Dhovemi Kalaminja Siri Thiribuvana-aadiththa Maha Radun (

Dhivehi Dhivehi, also spelled Divehi, may refer to: *Dhivehi people, an ethnic group native to the historic region of the Maldive Islands. *Dhivehi language, an Indo-Aryan language predominantly spoken by about 350,000 people in the Republic of Maldives ...

: ދޮވެމި ކަލަމިންޖާ ސިރީ ތިރިބުވަނަ އާދީއްތަ މަހާ ރަދުން) or Donei Kalaminjaa (

: ދޮނެއި ކަލަމިންޖާ) was the second

king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

of the

Maldives Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...

from 1141 to 1166 or 1176 according to the ''Raadhavalhi'' and the Loamaafaanu copper plate writings (two sources from which the early history of the Maldives is studied). The ''Tarikh chronicles'' however, calls this king

Sultan Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...

Muhammad al-Adil which is probably the

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

name of the king after his conversion to

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

in the 12th year of his reign. Later on the title of Dharumavantha (Dharumas) Rasgefaanu or the Benevolent King was bestowed upon him. He is also known as the first ruler of the Theemuge Dynasty (not considering King Koimala of the Lunar Dynasty). This name was derived from his house's name, Theemuge, some sourced refer to the royal house as the ''Maalei Dharikolhu''. Though it was being called ''Theemuge Darikolhu'' they were descendants of the Buddhist Kings of the Lunar Dynasty or Soma Vansa. Dhovemi was the son of ''Henevi Maavaa Kilage'' (

: ހެނެވި މާވާ ކިލެގެ) the sister of the first King Koimala of all the Maldives. He ruled for 25 years, 12 years as a

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

and 13 years after his conversion to Islam. The conversion of Dhovemi, and later the whole Maldivian Kingdom to Islam was accredited by

Ibn Batuta Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Battutah (, ; 24 February 13041368/1369),; fully: ; Arabic: commonly known as Ibn Battuta, was a Berber Maghrebi scholar and explorer who travelled extensively in the lands of Afro-Eurasia, largely in the Muslim wor ...

, after visiting the Kingdom and staying there for some time, to Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari from

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...

. Later sources claim that a Persian from the

Tabriz Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the List of largest cities of Iran, sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quri Chay, Quru River valley in Iran's historic Aze ...

, called Yusuf Tabrizi was responsible for the conversion of the Maldivian Kingdom to Islam in the year 1153. The newly converted king became the first sultan of the Maldives. The governance of the country is said to have been carried out by the king as advised by Yusuf Tabrizi. King Dhovemi sent emissaries to the different atolls to convert all the inhabitants of the Maldives without any exception to the Muslim faith. The king himself sailed to the island of Nilandhoo in North Nilande Atoll and converted the inhabitants there to Islam. He is also said to have built a mosque there. The conversion of the whole country is said to have taken place on the 2nd day of Rabi'-ul-Akhir 548 AH (1153 AD) on the 17th year of

Al-Muqtafi Abu Abdallah Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Mustazhir ( ar, أبو عبد الله محمد بن أحمد المستظهر; 9 April 1096 – 12 March 1160), better known by his laqab, regnal name al-Muqtafi li-Amr Allah (), was the List of Abbasid calip ...

, the

Caliph A caliphate or khilāfah ( ar, خِلَافَة, ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph (; ar, خَلِيفَة , ), a person considered a political-religious successor to th ...

Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...

, and since then the Maldives has been a predominantly Islamic country. By the order of the king as his brother Siri Kalo the first Friday mosque of

Malé Malé (, ; dv, މާލެ) is the capital and most populous city of the Maldives. With a population of 252,768 and an area of , it is also one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The city is geographically located at the southern ...

was built by Al-Wazir Shanivirazaa. The ''Dharumavantha Miskyii''—the oldest mosque in Malé—is said to have been built by King Dhovemi. Sultan Dhovemi was the first to enforce Islamic Sharia law in the Maldives. All traces of idolatry were razed during this period of major transformation of the Maldives and

mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...

s were built on many of the inhabited islands. The sultan is said to have been just, impartial, pious and was beloved by his subjects for his wisdom, kindliness, and generosity, though his actions sometimes indicate otherwise. The death of the Sultan is not recorded, but he is said to have disappeared in 1166 on a voyage to

Mecca Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...

to perform the

Hajj The Hajj (; ar, حَجّ '; sometimes also spelled Hadj, Hadji or Haj in English) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried ...

. The Taarikh writes as revived from the Isdhoo loamaafanu: "''(he said) next Friday a ship will arrive, whereon I shall sail for Makkah. The day named verily a vessel anchored at

. The Sultan, having performed the

Jumu'ah In Islam, Friday prayer or Congregational prayer ( ar, صَلَاة ٱلْجُمُعَة, ') is a prayer ('' ṣalāt'') that Muslims hold every Friday, after noon instead of the Zuhr prayer. Muslims ordinarily pray five times each day according ...

(Friday-noon prayers) at the mosque, hurried to the seashore and embarked in the vessel without attendants or provisions. Forwith the ship passed from sight as suddenly as lightning (and he was not heard from thence)''" On the disappearance of his uncle, Muthey Kalaminja took over the throne of the Maldives and ruled as the sultan from 1166 according to the ''Raadhavalhi''. The Isdhoo (1195–1196) and Dhan'bidhoo (1196–1197) Loamaafaanus (copper plates) give the date as 1176. According to Maldivian historians Mohamed Ibrahim Lutfy and Mohamed Waheed Nadwi, the king learned that a ''sur nav'' (a ship which is belonged to Sur of Oman) arrived on its way to Oman completing its journey from the Malay archipelago. He went to Sur by that ship and after completion of his pilgrimage, he got ill on the way back and died and was buried in

Salalah Salalah ( ar, صَلَالَة, Ṣalālah) is the capital and largest city of the southern Omani governorate of Dhofar. Its population in 2009 was about 197,169. Salalah is the third-largest city in the Sultanate of Oman, and the largest city ...

, Oman.

References

{{s-end Converts to Islam from Buddhism 12th-century sultans of the Maldives