History of the Muslims of Sri Lanka - Ep 1: Who are the Yonas?

This is the beginning of a series of videos created based on research done on the History of Muslims of Sri Lanka.
To view Episode 2, click on the link: • Ep 2: History of the M...
To view Episode 3, click on the link: • Ep 3: History of the M...
This series intended for public awareness, aims to include Historical Narrations of the Contributions made by the Muslims of Sri Lanka towards Harmony, Peace, Development, and Prosperity of Sri Lanka.
Click the Subscribe button to view the rest of the episodes when they are uploaded.
Please feel free to leave your suggestions and/or ideas in the comments below!
To contact us:
Imtiaz Muhsin - [e-mail]
Aamina Muhsin - [e-mail]

[@happyfeet8163]

Hi I am a Sri Lankan Buddhist. This is part of my history too, so I came here to learn it. I feel like the problems in Sri Lanka are due to lack of proper ancient historic education. I truly wish I could change the education system to change the perception to make every Sri Lankan feel truly Sri Lankan. So thank you for your research and channel. Sharing knowledge is a wonderful thing. Only right education helps solve all problems. I’m still learning myself.

[@AaminaMuhsin]

I am still learning too! Thank you for watching, and sharing your feedback! As for your thoughts about recommendations to the system, I am part of a brilliant team working really hard towards this. Let me know if you are interested.

[@happyfeet8163]

@@AaminaMuhsin how can I get involved :)

[@AaminaMuhsin]

Super! Can you pls email me: [e-mail]

[@NarasimhaDiyasena]

Sri Lanka needs a massive overhaul in its education system and fast, especially when it comes to tech. A proper education on the history will result in the Sanskriti (culture) of our peoples being restored, ending the foreign governments ability to wage identity politics on the uneducated which will prevent the exploitation of ethic tensions that often escalate into proxy wars in other countries.

[@asiffhussein4336]

Wonderful initiative. Videos such as this should go a long way in creating awareness of the immense contribution made by Arabs and their Moor descendants to our country. There is so much we Muslims have contributed in terms of culture and national life, but sadly little known. This initiative should go a long way in changing that. Hope there are many more such videos to come, insha Allah.

[@AaminaMuhsin]

@Asiff Hussein Thank you very much! Also Thanks so much for being willing to offer us your expertise in this project! We really appreciate it and we hope you won't mind us coming to you for more!

[@asiffhussein4336]

Sure Aamina anytime! This is a project that really needs to take off and reach out to everybody. An absolute need of the times!

[@fazlimowjood5376]

Very interesting. Wish you all the best in your future research on the Muslims of sri lanka

[@AaminaMuhsin]

Thanks so much! My dad was just telling me about you! :)

[@mohamedhanan6210]

Very interesting area. Thanks for the initiations. Wish you for the success

[@AaminaMuhsin]

Thanks a lot!

[@dr.rizviesalih3107]

Wonderful! Well researched and narrated. Well done Aamina !

[@AaminaMuhsin]

Thank you, Rizvie Uncle!! ☺️

[@zeeneththajudeen4447]

ඔබට බෙහෙවින්ම ස්තුතිවන්ත වෙමි.අද හුගක් දෙනෙක් ඉතිහාසය ගැන දන්නෙම නැහැනෙ.පාසල් ලමයින්ට ගොඩක් ප්‍රයෝජනවත් වේවි.අපිටත් හරිම වටිනවා. ඉතින් ඔබගේ ඉදිරිපත් කිරීම ගැන මම බෙහෙවින් සතුටු වෙමි. ඔබට සුබපැතුම.තවත් වටිනා සටහන් ඉදිරිපත් කිරීමට ඔබට ශක්තිය ලැබේව.සුබ ගමනක්

[@AaminaMuhsin]

ඔබේ ලස්සන පණිවිඩය අපට බොහෝ වටිනා! ඔබගේ සහයෝගයට බොහෝම ස්තූතියි, සීනත්!

[@suv1437]

අලුත් සොයාගැනීම් වලට අනුව බුදු දහම මිහිඳු හිමිට පෙර මේ රටේ තිබී ඇත... ඒවා නොසොයා මෙලෙස කරුනු දැක්වීම වැරදී..

[@muhammadmafaz8530]

දැන් තමයි දැක්කේ මෙතනත් ඉන්නවා වගේ. මමත් තව ඉගෙන ගන්න ඕනේ.

[@radhikaperera1293]

Isn't yona mean 'ioians' which is the name greek called themselves.

