Zahira College, Colombo
Zahira College (commonly known as Zahira) (Sinhala: සහිරා විදුහල, Tamil: சாஹிரா கல்லுரி) is an Islamic school at Colombo in Maradana, Sri Lanka and was founded in 1892 as Al Madrasathul Zahira by notable Islamic lawyer and educationalist, Muhammad Cassim Siddi Lebbe, with the active patronage of Ahmed Orabi Pasha of Egypt. The college also has one of the oldest mosques in the country in its premises.
| Zahira College | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
  Zahira College Location in central Colombo | |
| Coordinates | 6.927351°N 79.864175°E |
| Information | |
| Type | Private |
| Motto | Arabic: Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) |
| Established | 22 August 1892 |
| Founder | Ahmed Orabi, A. M. Wapchi Marikar and M. C. Siddi Lebbe |
| Principal | Triizvy Marikkar |
| Grades | 1–13 (English, Sinhala and Tamil Medium) |
| Gender | Boys |
| Age | 6 to 19 |
| Colour(s) | Green, white & maroon |
| Alumni | Old Zahirians |
| Website | zahiracollege |
The word Zahira means "excellence" in Arabic.
History
The idea of school mainly for Muslims was conceived by prominent individuals at the time, such as Proctor M. C. Siddi Lebbe, when circumstances were positively hostile to English education due to the reasons where English education was very much associated with proselytism.[1] At this juncture in history of Sri Lanka almost all the schools in the country were run by Christian missionaries. Because Sri Lanka had not won its independence from the British Empire an almost state aided conversion submerged other communities. Nevertheless, Muslim pioneers in education were more than satisfied that Islam would weather assaults at conversion but that education was essential for the Muslim community’s progress if not its very survival. Thus, due to this and many other pertaining factors, Zahira was established on Monday, 22 August 1892.
Factors influencing establishment
During a public speech made by M. C. Siddhi Lebbe in 1891 at the Maradana Mosque Hall (which later became to be the college mosque), he appealed to the Muslim community to unite and promote the educational advancement of the community. This led to the formation of the Colombo Muslim Educational Society. The first Secretary was I. L. M. Abdul Aziz and Arasi Marikar Wapchie Marikar was the first Treasurer and Head Master. With the help of Ahamed Orabi Pasha, an Egyptian exile in Ceylon and freedom fighter, Al-Madrasathul Zahira was established. In 1894 the school was registered as a grant-in-aid school Maradana Mohammedan Boys School.
Sports
The College has produced a number of football players who represented the national team.
The college swimming pool project was proposed and funded by the Old Boys Association. and it was officially opened for the School Students, Old boys and for the Public (after school hours). The project was initiated in 2010 and successfully completed and opened on 14 July 2012.
Houses
Students are divided into four houses. The houses are led by House Captains, competing in all major games to win the inter-house games and house colours are awarded winners.
- Angora colour : Green
- Baghdad colour : Blue
- Cordova colour : Orange
- Istanbul colour : Maroon
These four house names were derived from four historic muslim cities.
