A Lakshadweep fisherman offers prayers at sea – a daily ritual that reflects the deep connection between Islam and maritime life in the islands since centuries.
The Lakshadweep archipelago stands unique in India’s religious landscape with over 96% of its population practicing Islam. This remarkable religious homogeneity has its roots in a rich history that combines documented accounts with cherished legends.
The early history of the Lakshadweep islands remains largely obscure, even more so than mainland India’s ancient past. As noted in the 1908 Madras District Gazetteer by CA Innes, perhaps the earliest written reference to these islands appears in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, an anonymous Roman travel and navigation guide from around the middle of the first century AD, which mentions “tortoise shell from the islands off the coast of Limurike.” However, Innes suggests it is improbable that the islands were inhabited that early.
An archival photograph of the historic Mohiddin mosque in Kavaratti from the 1970s, showing the traditional architectural style that has characterized the islands’ mosques for generations.
The renowned Persian scholar Al Biruni, writing around 1030 AD, provided one of the earliest clear references to the archipelago, distinguishing between what he called ‘Dyvah Kanbar’ (the Coir islands) and ‘Dyvah Kuzah’ (the Cowrie islands), terms likely used to differentiate between the Laccadives and Maldives. This early reference highlights the islands’ important role in trade, as both coir and cowrie shells were valuable commodities.
The archipelago’s location along ancient trade routes connecting the Arabian Peninsula with Southeast Asia proved crucial to their religious development. Archaeological evidence, including pre-Islamic pottery fragments, indicates established trade links with West Asia, setting the stage for religious influence. The archipelago’s position directly in the path of Arab trade between the Red Sea and Malabar made the eventual spread of Islamic influence inevitable.
A prayer mosque in Amini island photographed in 1976, illustrating the simple style that characterized early Islamic places of worship in Lakshadweep.
The earliest legend of Islam spreading in Lakshadweep is attributed to Sheikh Ubaidullah, a Muslim Arab from Medina who apparently arrived in the 7th Century. Born into a family reportedly related to Caliph Abu Bakr, Ubaidullah’s journey began with what he believed was a divine vision received while praying in the Prophet’s mosque in Medina, where he dreamed of Muhammad directing him to spread Islam in lands east of Jeddah.
His arrival in Lakshadweep was appropriately dramatic. Following a shipwreck, he drifted on a plank until reaching Amini island. Despite initial linguistic challenges, he began his mission by converting a prominent local family. After facing opposition in Amini, he moved to Andrott, where his preaching found greater success. His missionary work took him across several islands including Kavaratti and Agatti, before returning to a more receptive Amini.
Ubaidullah spent his final years in Andrott, where he continued teaching until his death. His burial site at the Andrott Juma Mosque, built during his lifetime, remains a significant religious landmark. Even today, he is known as Munbe Mullaka, apparently a mispronunciation of Munbe Mussaliyar Kaka, meaning the first Mussaliyar.
But this story doesn’t fit with other chronological markers.
Historical records suggest that while Minicoy (then called Mulook or Malik) had embraced Islam between the 12th and 13th centuries, likely influenced by the conversion of the King of Maldives, the permanent Islamic colonization of other Lakshadweep islands likely occurred later, since they were also inhabited much later, around the late 14th or early 15th century. The islands of Agatti and Kavaratti are traditionally believed to have been founded by Saint Ubaidullah himself, though this account again presents some chronological inconsistencies with other historical records of the region’s colonization.
An archival image of the Jumah mosque in Amini from K.P. Ittaman’s 1976 book.
Another account of Islam’s arrival centers on Cheraman Perumal, allegedly a ruler of Kerala. According to N.S. Mannadiar’s 1977 gazetteer, this ruler abdicated his throne to travel to Mecca and embrace Islam. His followers, attempting to bring him back from Kodungallur, were shipwrecked near what is now called Perumal Par, a submerged reef. These followers supposedly became the islands’ first Muslim settlers.
