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New Zealand Mail, Issue 1748, 6 September 1905, Page 50

The religion of the islanders at Male, in the Maidive group, is in the main Mohammedanism. How this became prevalent was explained the other day to a correspondent of the “Ceylon Observer” in the following anecdote:— During the period that the island was idolatrous there appeared to them every month an evil spirit who, coming from the sea, resembled a ship filled with lamps. When the natives saw this, it was their custom to adorn a young virgin and conduct her to a temple of idols on the shore. She would be left here until the following morning, when invariably she would be found violated and killed. EVery month they cast lots, and he who lost should give up his daughter. One day a Majhorbin arrived who knew the great Koran by heart, and he, finding an old woman in teai-s, as it had fallen to her lot to offer her only daughter, volunteered to take her place. He, whilst in the temple, recited the Koran which drove the evil spirit hack into the sea, and on the following morning, to everyone’s surprise on visiting the temple, he was found still alive and reciting the Koran. The Sultan being astonished to hear this, sent for the Majhorbin, who explained it all by faith in the Koran, and pressed the Sultan to embrace the faith. This the Sultan said he would do if Majhorbin would remain another month, and if he could again repulse the evil spirit. Majhorbin being again successful, the Sultan and his people embraced the faith, broke all the idols, and destroyed the temple.