Monday, March 30, 2009

Medhu Ziyaaray: Whose Tomb is it Anyway?



Few people doubt that the tomb enclosed in Male’s historic Medhu Ziyaaray belongs to the scholar who brought Islam to the Maldives in 1153. However his personal identity has been at the center of a historical controversy for the last 650 odd years.

Ibn Batutta who visited the Maldives about 200 years after the conversion claims to have seen a plaque in Male’s Friday Mosque saying that the scholar who brought Islam was Abul Barakat Yousef Al-Berberi. However the plaque that survived to modern times (could be a different plaque) gives the credit to Abur-Rikaab Yoosuf al Tabrizi. As their names suggest the two scholars (if indeed there were two) belonged to two different continents –Barbary was in North Africa and Tabriz in Iran (Asia). Interestingly Ibn Batutta was also a native of Barbary like Abul Barakat to whom he gives credit. To be fair to Ibn Batutta it must be said that due to the peculiarities of Arabic calligraphy, the two names appear much more similar in the the original Arabic than in the English transliteration. (See the photo of the historic plaque above.) So, Ibn Batutta could have been genuinely mistaken.

More recently a third claimant to the honor has surfaced in a historic manuscript, “Kitab fi Athaari Meedoo el-Qadimiyyeh” written by Allama Ahmed Shihabuddine of Midu in Addu Atoll in Arabic and translated into Dhivehi by Dhoondeyri Don Maniku son of Chief Justice Ibrahim Majduddine. The manuscript gives the credit to Yoosuf Gadir a scholar who first landed in Meedu, Addu Atoll.

A large number of people visited Medhu Ziyaaray, when it was opened to the public for the first time in recent history on Sunday. This was despite a warning not to visit the Ziyaaray issued by Adhaalath Party and echoed by Sheikh Mohamed Nasheed Adam in his Friday sermon at Masjid Mohamed Thakurufaanu Al Auzam.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

reminds me of Baamiyaan. if these people have thier way they will destroy Medhu Ziyaaray

Ibrahim Mohamed said...

Best thing is to destroy the shrine. When dead there won't be any difference.

Anonymous said...

Ibrahim,
how about tearing up the history books and demolishing the museum too? They are also about dead people. won't make any difference.

Anonymous said...

never heard of this yoosuf qadir chap. is it for real?

vaaf said...

Anon above

yes you wont know him because you don't know Maldivian history never read it or never bothered. That's you.

According to records the first Muslim community was established by a Yemeni immigrant from Hazdramauth who settled in Meedhoo.

But yes the ruling royalty was converted this disputed fellow who is either the Berber or the Persian.

Anonymous said...

Its possible even the famous womanizer Rannamaari also may be there. We have been taught in grade 5 social study classes about this Rannamaari, I wonder where is his tomb, I guess it may be there in Medhuziyaaraiy or may be in Muliaage.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the info-always refreshing.
I HATE these self-acclaimed “Priesthood of Muslims” called Adhaalath!The only reason they supported Anni(whom most of them regard as an “infidel” in secret!)was their greed to become the exclusive&ultimate authority on ALL of our nation’s religious matters.It is not just him-they think the rest of us are ignorant,stupid lambs in need of punishment&guidance that can only be issued by them.The next thing we see,they will be giving out/selling “blessings” in their unique “islamic” way.Selfish hypocrites!They will be doing their best to replace our moderate way of life with their fanaticism&extremism.
-T.D.D-

Anonymous said...

Adhaalt must stop its plan to Taalibanize the maldives

Anonymous said...

anon 1.30,
this theroy about the womannizer is very interesting. it could very well be him.

Anonymous said...

Qaumee marukazu must verify the tomb stones in Meedhoo burial ground. that will show if any muslim tombs existed before 1153.

Anonymous said...

Talking about Rannamaari in these days and age!!! It's hilarious.

Anonymous said...

i won't be surprised if some weirdos start blowing up shrines and even mosques.

moyameehaa said...

i read in dharuma magazine sometime back that the arabic text on the tomb is not clear and can be read as both. but my theory is that probably ibn batuta was trying to credit to his people.maybe for him to get more power and respect in maldives.or simply because of the age old arab-persian racial thing. scientific study of the tomb and the corpse (if there is any) could help.some people say maybe the real corpse is somewhere on the road. we'll never know. but destroying that place in unacceptable.

Anonymous said...

it very well could be the womanizer "rannamaari" who brought islam.. women as slaves.. hmmmm.. somethin similar with what rannamaari practiced ...

Anonymous said...

excellent points and the details are more precise than somewhere else, thanks.

- Murk

Anonymous said...

What is the relation of king Dharumavantha to Rannamaari. Could it be that they both are the same person. If not, what's the reason of fleeing from Maldives. Please correct me if i'm wrong