The Arabian author of the Middle Ages, Edrisi (1154 A.D) in his description of Sri Lanka or serendib says that “the natives of Oman and Yemen resorted to Lanka for making Cordage from the coconut.”
Besides the writer Edirisi’s reference to natives of Yemen (and Omaan) seeking to make cordage from the husks of the coconut in Sri Lanka, (see earlier reference) Yemen is linked to Sri Lanka by the visit of two Yemeni saints- sheikh Ismail Imam Izzadeen Yemeni (Arabu Appa) and As-sheikh Abdullah Ibn Omar Baadheef Yamanee Oliullah.
Izzadeen Yemeni (Arabi Appa) was a direct descendant of the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s Uncle, Abbas, and was a sheikh of the shazuliya Thareek. He married a direct descendent of the Holy Prophet’s companion and first caliph of Islam Abu bakr. Arabi Appa and a friend Mohamed Cassim Bhai of India, a wealthy businessman, were travelling by ship to serendib (Srilanka) when heavy seas caused shipwreck. Floating on planks these two survivors managed to land safely at weligama in the South of Srilanka.
Arabi Appa resided at weligama and when he died hhe was buried in the courtyard of the Mosque at station Road, Weligama. On the day that Arabi died, a relative from Yemen visited him and when told that the saint was dead he is reported to have said; “He will not die,” and nearing the corpse lifted the shroud covering his face and recited a verse. Arabi Appa opened and closed his eyes three times.
It is said that when the Muslims of Matara wanted to build a shrine the saint appeared to one of them in a dream and asked that honour be reserved for hi son, Hajiyar Appa, who is himself revered as a saint. Stories are told of how the latter by his pious recitation coaxed a charging elephant and an infuriated buffalo to retreat meekly.
Hajiyar Appa was a savant, who wrote among other works, the holy Quran with his own hands. Once when he was writing the pen was wrenched from his hand and fell off. “that’s the end” he said ominously and he died after an illness of 40 days on Friday March 2,1882 and was buried before Jumma prayers close to his house at Matara.
The other Yemeni saint, As-Sheikh Abdullah Ibn Omar Baadheef Yamanee Oliullah is said to have arrived in Sri Lanka on May 27, 1840 from yemen, returned in 1850, and was back in Sri Lanka in 1858. He died in his country on January 14, 1892. A woollen robe (Jubba) worn by him is still found in Kahata Owita, off veyangoda where his resting place is. Annual commemorative recitals of Rathib and Mawlood still take place at New Moor Street, Colombo and Kahata Owita on the 14th day of the month of Jamadhil Akhir since his demise.
Besides the writer Edirisi’s reference to natives of Yemen (and Omaan) seeking to make cordage from the husks of the coconut in Sri Lanka, (see earlier reference) Yemen is linked to Sri Lanka by the visit of two Yemeni saints- sheikh Ismail Imam Izzadeen Yemeni (Arabu Appa) and As-sheikh Abdullah Ibn Omar Baadheef Yamanee Oliullah.
Izzadeen Yemeni (Arabi Appa) was a direct descendant of the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s Uncle, Abbas, and was a sheikh of the shazuliya Thareek. He married a direct descendent of the Holy Prophet’s companion and first caliph of Islam Abu bakr. Arabi Appa and a friend Mohamed Cassim Bhai of India, a wealthy businessman, were travelling by ship to serendib (Srilanka) when heavy seas caused shipwreck. Floating on planks these two survivors managed to land safely at weligama in the South of Srilanka.
Arabi Appa resided at weligama and when he died hhe was buried in the courtyard of the Mosque at station Road, Weligama. On the day that Arabi died, a relative from Yemen visited him and when told that the saint was dead he is reported to have said; “He will not die,” and nearing the corpse lifted the shroud covering his face and recited a verse. Arabi Appa opened and closed his eyes three times.
It is said that when the Muslims of Matara wanted to build a shrine the saint appeared to one of them in a dream and asked that honour be reserved for hi son, Hajiyar Appa, who is himself revered as a saint. Stories are told of how the latter by his pious recitation coaxed a charging elephant and an infuriated buffalo to retreat meekly.
Hajiyar Appa was a savant, who wrote among other works, the holy Quran with his own hands. Once when he was writing the pen was wrenched from his hand and fell off. “that’s the end” he said ominously and he died after an illness of 40 days on Friday March 2,1882 and was buried before Jumma prayers close to his house at Matara.
The other Yemeni saint, As-Sheikh Abdullah Ibn Omar Baadheef Yamanee Oliullah is said to have arrived in Sri Lanka on May 27, 1840 from yemen, returned in 1850, and was back in Sri Lanka in 1858. He died in his country on January 14, 1892. A woollen robe (Jubba) worn by him is still found in Kahata Owita, off veyangoda where his resting place is. Annual commemorative recitals of Rathib and Mawlood still take place at New Moor Street, Colombo and Kahata Owita on the 14th day of the month of Jamadhil Akhir since his demise.
He was reputed to turn baser metals into gold by herbal treatment- enough gold only to meet his bare necessities. He used to make periodical visits from Colombo to Kahata Owita, then a jungle, for this purpose. Before coming to Sri Lanka this mystic and sufi was Professor of Theology and Sufism at the Al- Azhar University at Cairo.
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