Blog Archives

The History of Sri Lanka’s Muslim Communities By Randika Jayakody and Jerome Perera Source:Brisbane 4EB Sri Lankan Newsletter – Dæhæna – January 2022 When discussing multiculturalism in Sri Lanka one encounters a unique conflation of religion and ethnicity in the term “Muslim”. Globally, the term “Muslim” specifies adherents of Islam, whereas in Sri Lanka it refers to an amalgamation of religion and ethnicity. Various groups whose ethnic, cultural, and linguistic customs distinctly differ are often categorised as Muslims. Communities that practice Islam in Sri Lanka have been present on the island for millennia, as evident in the presence of the ancient Al Abrar Mosque in Beruwala which was built in 920AD, regarded as the oldest mosque on the island. This confirms at least over a millennium of intercultural exchange between Sri Lankan and Islamic communities around the world. Many communities practicing Islam were free settlers in Ceylon. These communities include ...