Sri Lanka Moor Family Genealogy

Al Ayad Family 379

History of the Al Ayad Family in Sri Lanka

Ali Al Ayyad of Port Said, Egypt is the Patriarch of the Al Ayad family – the only known Egyptian family living in Sri Lanka. His son, Abdel Jaleel Ali Ayyad (1909–1987), arrived in Ceylon in 1931 with his paternal aunt Mrs. Haji Bamba Ayyad* who is the matriarch of the Suby and El Dakkak family in Ceylon. Abdel Jaleel Al Ayad was involved in trading activities and was first married to the sister of Justice Akbar by the name of Bachchi Nona. He was residing in Kensington Gardens, Bambalapitiya for some time and moved to Hunupitiya a while later.  He was a successful trader, buying redundant merchandise from the Military and reselling them in Pettah to Indian traders who flocked to Ceylon at the time.

The people in Colombo knew him as Arabi Mowlana.

He married a second time to Habeeb Mohamed Sithy Luthfiya (1928–2015), a lady from a well-known Moor family from Panchikawatte in Maradana. She was well versed in reading the Quran and spoke Arabic due to her education in a religious school. She bore him 10 children.

He was one of the pioneers who assisted Al Haj Naleem Hajiar in establishing the Jamiah Naleemiyah University in Beruwala and was instrumental in liaising with the Egyptian Embassy in Colombo in providing Arabic Teachers for the Jamiah Naleemiyah.

He started teaching Arabic to many people of repute and was one of the main Arabic–English–Arabic translators during the Non-Aligned Conference held in Sri Lanka in 1976. He also served as the translator to many tea exporters in Sri Lanka such as Stassen, Akbar Bros, Hebthulabhoy, Expo Lanka, Jafarjee Bros. and most of the leading tea exporters in Colombo. He later took up an assignment as the Arabic Language Head in the Jamiah Naleemiyah. Subsequently, he took up the post of Translator at the Iraqi Embassy in Colombo.

He resided with his family at No.144 Forbes Road, Maradana that was, at that time, a highly residential area. He continued his trading activities and later established a factory manufacturing leather goods such as suitcases, travel bags, Ladies handbags, etc. The business was very successful and, with its success, the family moved to Ratmalana in the latter part of 1964. They then moved to Boralesgamuwa, and finally to Chapel Lane, Wellawatte where they lived until all the children got married. Abdel Jaleel Al Ayad died in1987. His funeral took place in Chapel Lane, Wellawatte and during the funeral procession; Chapel Lane was a sea of heads. His burial took place at the Dehiwala Muslim Burial Grounds.



 



1  Ali Al Ayad

2  Abdel Jaleel Al Ayad + Bachchi Nona Akbar (sister of Justice MT Akbar) (197)

2  Abdel Jaleel Al Ayad + Habeeb Mohamed Sithy Luthfiya (1928/2015)

    3  Fareeda Hanim Al Ayad (1944) + Sherifdeen Mohamed Johar S/O Sherifdeen & Hawwa Umma of Nawalapitiya. Dehiwala

        4  Muna Johar (1971) + Riad Suby S/O Abdul Majeed Suby & Maryam Suby (Granddaughter of Haji Bamba Ayyad)

            5  Fathima Mawahib Suby (1998) Colombo 5

            5  Fathima Safa Suby (2001) Colombo 5

        4  Nasser Johar (1972) + Dilshad Banu Mohideen D/O Mohamed & Hidaya Mohideen from Kandy. Pepiliyana

        4  Nabeel Johar (1974) + Fathima Sarah Iqbal D/O M.C. Hyder Iqbal & Fowzoona Abdul Razack of Beruwala

            5  Ahmed Johar (2006)

            5  Dawud Johar (2009)

            5  Hana Johar (2012)

            5  Thuba Johar (2016)


    3  Faisal Al Ayad (1946-2015) + Nafeesa Sayeed D/O M. L. M Sayeed & Khadijah Umma of Mawelimada, Kandy. His widow  Wellawatte

        4  Tariq Al Ayad (1980) + Fathima Huzaifa D/O M.J.H. Hussein & Zeeniya Hussein. They have a daughter, Leenah (2015).  Wellawatte

        4  Sausan Al Ayad (1982) + Azreen Shafeek S/O Abdul Cader Mohamed Shafeek & Noorul Ameena Ajeed

            5  Aamir Shafeek (2003) and  Malaysia

        4  Israa Al Ayad (1987) + Abdul Rahman Akram S/O Mohamed Hamza Mohamed Saeedul Akram & Fathima Rilaya

            5  Adam Al Ayad (2015) and  USA


    3  Rushdi Al Ayad (1948-2016) + Noor Shareefa Mohideen D/O A.C.P. Mohideen & Irifah Umma of Panadura. His widow lives in Borella

        4  Ridha Al Ayad (1976) + Shazeena Subhan D/O Abdul Latheef Subhan & Marina Sadhuna Annie

            5  Ramadi Al Ayad (2004)

            5  Sameeha Al Ayad (2007)

            5  Hamza Al Ayad (2012)

        4  Safwath Al Ayad (1980) + Shiraza D/O Omar Batcha Mohamed Hizam & Sithy Azhariya from Puttalam

            5  Aneeqa Al Ayad (2010)

            5  Ayham Al Ayad (2013)


    3  Yusry Al Ayad (1950) + Sithy Hadiya Khilir D/O M. I. A. M Khilir. (Matara Picture Palace) & Ummu Razeena Nooh Hadjiar of Matara. Dehiwala

