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He was a silent worker To Allah we belong and to Him is our return. So Al Haj M. S. Moujood, too, answered Allah's call and departed from this world on June 17. Though in the
forefront of trade and commerce in the 19th and early 20th centuries,
there were a few Muslims who realized the importance of higher education.
Mackeen Moujood was one of them, who pursued higher studies and
chose government service as his vocation. Having graduated
in science, he served in the Department of Labour where he rose
to the position of Assistant Commissioner, a coveted post then.
He also served in the Ministry of Plantation Industries during its
formative years. Being a person
of intellectual integrity and devoted and dedicated 'doer', his
urge to be of some service to society saw him being involved with
the Moors Islamic Cultural Home, a pioneer service organization
founded by Sir Razik Fareed in 1944. He was an active
member of the silver jubilee commemoration committee in 1969 and
contributed his best to bring out a voluminous souvenir that contained
several articles on the Moor community and its contribution to our
motherland. His wide experience
in practically all activities of the MICH culminated in his being
elected as one of its joint secretaries in 1985. He held this position
for 17 long years, having been elected unanimously at every successive
annual general meeting, until his demise. To succeed
and accomplish objectives, the leadership should be endowed with
commitment and devotion of the highest calibre, coupled with hard
work and diligence. The MICH received
this leadership in ample measure from Moujood. He will be always
remembered, for his great contribution in the publication of the
Sinhala translation of the Saheehul Buhari (a collection of teachings
of the Prophet) and the development of the Pasha Villa at Dematagoda. The Makola
Muslim Orphanage, which renders noble but silent service to more
than 600 students, is another organization which Moujood was actively
involved in. He was the
joint treasurer of this institution, and spent every Sunday attending
to the needs of these orphans. He also served
as joint secretary of the board of trustees of the Borella Jumma
Mosque. Al-Haj Mackeen
Moujood never wished to win acclaim for what he did. He never talked
about himself. A man of few words, he rendered his services silently. In the home
front, he was a towering father figure. Not only his four children,
but also all his relatives looked upon him for advice and guidance. He lived a
calm and contented life, tackling problems if any, with a smile.
He breathed his last with the same smile of serenity on his pleasant
face. May Almighty
Allah grant him Jennathul Firdous! Aameen! He
moved in high circles but didn't lose common touch He was in a
higher class. So it was only later that we got to know each other
and soon became friends. It was an intimate friendship that lasted
till his death. In recent years,
Tissa led a semi secluded life, grief stricken at the death of his
beloved wife, Visakha, a few years earlier. His love for her knew
no bounds. Tissa hailed
from a rural background. He used to say of the peasants that he
shared their joys and sorrows. He left for
England soon after the war, pursued his studies in law at the Inner
Temple and passed out as a barrister. On his return
to Sri Lanka he practised law. His sharp mind and ready wit ensured
a successful career at the Bar. A feature,
if we may call it such, of his adult life was his transition from
a card carrying member of the Ceylon Communist Party to a believer
in free enterprise. So much so that he founded a finance company
which he named Sinhaputra Finance. The transition was out of sincere
conviction and not due to any kind of expediency. He developed
the company which, thanks to Tissa, now enjoys a prestigious position
in Sri Lanka's financial world. He was appointed
Ambassador to France and Switzerland and moved in the highest circles
in Europe. His charming
personality endeared him to those whom he met and resulted in him
making many friends. But he never lost the common touch. An outstanding
characteristic was his sense of humour. He loved to
play a joke on others, never though with malicious intent. He used
to say the most outrageous things. Tissa's fund
of anecdotes and jokes made him a welcome guest at any gathering.
My daughters
looked forward to his visit to our home and enjoyed his jokes particularly
about his life in London. Once both of
us happened to be at London's Trafalgar Square on New Year's Eve
night by the statue of Lord Nelson. (In those days there were comparatively
few Asians in England.) There were
two sailors by the statue. In his own inimitable way Tissa asked
the sailors, "Who is this?" The sailors
replied, "This is Alfred Lord Nelson who won the Battle of
Trafalgar." Tissa asked,
"Oh, battle fought here?" The sailors
said, "No, at sea." Tissa seemingly
exasperated said, "Why he here then?" and then quickly
"We don't know Nelson but we know Napoleon!" That said we
beat a hasty retreat. Tissa was,
after his own fashion, an outstanding personality. I am the richer
for having known him. I shall miss him very much. |
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