffs on goods imported from Singapore last year was Rs. 35 billion.
The revenue loss for over the next 15 years due to the FTA is only Rs. 733 million– which when annualised, on average, is just Rs. 51 million. That is just 0.14% per year! So anyone who claims the Singapore FTA causes revenue loss to the Government cannot do basic arithmetic! Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I call on my fellow members of this House – don’t mislead the public with baseless criticism that is not grounded in facts. Don’t look at petty politics and use these issues for your own political survival.”
I was surprised to read the minister’s speech because an article published in January 2018 in “The Straits Times“, based on information released by the Singaporean Negotiators stated, “…. With the FTA, tariff savings for Singapore exports are estimated to hit $10 million annually“.
As the annual tariff savings (that is the revenue loss for Sri Lanka) calculated by the Singaporean Negotiators, Singaporean $ 10 million (Sri Lankan rupees 1,200 million in 2018) was way above the rupees’ 733 million revenue loss for 15 years estimated by the Sri Lankan negotiators, it was clear to any observer that one of the parties to the agreement had not done the basic arithmetic!
Six years later, according to a report published by “The Morning” newspaper, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) on 7th May 2024, Mr Samarawickrama’s chief trade negotiator K.J. Weerasinghehad had admitted “…. that forecasted revenue loss for the Government of Sri Lanka through the Singapore FTA is Rs. 450 million in 2023 and Rs. 1.3 billion in 2024.”
If these numbers are correct, as tariff liberalisation under the SLSFTA has just started, we will pass Rs 2 billion very soon. Then, the question is how Sri Lanka’s trade negotiators made such a colossal blunder. Didn’t they do their basic arithmetic? If they didn’t know how to do basic arithmetic they should have at least done their basic readings. For example, the headline of the article published in The Straits Times in January 2018 was “Singapore, Sri Lanka sign FTA, annual savings of $10m expected”.
Anyway, as Sri Lanka’s chief negotiator reiterated at the COPF meeting that “…. since 99% of the tariffs in Singapore have zero rates of duty, Sri Lanka has agreed on 80% tariff liberalisation over a period of 15 years while expecting Singapore investments to address the imbalance in trade,” let’s turn towards investment.
Investment from Singapore
In July 2018, speaking during the Parliamentary Debate on the FTA this is what Minister Malik Samarawickrama stated on investment from Singapore, “Already, thanks to this FTA, in just the past two-and-a-half months since the agreement came into effect we have received a proposal from Singapore for investment amounting to $ 14.8 billion in an oil refinery for export of petroleum products. In addition, we have proposals for a steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million), sugar refinery ($ 200 million). This adds up to more than $ 16.05 billion in the pipeline on these projects alone.
And all of these projects will create thousands of more jobs for our people. In principle approval has already been granted by the BOI and the investors are awaiting the release of land the environmental approvals to commence the project.
I request the Opposition and those with vested interests to change their narrow-minded thinking and join us to develop our country. We must always look at what is best for the whole community, not just the few who may oppose. We owe it to our people to courageously take decisions that will change their lives for the better.”
According to the media report I quoted earlier, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chief Negotiator Weerasinghe has admitted that Sri Lanka was not happy with overall Singapore investments that have come in the past few years in return for the trade liberalisation under the Singapore-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. He has added that between 2021 and 2023 the total investment from Singapore had been around $162 million!
What happened to those projects worth $16 billion negotiated, thanks to the SLSFTA, in just the two-and-a-half months after the agreement came into effect and approved by the BOI? I do not know about the steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million) and sugar refinery ($ 200 million).
However, story of the multibillion-dollar investment in the Petroleum Refinery unfolded in a manner that would qualify it as the best fairy tale with false promises presented by our politicians and the officials, prior to 2019 elections.
Though many Sri Lankans got to know, through the media which repeatedly highlighted a plethora of issues surrounding the project and the questionable credentials of the Singaporean investor, the construction work on the Mirrijiwela Oil Refinery along with the cement factory began on the24th of March 2019 with a bang and Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his ministers along with the foreign and local dignitaries laid the foundation stones.
That was few months before the 2019 Presidential elections. Inaugurating the construction work Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the projects will create thousands of job opportunities in the area and surrounding districts.
The oil refinery, which was to be built over 200 acres of land, with the capacity to refine 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was to generate US$7 billion of exports and create 1,500 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs. The construction of the refinery was to be completed in 44 months. Four years later, in August 2023 the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to cancel the agreement with the investors of the refinery as the project has not been implemented! Can they explain to the country how much money was wasted to produce that fairy tale?
It is obvious that the President, ministers, and officials had made huge blunders and had deliberately misled the public and the parliament on the revenue loss and potential investment from SLSFTA with fairy tales and false promises.
As the president himself said, a country cannot be developed by making false promises or with fairy tales and these false promises and fairy tales had bankrupted the country. “Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet”.
(The writer, a specialist and an activist on trade and development issues . )
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