Sri Lankan Muslim Family Genealogy
Aboobucker Lebbe - Family #94
AIL MARIKAR
AlHaj
Aboobucker Ismail Lebbe Marikar, affectionately known as AIL
Marikar, was
destined to serve the community by the Will of Allah, for over
two decades. Be
it, the Moors’ Islamic Cultural Home, All Ceylon Moors’
Association, Ceylon
Moor Chamber of Commerce, Ceylon Moslem Educational Society,
Maradana Jumma
Mosque, Peradeniya University Mosque Association, Syed Jiffry
Moulana memorial
Trust, AIL was one of those at the helm to deliver the goods.
AIL Marikar’s
ancestry can be traced back to Prince Jalaludeen of Armania. His
father was
ABLIL Marikar, a specially reputed Ceylon Moor English book
seller. AIL was born
on August 10 1907 at his ancestral home at No 263 Dam Street,
Colombo 01200.
He
had his early education at Hameedia School and later moved to
Wesley College in
Pettah during the Principalship of the Rev Highfiweld. He passed
the London
Matriculation Examination with honors in History and English
Literature.
He
chose to pursue his fathers business instead of venturing into
higher education.
Later, he started an indenting agency on his own under the name
of “Cey-Jap
Mercantile Agency”. He was very successful and ventured easily
into many
religious and socvial activities. He married, Noor Razika,
daughter of PTM
Sheriff, who predeceased him.
On
August 2, 1944, at his office at No 5 Second Cross Street,
Colombo 11, in the
Pettah, a few leading members of the Moor Community, who
cherished a vision for
the future of their people in their hearts, met and founded the
Moors’ Islamic
Cultural Home (MICH). The founding fathers were, Sir Razik
Fareed (then known as
ARARazik), WM Hassim JP, Ahmed Hussain Macan Markar, ALM Lafir
JP, and AIL
Marikar. AIL held the position of Honorary Joint Secretary of
the MICH, from its
inception in 1944 all the way until his demise on January 4,
1992 – a record
for anyone in any association or society.
When
the need for a permanent Headquarters for the MICH arose, Sir
Razik Fareed with
customary zeal, at the instance of AIL, sponsored a motion in
the Senate, on May
25 1948, to obtain a grant of a block of crown land in the Fort.
It was seconded
by Mr. R F S de Mel. Sir Oliver Goonetilleke, the then Governor,
most graciously
accepted the motion on behalf of the Government. When donations
were invited for
the building fund, the first contribution of Rs 31.50 was made
by AIL and his
wife. Today, a massive four-storeyed building stands tall at
Bristol Street Fort
as the HQ of the MICH.
During
this period, temporary accommodation was found necessary for the
activities of
the organization. “Pasha Villa” at No 15 Dematagoda Road,
Colombo 00900 fell
vacant after WWII had ended, and money had to be found in order
to lease it as a
suitable location for the activities of the MICH. AIL induced
Husain Macan
Markar, another Joint Secretary, and arranged a string-hopper
dinner at his
residence and invited many active and rich members of the
community to come
forward to assist in this project. The required funds were
immediatrely
subscribed, a lease agreement was signed with the owners of
“pasha Villa”,
and eventually the whole propert was purchased for the MICH.
A
scheme for the local training of Hafiz Al Quran (Quranic
memorization), in view
of their dearth in Colombo and the reliance of the services of
Hafiz from
neighboring India to conduct Night Prayers during Ramadan at the
Mosques, was
mooted on the initiative of AIL at the meeting of the Board of
Trustees on
October 8, 1946. Implementation commenced on August 20, 1950
when the first
Annual Al-Quran (memory) Recital Contest was held for the first
three sections
(Jooz) of the Quran.
The
complete Quran was completed in the first ten annual contests
and now there is
no dearth of Hafiz in Colombo anymore. At the elevnth Annual
General Meeting of
the MICH, held on August 25, 1955, AIL Marikar moved a motion
for effective
steps to be taken for the translation of the Quran into
Sinhalese. Although it
took 26 years, the translation was finally completed during his
lifetime. The
call for prayer broadcast on Radio Ceylon, daily, during the
month of Ramadan,
for the break and commencement of the fast, was also one of the
actions
initiated by AIL to the then Minister of Broadcasting, Mr S.
Natesan. This
commenced on June 5, 1947 and is being continued to date with
the Rupavahini
Corporation broadcasting it on TV too.
