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Travels of Haji Ismail Effendi in 1884

The following account of the peregrinations made by Sahib Dorai Ismail Lebbe Marikar Alim (born 23 August, 1854; died 11 January, 1896) - later SD Haji Ismail Effendi - in 1884, in the company of,

(I) Yousoof Lebbe Sinne Lebbe Marikar Hajiar (later, Haji, Effendi), grandfather of MHM. Yousoof Haji),

(ii) Muhammad Lebbe Marikar Haji Zainudeen (later Haji, Effendi, and MMC, grandfather of Mrs. MMI.
Kariappar),

(iii) Ahmed Lebbe Marikar Samshi Lebbe Marikar (later, Haji, Effendi, father of SLM. Abdul Rahman),

(iv) Sinne Lebbe Marikar Mahmood (later, Haji, Effendi, and Alim, father f MHM. Yousoof Haji) and

(v) Rawthen Hajiar (Cook).

This account, from the beginning t end of the journey in Istanbul, Turkey is now translated into English by Sithy Rameela Sameer (w/o AWM. Ghouse), the eldest daughter of Muhammad Sameer son of Haji Ismail Effendi.

May Allah be pleased with him!


8 January 1971 Muhammad Sameer
298, Bambalapitiya Road
Colombo 4
Sri Lanka


When I was young I was very anxious to travel in foreign lands but was helpless. Some Ulema taught me a little knowledge of the Arabic language. I read the Holy Quran and discovered that, based on several verses contained within it, people of the old days considered embarking on journeys and seeking knowledge and experiences an essential requisite for believers as follows:-

Quran Surah AnAm (6:11)
“Say, Go about in the earth and see what was the end of those who treated the Prophets as liars”

Quran Surah Yusuf (12:109)
“Have they no then traveled in he Earth and seen who was the end of hose before them?”

Quran Surah Naml (27:63)
“He guides you in every kind of darkness of the land of the sea, and sends the winds as glad tidings”

Quran Surah Ankabuth (29:20)
“Travel in the earth and see how He originated the creation”

Quran Surah Fatir (35:40)
“Show Me then what they have created of the Earth”

Quran Surah Moomin (40:21)
“Have they not traveled in the Earth and seen what was the end of those before them?”

Quran Surah Muhammad (47:10)
“Have they not traveled in the Earth and seen what was the end of those who were before them?”

Quran Surah Mulk (67:15)
“He it is Who made the Earth, even and smooth, for you, so traverse through its sides”

And, it is also revealed in many other verses, of the blessings and the esteem in life of undertaking journeys. Prophet Muhammad (Sal) and his followers traveled in other ands and, by this Islam was spread across the globe.

According to Imam Shafi,
“To seek a position you must travel, from the place of birth, and you will know five things. First, you will get rid of your worries, second, ..., third, you will gain knowledge, fourth, you will learn manners and fifth, you will obtain the friendship of noble men.”

My mind never turned away from the thought of travel as my ambition was not fulfilled.

Late on, when Ahmed Arabi Pasha came from Egypt to Ceylon, we used to meet at his house and he used to talk about Egypt. Sinne Lebbe Marikar, his brother’s son, Zainudeen, and Sinne Lebbe Mahmood were amongst us.

One day, Zainudeen told me that he wished to travel to Makkah to perform the pilgrimage of Hajj and also visit other places abroad. On another occasion, at Mahmood Pasha Samy’s house, when I was present with Sinne Lebbe I too indicated my desire to travel to Makkah. Mahmood Pasha was very pleased with me and indicated that only a few Muslims from Sri Lanka would embark on he pilgrimage on account f he majority of them being poor, especially in external affairs and manners. He said that it would be very useful if I would undertake this trip, ravel beyond the seas, and learn about Islam. By this more Muslims in Ceylon would benefit from the knowledge and experience gathered.

I was very encouraged by such statements. I agreed with Zainudeen and joined Sinne Lebbe and started preparing for the journey. Shamsi Lebbe Marikar Ahmed Lebbe Marikar’s son. Shams Lebbe Marilkar also agreed to join us. Packeer Thamby Sinne Lebbe Marikar brought his son, Mahmood, along ad asked us to take him along too. We also asked a cook, Rawthen Hajiar, to join us.

During our preparations, some Muslims who were jealous of this adventure, tried to convince us that the Afghans were against the British Government (Afghan war) ad they they were planning to attack British ships. Some of my friends changed their minds on these instigation’s of these half-educated Mullahs. Some even endeavored to mislead my friends through similar false statements. We ignored them and prepared for our journey, confirmed our date of departure by sea and requested a friend to obtain our tickets for the planned days. Some even attempted to influence this friend to tell us that no tickets were available. This disturbed many of us. Then Yousoof Lebbe Muhammad Lebbe Marikar (father of Zainudeen) volunteered to obtain he tickets for us himself and conveyed this good news to me which brought about some satisfaction amongst us. He was successful and we thanked him profusely for his assistance. Ahmed Arabi Pasha gave me some letters to be delivered to his family in Egypt ad I had to conceal them inside my pillowcase for fear of being found out by the British authorities who had exiled him.

Many of our people, Muslims, friends, Lemmas and Khatheebs, accompanied us to the harbor on the day of our departure. We then boarded the Steamer SS Malwa. an friends and family visited us on board until the ship set sail the next day, the 27 March, 1884., at 12:00 Noon.

Fearing sea-sickness we confined ourselves to our rooms. After about a hour we came out and watched the mainland going out of sight. The next day we saw nothing the sea and sky all around us until we finally sighted the Malabar coast of India.

On April 1, 1884, we arrived a Bombay Harbor, ad there, we saw thirty seven steamers, loading ad unloading goods. We disembarked and went to look at the town. We saw many large buildings high roads, and various different kinds of people, tramways, a kind of iron carriage pulled by horses, and buggy carts. There were also beautiful markets. In one of them, built with iron gates and having electric lamps, by which everything was illuminated, we saw a factory where silk cloth was made. Free access to the factory was not allowed. Yet, with the help of some high officials we were able to enter inside ad inspect the factory. There were laborers, both male and female, about five hundred in all.

In Bombay we also saw Gahuwa (Coffee) Cafe Hotels where Arab merchants kept their businesses opened till late at night. On May 7, 1884, we embarked the good ship SS Austria-Hungary, belonging to the Royal Company - Thabuk Steamer - and set sail once again.

For six days the sea was calm. We spent time enjoying the reminisces of home. We bathed every day. We also conversed with Austrian passengers on board. On the seventh and eighth days the sea became very rough. We spent most of or time within our rooms. he next day we noticed the lights on the shores of the coast of Aden. e hen entered the Red Sea and saw land on the other side. We also noticed the points of Muqa and Aukandry. From in between these two we also saw the tomb of Sheikh Syed Rahmatullah and supplicated Allah to Bless him. While passing through we witnessed land and mountains on both sides of the Red Sea. At one point we saw a huge rock called Dadloos. At night a lamp s placed on top of it in order to guide steamers. We noticed several ships wrecked, misguided y the rock. Passing this we saw another light, and then he African mountains; besides these we saw Pyramids, and, by their sides, Arab caretakers’ huts. At another point we saw two pieces of land joined together with two mountains upon them. They were named a

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