Dr. A.M.A.Azeez remembered on his death anniversary on Nov.24

MAMOUN SALEH : Dr.Aboobucker Mohammed Abdul Azeez born on 04th October 1911, and passed away on 24th November, 1973 was a man of principles and an intellectual and a humble human being with integrity and love for his motherland and community Alhamdulillah. During this period of his of journey in this material world, he had contributed immensely to his motherland and the Muslim community in particular with the only mission to earn the benign blessings of Allah. He was an all round intellectual, and outstanding personality be it Education, Religion,Language, Literature, History or Sociology he would keep the audience spell bound with his superb oratory skills in Tamil and English. He was a keen follower of the footsteps of those distinguished leaders of the past, Father of Muslim Education Proctor MC Siddilebbe, Allama Iqbal, (he named his son Iqbal) Egyptian Exile Orabi Pasha, ILM Abdul
Azeez, Philanthropist Wapichchi Marikkar and Dr Tuan Brahanudeen Jayah, and did exceptionally yeoman service specifically in the field of education for the children of his community. After his distinguished scholastic career in various prominent educational institutes in Jaffna Colombo and UK 🇬🇧 he sat for the CCS exam and was the first Muslim to enter to the prestigious Ceylon Civil Service abandoning his post graduate studies at St Catherine’s College, Cambridge University. While serving in the CCS he was sent as the Special Assistant Government Agent Kachcheri, Kalmunai, EP by PM DS Senanayake, during which period of his 13 years tenure in office, in the Civil Service,he helped the backward Muslims of that region in every way by clearing many acres of jungle land and gave free to the poor Muslim Farmers of this area for cultivation as he considered EP as his second home. He distributed 12,270 acres to all the communities Muslims Tamils and Sinhalese that lived in the EP and those farmers and their ancestors still call the land area as “ Azeez Thurai Kandam” and is earning the blessing of Allah as “Sadaqathul Jariya”. Another very important contribution to which too he earns the blessings of Allah and that is the inauguration of the Ceylon Muslim Scholarship Fund and the aim of the CMSF was “to see that no Muslim scholar, capable and deserves, in any part of the island is deprived of the education he or she richly deserves for want of financial assistance. This Fund was able to provide and acquire professionals like Civil Servants, from the Ceylon Overseas Sevice, Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers, Graduates and Trained Teachers etc., He was a visionary who advocated for his community to acquire knowledge of Arabic, Tamil, Sinhala and English. Dr TB Jayah after serving devotedly as Principal Zahira College Colombo for 27 years, passed the mantel to AMA Azeez whose Golden Era as Principal Zahira College continued till 1961. It was Dr TB Jayah and Swamy Vipulananda who had to persuade Dr AMA Azeez, to accept this coveted office, and he had to sacrifice a bright future in the CCS and took up a challenge and under his benign leadership Zahira blossomed out as the radiating center of Muslim Thought , Culure and activity. Zahira flourished during his wonderful tenure in education, sports, cricket, rugger, boxing, wrestling, elocution, Oratory Debating scouting and other extra curricular activities. Two great and distinguished human beings who were responsible for Zahira to achieve this height of distinction are none other than Dr TB Jayah and Dr AMA Azeez and it looms large in the history of Zahira and is embedded in the hearts of the entire Muslim population as they had created an indelible impression in the minds and soul of every individual. During Dr TB Jayah’s era Zahira it was considered as the period when the foundation was laid to achieve great heights from Childhood to youth and Dr Azeez’s era paved the way for the fulfillment of this elaborate structure and plan to be established and executed as a spectacular and dynamic institution from youth to manhood with his experience vision mission aspirations and dedication to be the cynosure of all eyes embracing not only Muslims but other faiths too as a source of their scholastic career. Not only Muslims, but Sinhalese, Tamils, Burghers and Indians too had their education in this great College of Learning. Some non Muslim students and teachers who later became distinguished personalities in the spectrum of the Sri Lankan society whom I wish to name a few of them, one a Sinhalese student who became a parliamentarian, Attorney at Law, and a Minister, RM Dharmadasa Banda, V. Anandasangaree, Attorney at Law and Parliamentarian, Leader TULF, Teachers who held high positions are the Speaker of Parliament Wanniarachchige Don Stanley Tillekeratne, Lal Salgado became a MMC for