AIL
Marikar has authored many books, both individuallyand also with
A Hussain macan
Markar and ALM Lafir. On many occasions he also subscribed to
the national
newspapers on Islamic events and has also given talks on radio,
one of them
being on the “signifance of aj in the light of cataclysmic
changes in Muslim
countries”. The “Asrarul Islam”, written by the late MC Siddi
Lebbe, was
also translated into English by his brother ILMM Nilam.
During
the 48 years of stewardship of the MICH, he rarely missed a
meeting of the Board
of Trustees. He was also a very rare example of a dedicated
Secretary who set
out to work for his community without any trappings or pelf. He
was at his
office at the MICH, Fort, as always until he breathed his last.
During this time
there were numerous callers with problems of whom many were
students, for whom
he would respond patiently and settle their affairs. Apart from
his literary
pursuits he also helped many worthy charitable causes without
publicity and
fanfare.
At
the AGMof the Ceylon Moors’ Association,held on August 4, 1941,
AIL Marikar
and SM Ismail were elected Joint Secretaries. During the early
years of war,
politics was at a standstill, yet the President of the Moors’
Association, Sir
Razik Fareed, AIL Marikar, and a few others kept the Ceylon Moor
Flag flying in
many other spheres. AIL, after his marriage, moved to his wife’s
home at St.
Peter’s Place, Colombo 0400, which was just a stones throw away
from the
Fareed Place residence of Sir Razik Fareed. This was a
tremendous convenience
for him in most of his activities pertaining to the community.
The
activities of the Ceylon Moors’ Association, which after the
Japanese Air Raid
on Colombo lay dormant like most other voluntary organizations,
were revived in
1943 at AIL Marikar’s office premises at No. 5 Second Cross
Street, Colombo
01100. It was the time when the War Damage Insurance were being
refunded. The
Ceylon Moor Chamber of Commerce had been functioning for
sometime on the solo
efforts of AIL Marikar, the Secretary of the Chamber. On July 4,
1950, a private
members motion was moved by the President, Sir Razik Fareed, for
the
reservation, exclusively, to Ceylonese importers all imports
from Japan and
other foreign countries. AIL was the man beind the scenes who
initiated this
move.
With
the gradual restrictions on the private sector the activities of
the Chamber
slowed down, although AIL Marikar’s services was always at the
disposal of the
members of the Chamber. At the time of his death, he was the
Secretary of the
Executive Committee of the Maradana Jumma Mosque and was largely
responsible for
the multi-million Rupee expansion project of the Mosque which
was in progress at
that time. AIL Marikar was an active member of the Peradeniya
University Mosque
Association and his contribution towards its progress was
immense.
AIL
Marikar took a leading role in the formation of the Syed Abdul
Rahman Jiffry
Moulana Memorial Trust which helps many deserving students to
pursue their
higher education. In the year 1940 he was a member of the Muslim
Mosques and
Charitable Trust along with Sir Mohammed Macan Markar and Sir
Razik Fareed. AIL
was the last to survive of those who appeared before the
Soulbury Commission to
urge for adequate representation for Muslims in the Legislature.
1
Aboobucker Lebbe
2 Alia Marikar Alim + Moomina Umma d/o Cassim
Lebbe Marikar
Mudliyar (Son of Shekadi Marikar)
