Gen Mosque

Gen Miskit
Dhivehi: ގެން މިސްކިތް
Gen Miskit in 1984
Religion
Affiliation	Sunni Islam
Sect	Sufism
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Mosque
Status	Active
Location
Location	Dhadimagu, Fuvahmulah, Gnaviyani Atoll
Country	Maldives
Location of the mosque in the Maldives
Geographic coordinates	0°17′54.1″S 73°25′37.1″E
Architecture
Style	Traditional Maldivian architecture
Date established	c. 1300
Materials	Stone; sandstone

The Gen Miskit[a] (Dhivehi: ގެން މިސްކިތް) is a Sunni Islam mosque, located in the district of Dhadimagu, in Fuvahmulah, on the Gnaviyani Atoll, in the Maldives. Built in c. 1300[1][2] and before 1378,[3] it is one of the oldest mosques in the Maldives. The mosque is made of coral stone and was built straight after the conversion to Islam.[4] The mosque is not facing towards the Qibla.[3]

Overview

The Gen Miskit is located in the district of Dhadimagu at the northern end of Fuvahmulah.[2] It's now a revered site for its historical significance to the island.[5] It's the first mosque that the residents of the island did their Friday prayer and Eid prayers.[6][7]

There are disputes whether Gemmiskiy is the oldest mosque in the Maldives and in Fuvahmulah, media reports and residents say that it is the oldest. However, in a monograph written by H.C.P. Bell, Fuvahmulah had four mosques prior to Gen Miskit.[2][6][7] It is really uncertain.

There has been some concern about the extinction of the mosque due to lack of maintenance by the Fuvahmulah City Council.[8]

Features

The mosque has a communal well, a rectangular ancient circular bath known as ‘Genmiskiy Veyo’ and a cemetery with enclosed shrines “ziyaarat” of revered religious figures.[5]

Shrine

A place constructed with sandstone and protected by bricks.[5] It is also said that the person who built the mosque, Addu's Meedhoo Abu Bakr Naib Kaleygefaanu, is buried at and Ah Naib Al-Hafiz Abubakr, potentially the first proselytizer of Islam in the island.[5][9][7]

Veu

Gemmiskiy Veu or Veyo is a rectangulat bath that is adjacent to the Southeastern wall of the mosque that has waters going down into the waters.[5] It shares similarities with the baths in monasteries in Pokna and Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka.[5]

Well

The well is crafted from sandstones and has unique stories about it.[5] It is said by the residents of the island that the water tastes really sweet and each corner of the well has a unique taste.[6]

Gallery

• 
  The shrine, at the mosque
• 
  Veyo, at the mosque
• 
  An unmarked grave, at the mosque

See also

• Islam in the Maldives
• List of mosques in the Maldives

Notes

1. alternatively spelled as Gemmiskiy.

References

1. Sholeh, Muhammad (April 9, 2021). "Mengenal Gen Miskit, Masjid Karang Pertama di Maldives" [Get to Know Gen Miskit, Maldives' First Coral Mosque]. Faktual News (in Indonesian). Retrieved January 27, 2022.
2. Solih, Aishath Shuba (April 2, 2024). "Fuvahmulah City – The Days of the Past and Reigning Ramadan Rituals". The Edition. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
3. "ާއާސާރީ މިސްކިތް ތަކުގެ ލިސްޓް" [List of ancient mosques] (PDF). Ministry of Islamic Affairs (in Divehi). p. 26. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
4. Mauroof, Mohamed Jameel; Ahmad, Yahaya. Coral Stone Mosques of Maldives: The Vanishing Legacy of the Indian Ocean. ORO Editions. ISBN 9780986281846. ^[page needed]
5. "Gemmiskiy". Visit Fuvahmulah. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
6. "ފުވައްމުލަކު ގެން މިސްކިތާއި ހަތަރުކަނުގައި ހަތަރު ރަހަލާކަމަށް ބުނާ ވަޅު" [The well in Fuvahmulah's Gen Miskit has four different unique tastes]. ThePress (in Divehi). April 10, 2023. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
7. Hassan, Muneeru (September 3, 2015). "ގެންމިސްކިތް: ފުވައްމުލަކުގެ އެންމެ ފުރަތަމަ މިސްކިތް" [Gen Miskit: Fuvahmulah's first mosque]. Sun (in Divehi). Retrieved June 20, 2024.
8. Hassan, Nimaa (March 12, 2023). "ފުވައްމުލަކުގެ އާސާރުތައް ނުބެލެހެއްޓި ނެތިދަނީ". Adhadhu (in Divehi). Retrieved June 20, 2024.
9. "FUVAHMULAH HISTORY". Fuvahmulah City. May 2, 2024. Retrieved June 19, 2024.