Kirilappone, SM Kamaldeen became the Public Librarian, Thalif M. Deen, UN Bureau Chief and Regional Director IPS. Albert Perera, P. Balasingham (Editor Ceylon Daily News), Tulin de Silva, P. Ganesharajah, Assistant Controller of the Department of Immigration and Emigration (Mr Faisz Mustapha got his first passport from him through my intervention at Hemas Building Office one rainy day when he came with his father Marhoom Attorney SM Mustapha Waqf Tribunal Chairman to meet my father) and many more outstanding people from Zahira could be named through the efforts of Principal Azeez’s untiring and noble deeds. He has never reprimanded any student or teacher but his glorified stature is so magnificent and stately that when he walks through the corridors of the College, there is pin drop silence and a perfect class room attendance which is the great honor bestowed by Allah that he earned as the Head of this Educational Institute. (Among the many students like AGA Barrie, (Engineer) now in Canada, Farook Khalid, Farook Saleem, prominent cricketer, Farouk Thauoos, now in UK Thalif Deen, (now in New York) Dr Maznavi Haniffa, (California) Mulaffer Khalid,(Maryland, 🇺🇸 USA ) and I (now in California) too had the privilege of being very closely associated with him as my father was a very intimate friend of his being Executive and Working Committee members of the All Ceylon Muslim League (The only Premier Muslim Organization of Ceylon since 1926 before others emerged) and he changed my seat of learning College from Royal to Zahira and I really feel that it was a blessing of Allah which gave me an opportunity for my exposure to society to be my great Zahira. We cannot forget the services of ACM Ameer, QC., Izzadeen Mohamed. QC who stood by Zahira and Azeez during the period of the challenges that the College faced. The Golden era of Zahira under benign leadership of Principal Azeez is written in golden letters with the golden boys who brought fame name and glory to their Alma Mater in various spheres of activity and also after they left in the field they shone brilliantly and vibrantly due to the encouragement and advice of this great human being. (It would be pertinent to mention that as a Monitor I went to the office of the Prefect of Discipline Mr MP David to make complaint but before I could finish the facts I got caned so I got angry and argued with him which ultimately ended up at the Principal’s office as I was being chased by him. I was asked to go home and come the next day as the penalty to please Mr David, as Mr Azeez knew where the mistake had occurred after I explained.) I was also the first person to inform about Mr David’s death (suicide from Times Building Fort on 1st April). Mr AMA Azeez was also a Senator and Member of tge Public Service Commission. His legacy as an iconic nation builder and his scholarly contributions continue to inspire and remain invaluable to academics, intellectuals worldwide and his accomplishments and achievements as an eminent educationist and erudite brilliant scholar and orator in English and Tamil efficient administrator writer and visionary have left a lasting footprints in the sands of time. The students of Zahira at that time lived as brothers with unity, integrity and communal harmony to its best. Bhikkhu W. Rathana of Ananda Buddhist Centre, Gampaha (formerly IM Vidyaratne from Wellampitiya) too was a student of Zahira. He was the first outstation President of the All Ceylon Muslim League. My friend Ali Azeez used to speak on three different accents at home, Jaffna Tamil with his father, Eastern Tamil with his Driver Ibrahim from Kattankudy, and “ Sonahar” Tamil with his mother who was from a very distinguished and prominent moor family from Colombo. He was the founder of the now prominent and leading Muslim youth movement YMMA Conference which has over 100 branches all over Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 and The Ceylon Muslim Schokarship Fund which has helped over 2000 students who were benefited and many holding and held high positions in Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 and abroad. May Allah in His infinite mercy bless the departed souls and grant them the highest place in JENNATHUL FIRDHOUSE. I humbly Appeal to my Muslim brothers and sisters to remember the great services of these great leaders both men and women (like Ms.Ayesha Rauf) commemorate their death anniversary so that the present and future generation will always speak of their valuable contributions to society and pass over this is also a humble appeal to ZCC old boys and the YMMA Conference to remember Marhoom Azeez and his family. We have to give flowers 💐 when one is living as it is useless after his death but should always remember and be gracious during his/her lifetime. May Allah protect safeguard and guide our Ummah to be righteous Alhamdulillah.