"My one purpose in life is to help people find a personal relationship with All Mighty God, which, I believe, comes through knowing Islam."
--Anver Manatunga
Daee: Brother Ahmed Anver Manatunga took Islam literally when He said in Holy Qur’an 16 : 125, “Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is (rightly) guided.”
Br. Anver has preached the Islam to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history in Sri Lanka (in Sinhalese language) through various meetings, including Television and Internet. Thousands of people more have been reached through television, video, and web casts.
Since the 2006 Br. Anver into the public eye, he has led (by the Mercy of Allah SWT) hundreds of individuals to make personal decisions to live for Islam, which is the main thrust of his Da’wah.
Born March 11, 1976, He was born in a Buddhist family and his Name was Chethiya Manatunga. When he was 10 years old his parents embraced Christianity. So he also started to learn Christianity. The reason of his family embrace Christianity was His Father was a drunker, and that time he (Father) lost his job. Br. Anver was reared and growing up during the Depression, he learned the value of hard work on the family self income, but he also found time to spend many hours in the hayloft reading books on a wide variety of subjects.
So he started to learn Christianity. He got through the G.C.E. O/L Examination with a Distinction pass in Christianity without a teacher by self education. After the higher education he joined to the Centre for the Assembly of God organization of the Bethany Church, in Nugegoda, Sri Lanka to become a Christian pastor. Ordained in 1994 by a church in the Assembly of God Convention, Br. Anver received a solid foundation in the Scriptures at Bethany Church (Now Bethany Christian Life Centre in Nugegoda-Colombo). After graduating from Church, Br. Anver Pastored the Sinhala congregation Assembly of God Church in Nugegoda, Colombo.
Later as he realized that the best way to serve God is to do his ecclesiastic studies while doing a job, he left the church for doing a job- 1 ½ years after his admission. Since then he worked in the Church part time in Home prayer meetings, classes on Baptism and Worship leading in the mass. Towards the end of his stay in the Church he and his wife were two among the 12 members of the Board of the church. Meanwhile he was rather disappointed about certain facets of behavior of the church members.
Meanwhile he received (Probodhaya) Islamic magazine from one of the lady who was his neighbor. He was fascinated with its contents and continued reading it. After learning more about Islam through books on different issues obtained through them he decided to embrace Islam. Since then he engaged in various Dawah activities in the Country.
The Muslims community of Sri Lanka has co-existed with other communities in peace and harmony for more than ten centuries. The Muslims and their life style have not made any discernible impact upon the 92% of other communities.
Sri Lanka has so many Islamic movements and centres. But they are not interest about non Muslim dawah. Islamic centers have their own political (inside leaderships) problems. The 80% of the population’s language is Sinhalese. But all Islamic events going on Tamil language and 99% of Alims are Tamil speakers.
In the past it was the individuals who put there efforts on introducing Islam among other communities. When he became a Muslim he realized that introduction of Islam to others is a collective duty being Farlu kifaya. In order to fulfill this need, he started Dawah with his friends.
Since he engaged various da’wah activities in the Country
· Regular writer for “Prabodaya” Islamic monthly magazine for the past four years.
· Preacher @ Swarnavahini Television on Islam.
· Preacher @ Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Avabodaya programs on Islam.
· Preacher @ www.cradio.lk on Islam.
· Executive committee member @ Inter Religious Peace Foundation.
· Writing Islamic articles to National News Papers.
· Member of comparative study section @ Centre for Islamic Studies.
· Participated and performed of Christian Muslim Dialogue Programs in the Island.
· Regular writer to www.sailanmuslim.com
· Chairman of the Sri Lanka Reverts Association.
· Technical Partner of www.sihalamuslims.org
· Comparative Religion speaker on www.youtube.com (Buddhism and Islam)
· Author of books:
1. Dharmagaweshana-1 Buddhism and Islam
2. Dharamagaweshana-2 Christianity and Islam
· Lecturer of Buddhism (comparative studies) at All Ceylon Haiathul Qur’an, Dehiwela.
· Trainer of train the trainers program in Island wide.
In the year of 2006, at age 28, Br. Anver made a personal commitment to All Mighty Allah SWT through the Da’wah of Sri Lanka, a traveling Da’ee who visited Colombo for a series of revival meetings (for Muslims).
The Buddhism and Islam chanal in www.youtube.com in 2008 launched Br. Anver into international prominence. And he started the only Islamic dawah web (www.sihalamuslims.org) in Sinhalese language of Sri Lanka. Br. Anver has written 2 books, both of which have become top sellers. Now he is planning to publish his third and forth books.
On going activities
§ Christian Muslim Dialogue Programs in the Island wide.
§ Sri Lanka Reverts Association.
§ Sinhalese web www.sihalamuslims.org
§ Comparative Religion chanal on www.youtube.com (Buddhism and Islam)
§ Comparative studies of Buddhism and Islam.
§ Dharmagaweshana books project.
§ Training alims about comparative studies.
§ Daees, train the trainers program in Island wide.
