Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Rohingya
First Edition : July 2001
The writing of this book would not have been possible for me had I not
received the cooperation of some friends who deserve to name here.
Particular thanks would go to Mr. Habibur Rahman who encouraged
me all the time in carrying on research in such an interesting project.
My sincere thanks also go to Mr. Mamtaz Jamil who saw the potential
of the original draft and shape it to present stage. I am also grateful to
Mr. Aman Ullah who helps me by lending rare books from his personal
library. I am also thankful to Dr. Waker Uddin (USA), Reza Uddin
(USA), Edith T. Miranti (USA) and friends who always encourage me
for the publication of this work.
Islam arrived in Arakan in 788 A.D. From the days of myths and
legends, Arakan entered the historical era from the days of the
Chandra dynasty. The first group to leave its mark upon the culture
and civilization of Rohingya were the Arabs who came to trade and
settled down permanently in Arakan. They brought Islam, which as a
resurgent force vastly influenced and inspired the local people of
Arakan to accept Islam. The descendants of these people founded the
original nucleus of the Rohingyas in Arakan.
Robert Hughes remarked that the religion of Islam has played vast role
in enriching world civilisation and culture. He described, "Islam the
destroyer is a myth. Without Arab scholars, our mathematics would not
exit ....... Medieval Rome was a scavengers' village compared with
medieval Baghdad. Without the Arab invasion of southern Spain
Europe would be unimaginably poorer."
It has been said that you cannot see other cultures well until, through
knowing your own. Otherwise you are left with mere undeceive much.
To do this, we must restore the cultural position of knowledge and
learning in society. The Prophet of Islam said: "The superior rank the
'alim' holds in relation to the’ bid' is like the superior rank I hold in
relation to the least of my companions". "Seek knowledge from cradle
to grave" is also the Hadith of the great Prophet.
Knowledge is the greatest of pleasures just as ignorance is the
greatest pain. Men of knowledge played a pivotal role in enabling Islam
to produce one of the most dazzling civilisations ever known to
humanity. Ali Ibn Abi Talib said:"Ya kamil! Knowledge is better than
wealth for knowledge watches over you whilst you have to watch over
your wealth. And knowledge governs while wealth is governed. Wealth
diminishes with spending but knowledge increases there with."
For culture, which for various lengths of time has been traumatized by
the colonial experience, certain similarities should exist in their learned
patterns of behavior and their response to history.
It is the right of a distinct group to live in their own place, uphold their
culture and practice religion of their own freely.Depending on the
extent of civilisation and environment and in course of time, many
changes take place within and around. And it is no exception in Burma.
The ethnic Ta Line has become Mon, Taung Thu is now Pa-oh,
Karenni is known as Kaya, Shan Taroke as Kokan etc.
Across the last two thousand years, there has been great deal of local
vibrancy as well as movement by different ethnic people through the
region. For the last millennium or so, Muslims and Buddhists have
historically lived on both sides of the Naaf River, which marks the
modern border with Bangladesh. The Muslims (Rohingyas) and
Buddhists (Rakhines) had been peacefully coexisting in Arakan over
the centuries like twin brothers. In addition to the two majority groups,
a number of other minority peoples also came to live in Arakan,
including the Chin, Mro, and Khami are mostly Christians today, who
were traditionally animists.
It is not possible to ascribe to Rakhines a "historic right", the right of
the first occupier. The Arakanese chronicles record a line
To be continue…..