The Republic of Maldives, the beautiful cluster of islands nestled in the heart of the Indian Ocean, was once governed by Buddhist philosophy, presumably influenced by the religious views held by neighbouring Ceylon. While this was the case until the 12th century, modern Maldives considers Sunni Islam as the state religion. Since its introduction, Islamic religious values influenced not only the social structure and culture of the Maldivian people, but also their architecture and a number of mosques were constructed for religious worship. While those residing in Maldives island resorts may not necessarily notice this religious influence, for those who venture out from holiday resorts and visit, for instance, the capital city of Malé, one would find over thirty mosques with elegant structures.
One such mosque is the Malé Friday Mosque, believed to have been constructed in 1658 by Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar. This Mosque is known by the locals as the Malé Hukuru Miskiy Mosque and guests residing in resorts such as Maafushivaru Maldives can visit the Mosque with the assistance of the hotel management.
The Friday Mosque is found in the Kaafu Atoll, one of twenty six Atolls in Maldives and is made out of coral stone and includes a coral stone minaret. The Mosque is operational even today and visitors can see the Mihuraabuge, the Medhu Miskiy and the Fahu Miskiy which are essentially the area where the prayers are led, the middle and the back Mosque.
Malé Hukuru Miskiy is important for another non-religious reason: it has been named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is undoubtedly the architecture coupled with its antiquity that has earned the Mosque this designation. The interior of this site is adorned with woodcarving and lacquer work that demonstrates Maldivian art and is considered by historians as a valuable preservation of artwork during the 17th century.
Chandrishan Williams is a travel writer who writes under the pen name, Caleb Falcon. He specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.