However, historical scrutiny reveals complexities. Dr. Hermann Gundert, the 19th-century German scholar who compiled the first Malayalam dictionary, questioned whether a ruler named Cheraman Perumal ever existed, suggesting Cheraman was a dynastic title. William Logan, the Scottish administrator and author of the ‘Malabar Manual‘, identified chronological problems in the legend, which places events between 345 and 825 AD, dates that either predate Islam’s founding or come centuries after Prophet Muhammad’s time.
According to Innes’ research, while the Cheraman Perumal legend remains prominent in local tradition, what can be stated with more certainty is that the islands were initially colonized from the mainland, likely from the Kolattanad region (present day Kannur). The persistence of Hindu caste distinctions well into the modern era suggests that the islanders remained Hindu for a considerable period before converting to Islam.
The timeline of this conversion can be partially reconstructed through various historical sources. Ibn Batuta, the renowned African traveller who visited the Malabar coast multiple times between 1342 and 1347, was the one who initially documented about finding devout Muslims in Minicoy, who he theorized as having come in four generations before his arrival. His lack of mention of other Lakshadweep islands suggests they may not have been permanently inhabited during his visits. Another fascinating piece of oral history comes from the Kazi of Androth, who in the early 1900s claimed to be the twenty-sixth in descent from Sheikh Ubaidullah. Based on these genealogical claims, Innes estimated that the religious transformation likely occurred between 1100 and 1200 AD.
The historical record becomes somewhat clearer with the arrival of European observers. French navigator Pyrard de Laval’s visit to the Laccadives in 1607, documented in the Hakluyt edition of his voyages, provides one of the earliest detailed European accounts of island life. However, as Innes notes, materials documenting the islands’ history prior to Portuguese arrival on the Malabar coast remain fragmentary.
The intricately carved wooden pillars and ornate ceiling of the Ujra Mosque in Lakshadweep, demonstrating the rich architectural heritage of the islands’ mosques.
Islam’s institutional framework in Lakshadweep evolved from Ubaidullah’s early teaching methods into a sophisticated system. Each inhabited island maintains three main mosques: the Juma Masjid for Friday prayers, the Mohiddin Masjid for daily prayers and community gatherings, and the Ujira Masjid for additional worship and religious education. This three-mosque system serves both religious and social functions, creating community centers that maintain religious practice and social cohesion.
Religious education evolved from informal instruction to organized madrasas, traditionally focusing on Quranic studies, Arabic language, and Islamic law according to the Shafi school. Modern madrasas now balance religious education with secular subjects. The Qazi system established religious authorities on each inhabited island, helping maintain both spiritual guidance and social order.
The exterior of a simple, present-day mosque in Lakshadweep, displaying the characteristic white-walled, tiled-roof architectural style that persists to this day.
Maritime trade played a significant role in strengthening Islamic presence. Arab merchants maintained regular contact with the islands, creating commercial and cultural links that facilitated religious transmission through peaceful interaction rather than conquest.
Today, Islam in Lakshadweep maintains strong ties to its historical roots while adapting to modern needs. The Shafi school of Sunni Islam predominates, reflecting traditions that trace back to Ubaidullah’s teachings from Medina. Religious institutions continue practices established during this early period, emphasizing community prayer, education, and social cohesion.
A modern madrasa class in session, where traditional Islamic education continues alongside contemporary subjects.
The story of Islam in Lakshadweep demonstrates how geographic isolation, maritime connections, and dedicated missionary work combined to create a distinct religious identity. Whether through Ubaidullah’s documented mission, legendary royal conversion, or gradual adoption through trade, Islam became fundamentally integrated into the islands’ social structure. While much early history remains uncertain, physical evidence like Perumal Par, the Andrott Juma Mosque, and the established mosque system provide tangible connections to this rich religious heritage.
The current religious demographics, with its entire local population practicing Islam, stand as evidence of this long history of Islamic influence, making Lakshadweep a unique example of religious continuity in the Indian Ocean world.