Moors' Islamic Cultural Home (MICH)

Presidential Address of Sir Razik Fareed, MP at the formal opening of MICH Building in the Fort

published in the MICH Souvenir I of 1944-65

I am grateful to you all for so kindly responding to our invitation on this occasion - an occasion of great joy to us when shared with your participation to the greater glory of Lanka.

The Report of the Hon Joint Secretaries just presented before you seeks to portray, with becoming brevity, the history of the Moors' Islamic Cultural Home. To this Report, I would liketo add some observations of my own. The question of providing a suitable Crown site in the Colombo Fort was settled at the time of the Government of the late Rt Hon DS Senanayake, when our Prime Minister was the Minister of Agriculture and Lands. It is therefore most gratifying that the formal opening of this building today should become associated with the participation of the Premier - the worthy son of a worthy father - the Hon Dudley Senanayake.

It is at the same time most heartening that some of the Architects of our Independence and a true friend of this Home - Sir Oliver Goonetilleke - should have come back to Ceylon in time to take his own part in our celebration.

When I look around and see the galaxy in this grand assembly of guests of all communities and creeds of Mother Lanka mingling together in a common cause, if I may say so, I realize the strength of cultural ties that can weld diversity in unity by its silken cord of spiritual value over evanescent materialism. It is indeed a comforting thought to reflect on the soothing influence in the nature of a cultural balm over the infirmities of erring man that contribute to bitterness and rancor; racial animosity and social inequality. In this company, I miss two of our ardent supporters - the late Sir Mohammed Macan Markar and the late WM Hassim, who have passed away and would have been happy to be with us today, had they lived. But their loss, to some extent, has been compensated by the active co-operation of their children towards the progress of the Home.

This Home seeks to provide opportunities of service to our youth because the future is theirs. This Home shall give them facilities for their training to become well equipped in life to take their due place as useful citizens of Lanka. Towards this end, a new department for the promotion of Youth Movement will soon be added on to the activities of the Home.

The island needs the close co-operation of all creeds and communities to develop its resources with patriotic zeal and, if the need be, with sacrifice. Thismust transcend all other considerations. Let me therefore appeal to all right thinking citizens to sink all differences in the national interest and strive to make Ceylon a happier place to live and die for. I exhort my fellow compatriots to remember what the Prophet of Islam meant when he said, "Patriotism is part of Faith."

This building is still incomplete. Four more storeys have yet to be completed without delay for the Home to function with full vigor and enthusiasm. Foundations like the Asia Foundation should further give us a helping hand. I shall refer to my Muslim brothers and sisters to the parable cited in Al Qur'an (Sura Al Baqara, Chapter 2 Verse 261) which reads thus:-

"The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the cause of God is that of a grain of corn which produces seven ears and in each ear a hundred grains; and God multiplies for whom He Pleases; God is Bountiful; Wise."

Can I make a more stirring appeal?

I endorse the thanks expressed in the Report of the Secretaries to all office bearers, members, donors, and well-wishers for their support and express my sincere gratitude to each one of them.

The Honorary Joint Secretaries pay me a handsome tribute. If at all I had rendered some service, it was part of my duty as President. They also express the hope of a benefaction from me to the Home. I shall remember this.

I will be failing in my duty if I do not publicly acknowledge the immense work that the Hon Joint Secretaries and Treasurers, throughout an unbroken period of twenty-one years since its inception, have ungrudgingly rendered to the Home at considerable sacrifice. Like me, they too have grown with the institution. Posterity will remember them with gratitude. I thank you Secretaries most sincerely.

I do not wish to speak at length, because all of us are eager to hear our Premier Guest - the hope of a United Lanka - address us.

I shall therefore conclude with prayers to Almighty Allah that this institution shall in the years to come shine as a bastion of democracy and grow up as a Center fostering devotion to the cause of Peace and Fraternity towards the national integration of all the people of Lanka.

Peace be with you all!

Assalamu Alaikum!