3 Marikar ABLIL (first Ceylonese English Book Seller)
+ Ameena
Alia Marikar d:29-May-1924
(90a)
4
Johara Umma Marikar + Abdul Hameed Muhammad Cassim (Kandy)
5
Sithy Thahani Abdul Hameed
5
Noorul Munthaha Abdul Hameed + Muhammad Mahmood Shafeek
6
Omeri Shafeek
6
Omri Shafeek
4 Aboobakr Ismail
Lebbe Marikar AIL Marikar), Hon Jt
Secy Moors' Islamic Cultural Home, Sect Maradana Mosque
+ Noor Razika Sheriff
(d/o Periya Thamby Muhammad Sheriff)
4 Sithy Ayesha
Marikar + Abdul Barry ACM (Crockery
Merchant, s/o PB Abdul Careem)
5
Jiffrey ABAC, d:17-Sep-2003 + Khairun Mazeeha Mahfool (d/o ALM
Mahfool)
6 Muhammad Marshad Barry
+ Zainab Wadood
7 Ahmed Murthaz Marshad
Barry
7 Ahmed Nabeel Marshad
Barry
7 Fathima Mubeena Marshad
Barry
JIFFREY
A.B.A.C. Managing
Trustee,
Maradana Mosque, Colombo, Chairman Library Committee M.I.C.H.,
expired
on 17th September son of late Abdul Barry and Sithy Aysha,
beloved husband of
Khairun Mazeeha, father of Marshad Barry, fatherinlaw of
Zainab, brother of
Ameena, Hussain, Nowfal, Midhlaj, Thahani, brotherinlaw of
Nuzha, Saheel,
Zeeniya, Razia, Jeziya and Nizam grandfather of
Murthaaz. 154,
New Moor Street, Colombo 12. [Sunday Observer Sep
28 2003]
5
Sithy Khadijathul Ameena Abdul Barry + M.R.M
Saheel {Shothiyan (10,80)}
6
Iynul Lhiya Saheel + Dilshad Gunawardena
7 Yumna Dilshad
7 Imara Dilshad
6
Razeen Ihab Saheel + Fathima Fazeela Rizuly
7 Ahmed Uzman Ihab
5
Thahani Mifthiya Abdul Barry + Mohamed Nizam Ali (s/o C.M
Ali-Kandy)
6 Mohamed Tariq Ali + Fathima Rehana Hafiz
7 Ahmed Hamdhan Ali
7 Ahmed Luqman Ali
6 Fathima Thahmina Ali + Tuan Shirosz
Mohamed (Negombo)
7 Mariam Mohamed
7 Tuan Mikhail Mohamed
7 Tuan Raayan Mohamed
6
Fathima Nadira Ali + Humaize Afzal Muhinudeen (Dappi)
7 Zeenath Maimuna Afzal
7 Ahmed Mahdhi Afzal
7 Ayesha Afzal
7 Haroon Afzal
5
Abdul
Barry Hussain Ismail +
Zeeniya (Glory
Benjamin)
6 Mohamed Zaeem
Abdul Barry + Fathima
Nushrath Rahman
7 Zacky Ahmed Abdul
Barry
7 Fathima Ruqaiyya Abdul
Barry
7 Shakir Ahmed Abdul
Barry
6 Fathima
Zameera Abdul Barry + Tuan Roslan Halaldeen
7 Tuan Zameer Roslan
HUSSAIN ISMAIL A.B. (Secretary All Ceylon Moors
Association), expired.
Beloved son of late Mr & Mrs A.C.M. Abdul Barry, husband
of Zeeniya, father
of Zaeem Barry (J.B.) and Zameera (M.L.C. Student),
brother of late
A.B.A.C. Jiffry, Ameena Saheel, Nowfal, Midhlaj and Thahani
Nizam Ali. Janaza
left on Wednesday the 31st March 2004 from 154,
New Moor Street,
Colombo 12. SO April 4 2004
5 Nowfel
Abdul Barry + Fathima Razia
Thowfeek (d/o M.M Thowfeek-Lake house)
5
Midhlaj Barry + Jesiya (d/o M.Yoosuf-Mawanella)
4
Muhammad Ali ILM Engineer's Dept CMC + Fathima Muhammad (d/o M
Muhammad
em Merchant)
5
Hussain Hibshi Ali + Fathima Feroze Mihlar (18) (d/o Shah
feroze
Mihlar)
6 Fathima Shehnaaz Ali
5
Thahira Maziya Ali + Ahmed Ifthikar Naafi (s/o Muhammad
Nafi-Hareesa Furnishers)
6
Ahmed Inthikab Ifthikar + Fathima Shamila
7 Izaaz Ahmed Inthikab
7 Imaan Inthikab
7 Thayyib Inthikab
6 Fathima Inshirah Ifthikar + Mohamed
Azam (Divorced) +2nd Bed Shifan Abu bakr
7 Aaliya Azam
7
Zara Mae Azam
5 Muhammad
Rakeeb Ali + Suad Zulaiha (d/o
M.T.M Zubair-Maradana Mosque Trustee)
6 Mohamed Rauzan Ali
6 Fathima
Rushda Ali + Mohamed Anas (Kandy)
7 Thwaiba Anas
7 Essa Thaha Anas
4
Muhammad Nilam ILM Steno-Typist Supreme Court + Sithy Alaviya
Mohideen
(30)
4 Muhammad
Fulail Marikar
3 Muhammad Rasheed Alia Marikar
3 Laila Alia Marikar
3 Muhammad Thahir
Alia Marikar