Efforts to Preserve Arabic Tamil: A Study Focusing on Selected Regions in the Southern and Western Provinces of Sri Lanka

அறபுத் தமிழைப் பாதுகாப்பதற்கான முயற்சிகள்: இலங்கையின் தென் மற்றும் மேல் மாகாணங்களின் தெரிவுசெய்யப்பட்ட சில பிரதேசங்களை மையப்படுத்திய ஆய்வு

Abstract

Arabic Tamil is a language that reflects the antiquity of the Tamil-speaking Muslims of Sri Lanka and South India. However, the language is now on the verge of extinction. Therefore, this study has been carried out using primary and quantitative data at qualitative and quantitative levels with the primary objective of finding out what efforts are being made in selected villages in the Western and Southern Provinces to preserve and preserve the language. Arabic Tamil is taught in Arabic Colleges and Quran Madrasas while examinations are not conducted in Arabic Tamil in Arabic Colleges, the deed of Bai’ah is issued in Arabic Tamil in writing, ‘Risalas’ are drawn in Arabic Tamil. The findings of this study are that Arabic Tamil is still alive due to the efforts of the public to exhibit them in mosques for public viewing, both of them are read in mosques when the public gathers, and the publication of old Arabic Tamil literature in modernized typescripts. This study will also help in further research on Arabic Tamil to understand the importance of Arabic Tamil and to identify measures to protect it.