Abstract:
To day, ethnic studies, multi-culturism, social integration and the appreciation of
demographic diversity are engaging with the attention and interest of people all over the
world. Despite the present ethnic crisis of Sri Lanka, as a multi-ethnic cultural and multi-religious country, Sri Lankan muslims has a long history and form a strong ethnic harmony
over ten centuries and empowered the social integration up to now.
Muslims of Sri Lankan, one of the ethnic groups form the second largest minority in
the island next to the Tamils and constitute around eight percent of the island4s
population. Existing litrerature, archeological and monumental records of Southern Sri
Lanka reveal, that their history of settlements goes back to the pre-Islamic era and that the
locational patterns of muslims’ settlements of the southern province has prevailed during a
long historical period. Such patterns have changed from time to time due to the various
socio-economic and political reasons.
At this juncture, the author, supposes that this sort of studies will make a substantial
contribution in understanding to Sri Lankan muslims immensely, which is vital today to
comfort and confront new and complex problems.