[@imtiazmuhsin1663]

Thank you for that question, it gives me the opportunity to answer (briefly) We are referring to King Pandukabhayas period, which is around 450 BC. Greece is far far away from Sri Lanka, it is at the endo of the Silk Route (see Episode # 4) This is what Wikipedia states about Ionians Ionia (/aɪˈoʊniə/; Ancient Greek: Ἰωνία /i.ɔː.ní.aː/, Iōnía or Ἰωνίη, Iōníē) was an ancient region on the central part of the western coast of Anatolia in present-day Turkey, the region nearest İzmir, which was historically Smyrna. It consisted of the northernmost territories of the Ionian League of Greek settlements. Never a unified state……….. Greece is in Europe. Remember the Europeans came to Sri Lanka at the beginning of the 16th century. Their interests were not merely ‘trade’ but colonization The Arab / Muslim traders, traded for the Sinhalese King and Kingdom. The Colonizers traded for their (European) Kings and Kingdoms. That is a big difference. Thank you for asking the question

[@radhikaperera1293]

@@imtiazmuhsin1663 Mr Mushin, I truly appreciate your taking your time to make a reply about this fascinating subject. I have some concerns over the statements you make in your reply. I hope this discussion will be a great opportunity to gain more knowledge about these great civilizations. The term European is a novel construct. Greeks did not see themselves as Europeans. And same could be said of the term Arab. So I would refrain using these terms when we are talking about ancient cultures or any ancient group of people. The Greeks (ionians) had contact with Taprobane way before arrival of the "Europeans". Even before the Mahavamsa was written. The ptolemaic Map was a prime example of that. It was compiled during 150 A.D. He compiled his map (which is remarkably accurate for his time) with the help of the existing records of mariners and adventurers. And the Romans too had contact with this great island. And these contacts were not purely commercial as you said. Mahavamsa says that contingent of yona bikkhus attested the opening of the Ruwanmalisaya. So it must have cultural aspect as well. I would agree with you that Muslim traders came to Sri lanka with the advent of Islam. And have traded with the people living here for a very long time. Way before than the Europeans. Here again I will point out that Muslim traders does not necessarily means Arab traders, since Muslims are a very large group than the ethnic Arabs. I simply doesn't understand the Sri Lankan Muslim Community's need to Identify themselves with the Ethnic Arabs rather than as Sri lankan Muslims.

[@imtiazmuhsin1663]

@@radhikaperera1293 Thank you very much Hansana. I really like your response. The purpose of these videos is to bring peace unity harmony (whatever the word is) to lovely Sri Lanka. Unfortunately much effort has been made for the last (maybe) decades, to try to divide our people, on many lines. Your points about the Greeks are very valid. Regarding Ptolemy's Map, he (Ptolemy) collected information from those who plied the 'Silk Route', and information too traveled through this route. This is how I view the situation. Your point about traders not only being 'Arabs' is also very valid, and actually obvious. However, I am focusing on the role 'Muslims' have played over history, (that is over the last 2,500 odd years) for the development (etc) of Sri Lanka. Your point, or your being puzzled, as to why we Muslims identify ourselves with the Arabs rather than as Sri Lankan Muslims, is also very valid. Apparently there are a few factors. I hope I can address that issue and (hopefully) sort it out, over the course of these series of videos. Hopefully!!! Also I believe the Ruwanvelisaya was opened in 140 B.C. So who could the 'Yona Bikkhus' be? Would not be Christian Monks Interesting, no? Thank you very much for your comments and input. I really appreciate it, and the manner in which you have presented it. You appear to be a broadminded and knowledgeable person. I wish you 'all the very best'

[@radhikaperera1293]

@@imtiazmuhsin1663 Greatest Reply Ever❤️ Subbed👍

[@asiffhussein4336]

The Yonas the Mahavamsa refers to were very likely Arabs. This is the view of the renowned scholar Wilhelm Geiger. He has noted that although in the 4th century B.C., the term Yona was applied to Greeks, from the second century A.C., it was used to denote all foreigners who hailed from the west, as well as the Arabs. As the Mahavaṁsa was not composed before the 5th century A.C., he believes that its author employed a term in general use in his time. He also notes that at the beginning of the 5th century, the Chinese pilgrim Fa-Hien who visited Sri Lanka has alluded to the houses of Sabaean (i.e. Arabian) merchants in Anuradhapura being beautifully adorned, suggesting that the Yonas of the Mahāvaṁsa were none other than Arab merchants or settlers. We also have the The 1st century writer Pliny stating in his Natural History of Taprobane (as the Romans called Sri Lanka): Regi cultum liberi patris, caeteris Arabum, implying that Arabs were settled in coastal Sri Lanka before the 1st century AC. Further, to this day, the Moors are called Yona or Yon which is directly derived from the term Yona used by the chronicler of the Mahavamsa.

[@fazaalmuhammed9981]

Good Job👍

[@AaminaMuhsin]

Thank you!

