Islam in the Maldives


is the state religion of the Maldives and its constitution requires all citizens to be Muslims.

History

Compared to the other areas of South Asia, the conversion of the Maldives to Islam happened relatively late. Arab Traders had converted populations in the Malabar Coast since the 7th century, and the Muslim General Muhammad Bin Qāsim had converted of Sindh and Southern Punjab to Islam at about the same time. The Maldives remained a Buddhist kingdom for another five hundred years until the conversion to Islam.

Introduction of Islam

Maghrebi/Berber Theory
Berber/Maghrebi interest in Maldives also was reflected in the residence there in the 1340s of Ibn Battutah. The well-known North African/Moroccan traveller wrote how a Berber, one Abu Barakat Yusuf the Berber, was believed to have been responsible for spreading Islam in the islands, reportedly convincing the local king after having subdued Ranna Maari, a demon coming from the sea. Even though this report has been contested in later sources, it does explain some crucial aspects of Maldivian culture. For instance, historically Arabic has been the prime language of administration there, instead of the Persian and Urdu languages used in the nearby Muslim states. Another link to North Africa was the Maliki school of jurisprudence, used throughout most of North Africa, which was the official one in the Maldives until the 17th century.

Somali Theory

Some scholars have suggested the possibility of Ibn Battuta misreading Maldive texts,and having a bias or felt partial towards the North African Maghrebi/Berber narrative of this Shaykh. Instead of the East African origins account that was known as well at the time. Even when Ibn Battuta visited the islands of the Maldives, the governor of the island at that time was Abd Aziz Al Mogadishawi, a Somali.
Also another prominent Shaykh on the Island during Ibn Batuta's stay, was Shaykh Najib al Habashi Al Salih, another learned man from the Horn of Africa. His presence Indicating a strong Horn of African Islamic presence on the Island.
Scholars have spoken that Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari might have been a resident of Berbera, a significant trading port on the north western coast of Somalia. Barbara or Barbaroi, as the ancestors of the Somalis were referred to by medieval Arab and ancient Greek geographers, respectively. This is also seen when Ibn Batuta visited Mogadishu, he mentions that the Sultan at that time 'Abu Bakr ibn Shaikh Omar', was a Berber.
According to scholars, Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari was Yusuf bin Ahmad al-Kawneyn, a famous native Somali scholar. In Arabic, Abu Barakat, is a direct translation of the Somali Aw Barkhadle, which means "Blessed Father", one of the Shaykh's well known nicknames. Yusuf bin Ahmad al-Kawneyn is known for establishing the Walashma dynasty of the Horn of Africa. This famous Shaykh was born in the city of Zeila, a Somali city well known for its history, and also for its spreading of the Islamic faith throughout Africa and Asia. in Zeila, the oldest mosque in Africa is found, Masjid al-Qiblatayn, built during the time of the Prophet Muhammad. After the Shaykh's conversion of the population of Dogor, a town in Somalia. He is also credited to have been responsible for spreading Islam in the Maldivian islands, establishing the Hukuru Miskiy, and converting the Maldivian population into Islam. Ibn Batuta states the Maldivian king was converted by Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari .

Persian Theory

Another interpretation, in the Raadavalhi and Taarikh, is that Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari was an Iranian from Tabriz called Yusuf Shamsud-din, also locally known as Tabrīzugefānu. In the Arabic script the words al-Barbari and al-Tabrizi are very much alike, owing to the fact that at the time, Arabic had several consonants that looked identical and could only be differentiated by overall context. The first reference to an Iranian origin dates to an 18th-century Persian text.

Sufi tradition

The Maldives has had a long history of Sufic orders, as can be seen in the history of the country such as the building of tombs. They were used until as recently as the 1980s for seeking the help of buried saints. They can be seen today next to some old mosques and are considered today as cultural heritage.
Other aspects of tassawuf, such as ritualized dhikr ceremonies called Maulūdu — the liturgy of which included recitations and certain supplications in a melodic tone—existed until very recent times. These Maulūdu festivals were held in ornate tents specially built for the occasion. At present Islam is the official religion of the entire population, as adherence to it is required for citizenship.

Islamic influence

is the state religion of Maldives, and adherence to it is legally required for citizens by a revision of the constitution in 2008: Article 9, Section D and 10 states,
A non-Muslim may not become a citizen of the Maldives.
The religion of the State of the Maldives is Islam. Islam shall be the one of the basis of all the laws of the Maldives. No law contrary to any tenet of Islam shall be enacted in the Maldives.

The traditional Islamic law code of shariah forms the Maldives' basic code of law, as interpreted to conform to local Maldivian conditions by the President, the attorney general, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Majlis. Article 142 of the constitution states,
When deciding matters on which the Constitution or the law is silent, Judges must consider Islamic Shari’ah.

Proselytizing by non-Muslims in Maldives, including the distribution of non-Muslim religious materials, is illegal. Public worship by adherents of religions other than Islam is forbidden.
On the inhabited islands, the miski, or mosque, forms the central place where Islam is practiced. Because Friday is the most important day for Muslims to attend mosque, shops and offices in towns and villages close around 11 a.m., and the sermon begins by 12:30 p.m.
Adhan sessions are held five times daily. Mudimu, the mosque caretakers, make the call. Most shops and offices close for fifteen minutes after each call. During the ninth Muslim month of Ramadan, cafés and restaurants are closed during the day, and working hours are limited.

Mosques

Most inhabited Maldivian islands have several mosques; Malé has more than thirty. Most traditional mosques are whitewashed buildings constructed of coral stone with corrugated iron or thatched roofs.
Some Maldivian mosques host mandala-like decorative elements, cultural influences from the pre-Islamic period and/or from the Indian sub-continent.
In Malé, the Islamic Center and the Grand Friday Mosque, built in 1984 with funding from the Persian Gulf states, Pakistan, Brunei, and Malaysia, are imposing elegant structures. The gold-colored dome of this mosque is the first structure sighted when approaching Malé. In mid-1991 Maldives had a total of 725 mosques and 266 women's mosques.

Radicalism

In the late 1990s the spread of Salfi Islam challenged more traditional Islamic practices. After the 2004 tsunami, Saudi-funded preachers gained even more influence.
The Guardian estimates that 50-100 fighters have joined ISIS and al Qaeda from the Maldives. The Financial Times puts the number at 200. Radicalization often happens in jail where the "only thing to read is the Qur’an or religious literature. There are also lots of older militants and young guys look up to them."