The
total number of Muslims were 1,134,556 as enumerated in the Census
of 1981. From 1911 to 1971 this religious group was enumerated in
three ethnic groups, viz. Ceylon (later Sri Lanka) Moors, Indian Moors
and Malays. Sri Lanka Moors are those who are, or claim to be descended
from Muslims (other than Malays) who have been in the Island for several
centuries. Malays also trace their origins in the country to several
centuries past and count amongst themselves a minority of converts
to Christianity.
Although
55,000 Indian Moors were enumerated in 1963, their number declined
to 27,000 in 1971. In 1981 they were not separately reported on at
all. This is due to Indian Moors, i.e. comparatively recent immigrants
from South India, declaring themselves to be Sri Lanka Moors.
The
total number of Sri Lanka Moors was 1,056,972 in 1981, distributed
throughout the country with concentrations in Colombo, Ampara, Kandy,
Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Kurunegala and Puttalama Districts. This
article is mainly concerned with the entire religious group enumerated
as Muslims.
The
Muslim population in each of the above Districts was as follows:
Colombo
168,956 (20,041 Malays)
Ampara
161,794
Kandy
125,646
Batticaloa
79,662
Trincomalee
75,761
Kurunegala
64,213
Puttalama
50,246
Of
the population in Colombo 166,605 were within the limits of Colombo
Municipality where the national minorities are now (1999) in a majority
through acquisition of property and colonization by way of planned
settlement. The Muslim population of Colombo District had increased
between 1981 and 1994 to 212,641, an increase of 26%, while the SL
Tamil population of the District increased by 39% in the same period
itself a negation of the claim of insecurity and lack of employment
in this country, as far as the minorities are concerned. The increase
in the Sinhala population of Colombo District in the same period was
only 15%.
Persian
and Arab traders frequented the ports on the western coast of Sri
Lanka for the entrepot trade between the East and the West, as early
as the first centuries of the Christian era. It is accepted that Muslim
Arabs had settlements on the western coast as early as the ninth or
tenth centuries. They were the beneficiaries of the remarkable tolerance
extended by the Sinhala Buddhist rulers and the people to foreigners
and their faiths. Later Muslim arrivals were from South India and
the dominance of the South Indian element is demonstrated by the mother
tongue of most of the Muslims of Sri Lanka which is a corrupt form
of Tamil. There was a further admixture of a native Sinhala element
principally by marriage with Sinhala women and to lesser extent by
conversion. The Muslim penetration of Sri Lanka was principally for
trade and not for conversion or conquest.
The
Portuguese regarded the Muslims as enemies. In 1626 Captain General
(Governor)Constantine de Sa de Noronha acting on orders from the King
of Portugal expelled all the Muslims from their settlements which
were in the Portuguese controlled areas The refugees were invited
to sanctuary in the territory of the Sinhala kingdom by the Sinhala
Buddhist king Senerat (1604-1635).
Senerat settled the refugees on the eastern coast from Kodiyarama
in Trincomalee Bay, one of the principal Sinhala ports to Pothuvila
on the south eastern coast. A colony of 4000 were settled in Batticaloa
alone. Many others were given lands in the interior.
Muslims,
together with the Tamils are dominant in trade and influential in
politics. The increased wealth of the Muslim states in the Middle
East and their total commitment to religious extremism have both morally
and materially promoted the Muslim interest in Sri Lanka in regard
to religious fundamentalism, commercial enterprise and pursuit of
education.