Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar
 

Armed Martial Arts - archery. Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar is the son of Bodu Rasgefaanu. He was an instructor in the martial arts of armed and unarmed combat.

 

 
 

When Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar ascended the throne in 1058 AH (1648 AD) he was 18 years old. He was a man of fair complexion, tall and handsome. He was familiar with the affairs of the State and was a person who was courageous, patient and even-tempered. He was a skilled instructor in the martial arts, especially as swordsman, musketeer and archer. He set up formal education in the country and had great respect and love for scholarship.

During his time, ships laden with goods used to arrive at the Malé harbour from Aceh, India and other regions. However, the Sultan did not involve himself with matters of trade and the people had full license to trade. There were no people commissioned to check and assess the goods being brought by those ships. As history shows, it was not possible during his time for either the treasurer or the officials dealing with external relations to meddle with foreign trade.

During the second month of his reign, a Portuguese expedition from Goa had come to attack the Maldives. It is said that the expedition included two grandsons of Sultan Hassan. However, there is no documentary evidence to support this claim. A number of Portuguese who came in that expedition were killed in battle and those who survived fled back to Goa.

This battle took place in the year 1059 AH (1649 AD). After that battle, Sultan Iskandhar stopped the payment of all the tributes that had been paid, since the time of Sultan Kalhu Muhammed, to the people of Goa and to the Ali Raja of Cananore.

With the cessation of the payment of tributes, Ali Raja of Cananore sent his warships to attack the Maldives. Sultan Iskandhar himself came out with his forces and the invaders were defeated. However, harassment by the Malabars continued even after that defeat, compelling the Sultan to dispatch an expeditionary force to take the battle to Ali Raja. The Maldivian force that was dispatched did to the Malabars what was usually done by Malabars when they came to attack the Maldives. Thus, they threatened the people, looted property, set their homes ablaze and then returned to Malé. In addition, they captured the ruler and other nobles of Minicoy, brought them to Malé and kept them captive for several days. Thereafter, the Sultan set the poll tax of Minicoy at 12 laari, freed them and returned them to Minicoy. The Sultan's actions were carried out in a manner that can justify the claim that he had captured territory belonging to Ali Raja. Following this episode, harassment by Malabars was suspended for a considerable period and peace prevailed between the two kingdoms.

 
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Construction of the Minaret (a sketch). The illustration shows the first Minaret, which was built in 1085 AH (1647 AD). After the Minaret was built, a muezzin to call the azzan five times daily was appointed.
 
 

The reconstruction of the Friday Mosque at Male'. During the 8th year of the reign of Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, work on the reconstruction of the Friday Mosque built by Sultan Ahmed Shihabuddin was begun and was completed two years later in …. AH (….
 

During the eighth year of the reign of Sultan Iskandhar, he embarked upon the reconstruction of the Friday Mosque. This mosque was originally built by Dharumavantha Rasgefaanu and had been renovated by Sultan Ahmed Shihabuddin. Sultan Iskandhar dismantled the mosque including its foundations and built a larger mosque using stone slabs. The reconstruction of the mosque was completed in 1068 AH (1658 AD) In the year 1078 AH (1667 AD) Sultan Iskandhar went on pilgrimage to Mecca. Upon his return to Malé, he constructed the south gate of the Friday Mosque, appointed a teacher who was paid by the Government and charged him with instructing children in Islam and teaching them how to recite the Holy Quran. This is regarded as the first school (madhrasa) for formal education in the Maldives and was set up in the 20th year of the Sultan's reign, 1078 AH (1667 AD)

Afterwards, the minaret at the Friday Mosque was constructed and a muezzin, who was also paid by the Government, was appointed to call the azaan five times a day. The construction of the minaret was completed during 1085 AH (1674 AD). Sultan Iskandhar died in 1098 AH (1686 AD).
 
 

An artist's impression of the first madrasa (school for religious education). After performing Hajj in 1078 AH (1667), Sultan Iskandar constructed the South gate to the Friday Mosque as a madrasa for children. That was the first school to be established in the Maldives.