5/5 Paochieh C. 2 years ago on Google • 46 reviews
The
Beruwala
Maradana
Masjidul
Abrar
Jumma
mosque
is
a
reminiscent
of
the
first
Muslim
settlement
created
with
the
advent
of
Muslims
in
Sri
Lanka.
it
is
a
symbol
of
the
relationship
Muslims
have
with
Beruwala.
Muslims
in
Sri
Lanka
believe
that
this
is
the
first
mosque
built
by
Muslims
and
it
believed
to
date
back
to
920
AD.
According
to
the
book
Sunahar
(authored
by
J
C
Vansandem),
the
name
Beruwela
may
have
evolved
from
Be-Ruwala
which
means
the
dropping
or
folding
of
the
sails
by
Arab
Muslims
who
arrived
by
ship
in
the
Bay.
The
Muslims
who
originally
settled
in
the
coastal
areas
of
Beruwela
are
believed
to
have
extended
further
inland
to
the
village
areas
due
to
the
hospitality
by
the
Sinhala
community.
History
reveals
that
they
settled
in
Pinhera
in
this
manner.
They
are
said
to
have
built
a
mosque
truly
for
their
prayers.
Although
the
mosque
is
not
seen
today,
there
is
a
land
called
Palliyawatte
in
the
area.
Since
it
is
compulsory
for
Muslims
to
say
prayers
five
times
a
day,
wherever
they
may
beit
is
a
custom
for
them
to
build
even
a
small
building
to
engage
in
prayers.
The
Mosques
built
near
Beruwela
and
Pinhera
are
now
non-existent.
The
Maradana
Mosque
which
had
been
rehabilitated
regularly
over
the
years,
it
proudly
represents
the
history
of
Muslims
in
Sri
Lanka.
At
a
ceremony
to
mark
the
first
Arab
settlement
held
in
June
8,
2013,
two
commemorative
stamps
were
launched
by
the
Postal
Department.
Although
the
date
of
the
setting
up
the
mosque
is
unclear,
it
can
be
remembered
according
to
the
available
information
that
its
origin
was
before
920
AD.
A
pond
built
in
front
of
this
masjid
at
that
time
still
adds
to
the
beauty
of
its
surroundings.
This
was
the
only
Masjid
which
existed
in
Beruwela
almost
a
century
ago.
The
present
appearance
was
created
when
it
was
rehabilitated
in
1986
by
late
Deshamanya
Al
Haj
M
A
Balveer
Muskar,
former
MP
and
Southern
Province
Governor.
It
has
facilities
to
accommodate
3000
devotees
at
a
time.
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