Lately I have been researching for my honey moon plan. Though it does not seem too feasible for us, I keep stumbling back to Maldives. So, as I had earlier said one stumbles upon some really interesting stuff while surfing, so here is an excerpt from one of Maldives travel sites, under the Maldives history section:
"Conversion to Islam
Mohamed Ibn Batuta, a Moroccan traveller who visited the Maldives in the 14th century recorded an interesting legend on how the country converted to Islam. Abul Barakaath Yoosuf Al Barbary, an Islamic scholar, visited the Maldives during a time when people lived in fear of the “Rannamaari”, a sea-demon, who came out of the sea once a month threatening to destroy everything unless a virgin was sacrificed. The unfortunate young girls were chosen by lot, had to stay in a temple near the seashore and were found raped and dead in the morning. The daughter of the house he was staying at had been selected to be the victim and he decided to save her. Disguised as a girl he spent the night in the temple reciting continuously from the Holy Quran. In the morning when people went to find out the fate of the chosen girl they were amazed to find him alive and still reciting the Quran. When the King found out that the demon had been defeated through the power of the Holy Quran he embraced Islam and ordered all the subjects to follow him."
Ref:
http://www.visitmaldives.com/Maldives/history.php
September 11, 2009 at 3:39 AM
ah..bullshit! :p
September 15, 2009 at 2:35 AM
yeah.. but still its an interesting story. no? :D