Husain Salahuddin (
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
...
: ހުސެއިން ސަލާހުއްދީން; April 14, 1881 – September 20, 1948), was an influential
Maldivian writer, poet, essayist and scholar.
Salahuddin was one of the most prolific writers of early modern Maldivian literature (Dhivehi: Era of Crawling), and contributed to Maldivian literature during a time when tremendous growth and innovations took place in the Maldivian literary scene. He was the father of
Ibrahim Shihab
Honorable Maldivian Al-Usthaaz Ibrahim Shihab (1926–1988), was an influential Maldivian writer, poet, essayist and statesman. He was the son of scholar Husain Salaahuddin. Hussain Salaahuddin was a famous Maldivian poet and also served as the ...
, statesman of the Maldives.He was famous for writing Maldivian literature.
Lifetime and career
Husain Salahuddin was born on April 14, 1881. He signed his writings as Salahuddin Hussein bin Moosa al-Mahli (صلاح الدين حسين بن موسى المحلى), meaning "Salahuddin Hussein, son of Moosa from
Malé". He obtained his education on the island of
Meedhoo. His master was Al-Allam al-Shaikh al-Hafiz Ibrahim Thakurufaan (Aisaabeegedaru Dhon Beyyaa). He subsequently studied under al-Shaikh Muhamed Jamaluddin
Naib Thutthu. He is recognized for his contributions to Maldivian literature, including the translation of various books written in
Arabic,
Urdu and
Persian into
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
...
.
He also served in various key positions in the Maldivian government. He became the Attorney General of the Maldives at the young age of 18. He also served as the Chief Justice of the Maldives for a long time. Among the other positions that he assumed were the posts of Secretary and Prime Minister for the
Majlis
( ar, المجلس, pl. ') is an Arabic term meaning "sitting room", used to describe various types of special gatherings among common interest groups of administrative, social or religious nature in countries with linguistic or cultural conne ...
.
He served as the founder and principal of
Majeediyya School
Majeediyya School (Dhivehi: މަޖީދިއްޔާ ސުކޫލް ) is the first Maldivian government school, located in Malé, Maldives. It was a single gender school that used to teach only boys students to the secondary level of education until ...
in
Malé, the first institution of formal education in the Maldives. Majeediyya School was started on the front veranda of Bageechaage, Salahuddin's residence.
During his lifetime, Salahuddin served in the National Literary Committee established by the President of the Maldives,
Mohamed Amin Didi
Sumuvvul Ameer Mohamed Amin Dhoshimeynaa Kilegefaanu (Dhivehi: ސުމުއްވުލް އަމީރު މުހައްމަދު އަމީން ދޮށިމޭނާ ކިލެގެފާނު) (July 20, 1910 – January 19, 1954), popularly known as Mohamed Amin Didi ...
.
Salahuddin published some of the most famous and influential books and poems in Dhivehi. Books that he wrote include: ''The Story of Dhon Beefaan; The Story of Thakurufaan the Great; Shaikh Zubair,'' an interpretation of the works of two great Maldivian poets; ''Nu'umaan and Mariyam''; two anthologies of poetry titled ''Morning Star I and II''; and his most famous work, ''The Biography of
Prophet Muhammad'', in which he translated and combined various Arabic books about Muhammad into
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
...
.
Influence and legacy
An audiobook version of the ''Biography of Prophet Muhammad'' is broadcast every
Ramadan
, type = islam
, longtype = Religious
, image = Ramadan montage.jpg
, caption=From top, left to right: A crescent moon over Sarıçam, Turkey, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Ramadan Quran reading in Bandar Torkaman, Iran. ...
on Maldivian radio. The ''Biography'' is said to be the quintessence of Maldivian writing, even though it was a translation from Arabic works on the subject.
''The Story of Thakurufaan the Great'' is nationally considered to be the definitive account of the life and times of the national hero, Sultan
Muhammad Thakurufaan al Auzam
As-Sulṭaan al-Ghaazee Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-A'uẓam () (death 26 August 1585) or As-Sultan Ghazi Muhammad Bodu Thakurufaanu ruled over the Maldive Islands from 1573 to 1585. He is known for fighting the Portuguese who ruled over the Maldive ...
. The book was based on orally transmitted folktales and legends concerning the man's life. Although Salaahuddin had used his own literary style in its writing, he remained faithful to the original folktales, the result being one of the true Maldivian epics. Even so, the National Day in the Maldives is celebrated on
Rabi' al-awwal the first, celebrating the liberation of the Maldives from the Portuguese invaders.
Death
Husain Salahuddin died on November 14, 1997. He was buried in
Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Children
Hussain Salaahuddin's children were all writers, poets and speakers who filled various high positions in the government.
Children of Dhon Didi:
* Hawwa Saeed
* Khadheeja
Children of Sanfa Manike:
* Aishath
* Mohamed Saeed
Children of Medhuganduvaru Thuththu Gomaa:
* Adnan Hussain
* Mohamed
* Fathimath Saeed
* Ibrahim Shihab
*Maryam Saeed
External links
National Institute for Linguistic and Historical Research*
Website dedicated to Salaahuddeen
{{DEFAULTSORT:Salaahuddin, Husain
1881 births
1948 deaths
Maldivian writers
Dhivehi people
20th-century Maldivian writers