        4  Thalal Al Ayad (1985) + Fathima Salmah Shahnawaz Othman D/O Shahnawaz Othman & Fathima Zameena Fuad (Toplan).  Havelock Town
            5  Inaarah Al Ayad, b:21/04/2021

             5  Miqdaad Al Ayad, b:25 Oct 2025

        4  Husny Al Ayad (1986) + Fathima Ammaarah Careem D/O Rafi Careem & Azhara Munsoor

            5  Daania Al Ayad (2018)
            5  Zeedan Al Ayad (2021)

        4  Emad Al Ayad (1988) + Fathima Sumaiya Aneeq D/O Aneeq Barakathulla & Mazra Faizal

            5  Juwairiyah Al Ayad (2018)
            5  Ayub Al Ayad (2020)

             5  Nusaibah, b:5 Oct 2024

 

    3  Fayz Al Ayad (1952) first + Amal Binti Abdallah from Malaysia

        4  Aseil Al Ayad 1983 + Mikael

            5  Rashad Mikael 2010

            5  Raniya Mikael 2012

            5  Rafeeq 2015

    3  2nd spouse of Fayz Al Ayad (1952) + Badriya Abdul Cader Ismail Wadood (95) d/o Abdul Cader Abdul Wadood of Galle & Fathima Haneena Ismail of Kollupitiya  (Canada)

        4  Manal Al Ayad + Nuwan


    3  Widaad Al Ayad (1953) + Mohideen Ismail S/O Late Abdul Azeez & Sithy Suwada Azeez of Colombo. Austria

        4  Heba Ismail (1978)  Austria

        4  Najwa Ismail (1982) + Thomas Payer and  Austria


    3  Tameem Al Ayad (1955) + Caroline Hessler from Switzerland (div)

          4  Ayesha Al Ayad (1986) + Mark Hounder

              5  Janna Hounder 2015 Switzerland

        4  Manal Al Ayad (1988) Switzerland

        4  Zeena Al Ayad (1990) Switzerland

   3  2nd spouse of Tameem Al Ayad (1955) + Zainab Fakhori D/O of Al Bachir bin Mohammed & Khadijah Bint Zakariya from Morocco. Tameem and Zainab  Switzerland

        4  Bilal Al Ayad (1999)  Switzerland

        4  Rana Al Ayad (2006)  Switzerland

 

    3  Wisam Al Ayad (1956) + Muazzim Sayeed (deceased).

        4  Nadha Sayeed (1983) + Ramzy Doolapandan S/O Muzammil Doolapandan & Yusra El Dakkak

            5  Aaqifah Doolapandan (2003)

            5  Thalibah Doolapandan (2015) and  Gampola

            5  Nayel Doolapandam (2020)

   3  2nd spouse of [1] Wisam Al Ayad (1956) + [2] Suhail El Dakkak (grandson of Haji Bamba Ayad) S/O Shafeek El Dakkak (Lebanon) & Fathima El Dakkak at  Dehiwala

        4  Sameera El Dakkak (1991)

    3  Adnan Al Ayad (1958-1959) Deceased

    3  Waffa Hanim Al Ayad (1963) + Rafi Zanoon S/O Icy Lebbe Marrikkar Mohamed Zanoon & Sithy Saduna Sheriff of Colombo. They  Toronto, Canada

        4  Muayyad Zanoon (1984) + Naheema Kureish D/O Tuan Kuresh Johar & Mudassir Mohideen Nona Fareena. Canada.

        4  Hudha Hanim Zanoon (1985) + Mohamed Azhar Noordeen S/O Ahmed Irfan Noordeen & Thram Moon Noordeen

            5  Dawud Noordeen (2013)

            5  Easa Noordeen (2015)

            5  Yusha Noordeen (2017) and  Canada.

        4  Fathima Hiyam Zanoon (1987) + Abdul Rahman El Sayed S/O Abdel Rahman Yousef Morsey Elkassed & Reda Mohamed Metwaly Elmashaat of Egypt

            5  Ayah El Sayed (2014)

            5  Hibah El Sayed (2017) Canada

            5  Duha El Sayed (2020)

             5  Omar El Sayed (Oct 28 2025)

        4  Nazik Zanoon (1992) + Hafsah Shahnawaz Othman D/O Mohamed Shahnawaz Othman & Fathima Zameena Fuad (Thoplan) (112) from Colombo.  Canada

            5  Rayyaan Zanoon (2020)
            5  Asiya Zanoon (Aug 3 2022)


1  Haji Bamba Ayad + Mohamed El Dakkak

    2  Zainab El Dakkak + Thabit Suby (Yemen), founder of T Suby Ltd

    2  Fathima El Dakkak + Shafeek El Dakkak (Syria)
        3  [2] Suhail El Dakkak + [1] Wisam Al Ayad

            4  Sameera El Dakkak (1991)
        3  Rasheed El Dakkak
        3  Anees El Dakkak
        3  Habeeb El Dakkak
        3  Shakoor El Dakkak


    2  Ayesha + Abdul Rahman El Dakkak (Lebanon)

 ·         Haji Bamba Ayyad was married to Mohamed El Dakkak from Syria. They arrived together in Ceylon and established a Fez Cap business in first Cross Street, Pettah. They had three daughters Zainab, Fathima & Ayesha. Zainab + Thabit Subeh from Yemen who was the founder of T Suby Ltd.   Fathima + Shafeek El Dakkak from Syria and Ayesha + Abdul Rahman El Dakkak from Lebanon. Some these families and their survivors still call Sri Lanka their home and many  Colombo.

Compiled and presented by Yusry Al Ayad
Colombo
25 February 2019/Updated 8 Nov 2020