- Angora of Turkey
- Baghdad of Iraq
- Cordova of Spain
- Istanbul of Turkey
Headmasters
- A. M. Wapchie Marikar
- N. H. M. Abdul Cader
- A. S. Abdul Cader
- S. J. A. Doray
- Abdul Azeez
Principals
| Name | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| O. E. Martinus | 1913 | 1914 |
| J. C. McHeyzer | 1914 | 1920 |
| Tuan Burhanudeen Jayah | 1921 | 1947 |
| A. M. A. Azeez | 1948 | 1961 |
| I. L. M. Mashoor | 1961 | 1965 |
| M. F. M. H. Fakhir | 1965 | 1966 |
| S. L. M. Shafie Marikar | 1967 | 1982 |
| R. I. T. Alles (Director of Studies) | 1983 | 1985 |
| Saheed M. Irshad | 1986 | 1987 |
| T. D. Hannan | 1988 | |
| A. Z. Omardeen | 1989 | |
| A. M. Sameem | 1990 | 1991 |
| A. Javid Yusuf | 1992 | 1994 |
| Prof. M. T. A. Furkhan | 1995 | 1997 |
| Dr. I. A. Ismail | 1998 | |
| S. A. R. M. Farook | 1999 | |
| Dr. M. Uvais Ahamed | 2001 | 2006 |
| T.K. Azoor | 2008 | 2010 |
| M. H. M. Jiffry | 2010 | 2012 |
| Trizvii Marikkar | 2013 | Present |
Notable alumni
| Name | Notability | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| V. Anandasangaree | Member of Parliament - Kilinochchi (1970–1983), Jaffna (2000–2004) | ||
| A. H. M. Fowzie | Member of Parliament - National List (2015–present), Colombo (1994–2015), Mayor of Colombo (1974–1977) | ||
| Mohammed Abdul Bakeer Markar | Member of Parliament - Beruwala (1960–1988), Governor of Southern Province (1988–1993) | ||
| Ali Sabry | Member of Parliament - National List (2020–present), Minister of Justice (2020-present) | ||
| A.C.M. Ameer | 32nd Attorney General of Sri Lanka | ||
| Shibly Aziz | 37th Attorney General of Sri Lanka | ||
| Alavi Moulana | Governor Western Province (2002- 2015), Minister of Labour (2001-2002) | ||
| Razik Zarook | Chairman BOC, Chairman Insurance Regulatory Commission | ||
| Naina Marikkar | Minister of Finance (1988-1989) | ||
| A.H.M. Azwer | Member of Sri Lankan Parliament for national list (1989-1994, 2010-2014) | ||
| Ameer Ali | Minister of Disaster Relief Management (2007-2010, Member of Sri Lankan Parliament (2015-present) | ||
| A. M. Merza | Member of Sri Lankan Parliament for Kalmunai (1952-1956) | ||
| M.H.M. Ashraff | Minister of Ports, Shipping and Rehabilitation (1994-2000), Member of the Sri Lankan Parliament (1989-2000) | ||
| M.L.M. Aboosally | Member of the Sri Lankan Parliament, Minister of Labor | ||
| Mujibur Rahman | Member of Parliament - Colombo (2015-present) | [2] | |
| Saleem Marsoof | Supreme Court Judge (2005–2014) | ||
| S. Z. M. Mashoor Moulana | Senator - Senate of Ceylon | ||
| Prof. M.T.A. Furkhan | Academic | ||
| A. J. M. Muzammil | Mayor of Colombo (2011–2016), Governor of Western Province (2019), Governor of North Western Province (2019-present) | ||
| Rishad Bathiudeen | Minister of Industry and Commerce (2010-2019), Member of Sri Lankan Parliament for Vavuniya (2001-present) | ||
| Rezvi Sheriff | academic, physician | ||
| S. Selvanayagam | Academic, Professor Jaffna University | ||
| Karthigesu Sivathamby | emeritus professor (Tamil studies), author | ||
| R. Sivagurunathan | Academic, Lawyer and Editor Thinakaran | ||
| Hasen Ali | Member of Parliament - National List (2004-2015) | ||
| Dharmadasa Banda | Cabinet Minister for additional plantation crops (2007-2010) and Member of Parliament Monaragala (1989-2000, 2004-2010) | ||
| M. M. Zuhair | Member of parliament for the nationalist (1994-2000), Chairman Rupavahini and Sri Lankan Ambassador to Iran | ||
| Ben Navaratne | Cricketer | ||
| Muttaiah Devaraj | Cricketer | ||
| Mohamed Namiz | Cricketer | ||
| Ghulam Razick | Cricketer |
References
- K N O, Dharmadasa. Language, Religion, and Ethnic Assertiveness: The Growth of Sinhalese in Sri Lanka. University of Michigan Press. pp. 126, 254. ISBN 978-0472102884.
- "Hon. Mujibur Rahuman, M.P." Parliament of Sri Lanka.