[@thisarunawarathne944]

The Mahavamsa refers to two visits by ‘Yona’ to ancient Sri Lanka. Mahavamsa says that Pandukabhaya (pre- 3rd century BC) set apart grounds near the west gate of Anuradhapura for the ‘Yona’. That is the first visit. Several centuries later, in the time of Dutugemunu (167-131 BC) Yona bhikkus arrived to celebrate the completion of the Mahathupa. That is the second. Researchers have queried whether these Yonas were Greeks. Merlin Peris, Emeritus professor of Western Classics, University of Peradeniya, who researched into the two visits, is very definite that ‘Yona’ refers to Greeks and not any other group. The word ‘Yona’ is derived from ‘Ionian’, the Persian word for Greeks. ‘It was known before Pandukabhaya’s time. Dipawamsa refers to a famine of Yonaka in an earlier world cycle. India’s Sanskrit grammarian Panini (4th century BC) spoke of the Yavana script. The Mahavamsa Greeks (Yona) came from northwestern India. They may have got there in the time of the Persian king Cyrus, (559- 529 BC) Darius (522-486 BC) or Xerxes (486-465 BC). But the preferred idea is that they went there with Alexander of Macedon who invaded the Indus delta between 327-303 BC. Alexander went home, the Greeks stayed on. Seleucus Nicator, a general in Alexander’s army took over the lands conquered by Alexander. Merlin Peris observed that Pandukabhaya’s period of rule in Sri Lanka fitted in with the Alexander- Seleucid period in India. He suggests that Pandukabhaya’s city planning did not end after the first ten years, as Mahavamsa said. It continued and the Greek settlers came in the last two decades of his rule. The journey would have been easy. The sea route was well known and well used by then. These Greek settlers were not second or third generation ‘Indo-Greeks’. They were first-generation native Greeks, who had left Greece (also Macedonia and Ionia) only two decades before. They were, therefore, the first Europeans to visit Sri Lanka www.srilankaguardian.org/2014/09/greek-settlements-influence-in-ancient.html#:~:text=Perhaps%20there%20was%20a%20pocket,Greek%20were%20found%20in%20Kandahar.

[@shamruthrizvi3546]

Mashallah.very good information to all of us.💐

[@ahmadnaatcollection.4637]

love from Pakistan

[@HussainFahmy]

*_Masha'Allah._*

[@AaminaMuhsin]

Thank you!

[@VEERANVELAN]

When Vijaya came Muslims welcomed in Mannar

[@ujithadissanayake9078]

Good video. But nothing about 'Zaharans Easter Sunday Attacks'.

[@lydiarahman2123]

What can they do for it ?

[@tuanaqeel5885]

maybe first period of Arabs brought Christianity and Arab paganism and may paganist mixed with local paganism, and there is a prove that the Syrian orthodox came Kerala also Sri lanka through arabs.

[@thisarunawarathne944]

Yonas were the Pali name for Ionians. Ionians are Greek minor believed to be originated from the word "Athenians". See below descriptions from Wikipedia. Either way, Turkish people or Iranians are not considered Arabs. This false & fabricated history video to "make yourself feel good" is only dividing ourselves furthermore. "The word Yona in Pali and the Prakrits, and the analogue "Yavana" in Sanskrit, are words used in Ancient India to designate Greek speakers. "Yona" and "Yavana" are transliterations of the Greek word for "Ionians" (Ancient Greek: Ἴωνες < Ἰάoνες < *Ἰάϝoνες), who were probably the first Greeks to be known in the East. " Both terms appear in ancient Sanskrit literature. Yavana appears for instance, in the Mahabharata, while Yona appears in texts such as the Sri Lankan chronicle Mahavamsa. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yona "The Ionians (/aɪˈoʊniənz/; Greek: Ἴωνες, Íōnes, singular Ἴων, Íōn) were one of the four major tribes that the Greeks considered themselves to be divided into during the ancient period; the other three being the Dorians, Aeolians, and Achaeans.[2] The Ionian dialect was one of the three major linguistic divisions of the Hellenic world, together with the Dorian and Aeolian dialects".

[@shafaquehassim5516]

Its better remove bag ground music

[@sarafdeenul]

this Vedio is a lie we are not arabs our DNA is not even a little close to them only very few are desendeant of arabs and Sinhalese only very few muslims speak Sinhalese majority of srilankan speak sonakar language we are native srilankan who reverted to islam this is a lie the majority say to the minority l pls don't promote this bullshit we belong to srilanka not arabs yonaka means sonakar tamil who are a native ethinic group. to srilanka we are Not arabs

[@RajeshRajesh-cf2kv]

இது அரபியரா?