The die-hard Muslim I knew...

by Fauzi Khalid

As we get ready to commemorate the death anniversary of Marhoom M. A. Bakeer Markar, former Speaker and Member of Parliament, I thought of referring to a life long friendship my uncle Marhoom Tuan Anver Jayah (known to his friends and relatives as Tony) had with Marhoom Bakeer Markar.

At a very young age I was admitted to Ladies College, Colombo 7 and I had to come to Colombo and stay at my grandmother's house at Kensington Gardens, Bambalapitiya, where my uncle Tony Jayah and aunty Marima lived.

During my stay Bambalapitiya, I vividly remember a regular visitor to our house whom I later came to know as Bakeer uncle from Beruwela.

Very often he was accompanied by his cousin Shafie uncle (Marhoom S.L.M. Shafie Marikar, former Principal of Zahira College, Colombo 10).

M. A. Bakeer Markar

Bakeer uncle, Shafi uncle and uncle Tony would spend hours chatting and very often we would go to sleep since I had to go to school in the morning.

This was a very common occurrence and regular feature and sometimes all of them would be entertained for dinner by my aunty Marhooma Marium whom they would fondly refer to as Marium Datha (Sister).

Bakeer uncle, Shafi uncle and uncle Tony had developed this great friendship when they studied at Zahira College, Colombo under the then Principal Marhoom Dr. T. B. Jayah (Uncle Tony's father).

Bakeer uncle a keen member of the all Ceylon Muslim League would come to Colombo on the last Wednesday of every month, pick up uncle Tony and go for the Working Committee meeting in Fort.

After the meeting, they would come back and sit in the verandah and continue to discuss in great details matters related to issues concerning the Muslim Community.

They were very often joined by Marhoom M. H. Sufi Ismail, Marhoom A.M. Nazeer (former M.M.C) Marhoom A.L.M. Hashim, Marhoom M.H. Amit and A.R.M. Zain and others.

This types of meetings were a regular feature in our house.

Since my parents Marhoom H. M. Khalid and Marhooma Fatima Khalid (eldest sister of Marium Jayah) lived in Dharga Town, uncle Tony and aunty Marium would go to Dharga Town for the week ends.

Uncle Tony in his black Morris Minor would take all of us to Dharga Town.

Uncle Tony would drop us at Dharga Town and come back to Beruwela to meet up with Bakeer uncle, Shafie uncle and Razik Marikkar uncle.

He would spend the whole evening with them, have dinner with them and get back to Dharga Town only to sleep.

On the return to Colombo very often on a Sunday, we would leave Dharga Town in the evening.

Very often uncle Tony would turn at Beruwela and go to Bakeer uncles house where on every occasion we would leave around 9 p.m. after dinner.

I was very unhappy to be in Beruwela till 9 p.m. as I had to go to school early morning even though we used to play in the garden which was by the side of a lake and close proximity to the sea.

After a few years, Zahira College, Colombo an institution close to hearts of the Muslim Community was taken over by the Government and thereafter many discussions were held at uncle Tony's house.

"Take back Zahira Campaign" was started and Bakeer uncle, Shafie uncle, Tony uncle and many concerned Zahirians would join these discussions.

They planned and executed many protest meetings, filled legal action and finally were able to keep back Zahira.

A few months later, I remember Shafie uncle (an old boy and Principal of Zahira College, Alutgama) volunteered to be the Principal of Colombo Zahira.

Zahira College then didn't have funds. Bakeer uncle and Shafie uncle used to come to Colombo and several discussions were held. They would along with uncle Tony visit many Muslim philanthropists explain the need for Zahira College to be maintained and run as the radiating centre of Muslim Education and collect funds.

Shafie uncle by then had convinced my aunty Marium Jayah (Retired Principal of Madharasatul Khairiya, Dematagoda) and several others to join the staff.

Due to the unavailability of the desired funds, Shafie uncle and most of the staff just drew paltry allowances for many years and silently served the community.

Later of Bakeer uncle's daughter Deena came and lived at uncle Tony's house and attended St. Paul's Milagiriya. Bakeer uncle would come more often to see Deena and sometimes taken her home for the weekends and long holidays.

Some years later, Bakeer uncle was elected to Parliament as the member of Beruwela.

Bakeer uncle would then come on all Parliament days, meet his erstwhill friend, dress in full suit and proceed to Parliament.

On very special Parliament days like the opening of Parliament and Budget speech days uncle Tony would go with him to Parliament.

I still remember, one day the late Mr. Amarasiri (Member of Parliament and later Minister) came with Bakeer uncle and took a change and went to Parliament. He would thereafter come very often with Bakeer uncle. Since Bakeer uncle was elected to Parliament he was entitled to a tele-phone and in those days obtaining a telephone was a difficult task. Bakeer uncle who already had a telephone in Beruwela chose to instal the telephone in uncle Tony's house thus is making it convenient for him to be in regular touch with his friend.

A few years later Bakeer uncle, Shafie uncle, Tony uncle and a few others from the All Ceylon Muslim League formed the All Ceylon Muslim Educational Conference. Shafie uncle being an Educationalist was appointed as chairman.

The organization became a hive of activity and many organisational meeting were held at our house in Bambalapitiya. Bakeer uncle was an active and vociferous member of the Zahira College O.B.A. He would always attend meetings of the O.B.A. He would come from Beruwela pick up uncle Tony and go for the meetings. On a personal note the activities of the Zahira O.B.A. influenced my personal life whereby when I completed my education at Isipathana College, I went on to found the Isipathana College O.B.A. having drawn up the constitution word to word duplicating the Zahira O.B.A. Constitution which I picked up from uncle Tony's office room.

The office room in uncle Tony's office contained documents of the All Ceylon Muslim league, Zahira College O.B.A. All Ceylon Muslim Educational Conference and Zahira College Welfare Association where Bakeer uncle and uncle Tony were active members.

Therefore, whilst recalling these activities during my early days, I always remembered the long and friendly relationship of Bakeer uncle and uncle Tony. Later on when I got married to my cousin Shahnaz (uncle Tony's only child) Bakeer uncle was the attesting witness.

It is therefore important to remind ourselves of the contribution and selfless sacrifices made by Marhoom M. A. Bakeer Markar having travelled to Colombo on hundreds of occasions to participate in the organizations mentioned, which were and are the organisations and institutions where during his life time have and are continuing towards the well being of the Muslim Community.

Many such contributions go unrecorded and unnoticed.

It is therefore laudable that the Bakeer Markar Foundation and the All Ceylon Muslim League Youth Fronts (Inaugurated by Marhoom M. A. Bakeer Markar) continues to commemorate the death anniversary of Marhoom Bakeer Markar in a fitting manner.

The writer is the Joint Secretary, All Ceylon Muslim League.