Culture & Heritage

Muslims least exclusive community in Sri Lanka   Race is a touchy issue almost everywhere in the world but nowhere is this more pronounced than in countries where there is a plurality of peoples. People become more race conscious when another group of people differing in physical features, language, culture and religion live in their midst. The greater the difference, …

FORTIETH MARHOOM DR. A.M.A. AZEEZ ORATION – 2013 Introduction It is indeed a great honour to me to be invited to deliver the Dr. A.M.A. Azeez Memorial Oration this year. I wish to express my thanks to the Executive Committee of the Azeez Foundation, especially its President Mr. S.H.M. Jameel and Mr. Ali Azeez, the son of A.M.A. Azeez and …

The story behind this clock tower is a tragic one. The Ismail clock tower which was built in 1947 by the Ismail Family ( Haji Mohomed Ismail) in memory of his beloved son Mohomed Zacky Ismail who lost his life in Kadugannawa on the 14th Aug 1947.   The clock tower is a historic monument and marks the center of …

Syrian artist reproduces entire Quran in embroidered calligraphy By Shafaat Shahbandari, Staff Reporter Dubai: It’s unique, it’s magical and it’s monumental. A Syrian businessman in his 50s has come up with a new form of art that’s a blend of calligraphy and embroidery and, interestingly, he has used his skills to script the world’s first Quran entirely in embroidery. Without …

A royal decree was issued yesterday changing the official Saudi weekend to Friday and Saturday, a move that will bring the Kingdom’s working week closer to that of other countries and boost international business relations.   Saudi Arabia, the biggest Arab economy, was the only member of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council to have a Thursday-Friday weekend after Oman shifted …

This article should be read contextually with all previous parts. . It is not my objective to make any derogatory criticism of any community or any religion. An attempt has been made here to illustrate how Sinhalese people have been sympathetic and companionate towards all other religious groups in the past.  Though Portuguese and Hindu invaders from South India try to …