Muslim Nesan

Muslim Nesan (Arwi: مسليم نشن‎, Tamil: முஸ்லிம் நேசன், "The Muslim Friend") was an Arabic Tamil (Arwi) and English-language weekly newspaper, published from Colombo, Ceylon between 1882 and 1889.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} Mukammatu Kacim Cittilevvai (also transliterated as M.C. Siddi Lebbe) was the publisher, owner and editor of Muslim Nesan.^[2][4][6] Cittilevvai founded Muslim Nesan in Kandy in December 1882. The name of the publication was possibly inspired by the journal Ilankai Nesan ("Friend of the Ceylonese") of Arumuka Navalar.^[5] In setting up the newspaper Cittilevvai was inspired by the Aligarh Movement, Navalar and Colonel Henry Steel Olcott.^[7] The first issue appeared on December 21, 1882.^[1][2][3]

Muslim Nesan carried news from Muslim countries.^[3] The newspaper purposefully sought to politicize the Muslim community.^[8] Muslim Nesan had subscribers in Ceylon, South India, Penang and Singapore.^[4] Muslim Nesan was, along with Sarvajana Nesan, one of the two most prominent Muslim newspapers in the Tamil-speaking world at the time.^[6] Muslim Nesan had a network of correspondents in different parts of South-East Asia.^[9] Material from Muslim Nesan was reproduced in other publications, such as Singai Nesan.^[4]

Between 1883 and 1885 Muslim Nesan carried a series of articles on the history of Ceylonese Muslims, authored by Cittilevvai.^[10] In the page of Muslim Nesan Cittilevvai argued for educational reforms in the Muslim community and reproduced articles by Syed Ahmad Khan, a North Indian social reformer. The newspaper also carried an interview with the exiled Egyptian nationalist leader Ahmed Orabi, soon after his arrival in Ceylon.^[4] Cittilevvai also argued in Muslim Nesan that Muslims should adopt Arabic as their day-to-day language.^[11]

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