Dr. A.M.A. Azeez passed away in the year 1973. In order to perpetuate his memory, ‘Haji A.M.A. Azeez Memorial Committee’ was founded in 1975 by the initiative of the All-Ceylon Y.M.M.A. Conference, which in course of time was re-named as ‘Dr. A.M.A. Azeez Foundation’ in 1990.
A disciple of A.M.A. Azeez who was mainly instrumental in the formation of the Memorial Committee and who actively participated in every event of the Foundation until recently, Al Haj S.M. Kamaldeen, passed away on 15th August, 2008. We remember with gratitude his services rendered towards all the organizations associated with A.M.A. Azeez, namely the Colombo Zahira College, Ceylon Muslim Scholarship Fund, the YMMA and Jamia Naleemiah, Beruwela. He was a confidante of Senator Azeez.
Some of the objectives of the Foundation are to remember Dr. Azeez on his birth anniversary; to commemorate his death anniversary; to offer Educational Scholarships; to foster and promote Islamic Literature, Arabic-Tamil, Tamil Literature and to publicize his writings and speeches.
Memorial Lectures are being regularly organized every year in collaboration with the YMMA since 1976; the first lecture being that of Justice Dr. A.K. Brohi of Pakistan.
Educational Scholarships are given to deserving University students since 1998, from the proceeds collected through ‘Ramazan Appeals’.
One of the main objectives of the Foundation was accomplished in 2007 by the publication of the book ‘A.M.A.Azeez – A Profile’. This book contains chapters depicting his early life in Jaffna – his birth place; his enormous contribution to the economic resurgence of the Eastern Province during the years of the Second World War; his golden days at the helm of Zahira College, Colombo and finally his multi-faceted contributions to the community and the country reproduced from the publication “100 Great Muslim Leaders of the 20th Century”.
Today, we are extremely elated to present this Volume containing his intellectually flavoured speeches in the Senate – the Upper House of Parliament of Ceylon.
The Senate was established in 1947 under the Soulbury constitution on the eve of Ceylon achieving its Independence after 450 years of European domination.
No comments on the quality of Azeez’s speeches will be required as this Volume will more than amplify the contextual and intellectual geniousness in his speeches. Some of the ideas he had expressed were far ahead of his times. His scholarly treatise in opposing the Official Language (Sinhala only) Bill has been acclaimed. The Muslims were divided, but with his background Azeez could not support the Bill. After its defeat at the 1956 General Elections the U.N.P. changed its stance and supported the Bill, as a result Azeez resigned from the party.
The compilation of his Senate speeches became a very simple process, because Senator Azeez had already taken out his speeches from the Hansard and bound them into seven volumes in chronological order and marked with his comments. His private library is amazing. Every one of the thousands of books maintained in his library, had been carefully read by him and side-marked with notes and comments; bundles and bundles of relevant documents had been filed in a meticulous and systematic manner; hundreds of photographs had been indexed with details of the occasion and names of the people present; exhaustive diaries had been written at the end of every day from his University days. They make a veritable archives and maybe one of the rarest collections of archival value in the country. It is a treat to peruse the side-markings with notes and comments in Azeez’s personal copy of Yusuf Ali’s translation of the Holy Quran, sometimes comparing with other translations.
More important is the fact that every document in his library is preserved intact upto now by his elder son Ali; and he permits with willingness and co-operation to any researcher to make use of these valuable documents. This, I think, is the highest gratitude that a faithful son could pay to a fond father. A.M.A. Azeez’s collection alone will be more than sufficient to research into the history, culture and traditions of the Muslims of Sri Lanka. The writing table and furniture used in his office at “Meadow Sweet’, including his favourite large reading chair and the adjustable lamp above, have been preserved and used by Ali in the study of his bungalow at Bolgoda.
Ali recollects that his father had the habit of classifying, re-classifying and indexing the large collection of books in his library at home periodically like in organized libraries with well known systems. For this process Ali had to assist in preparing lists of the books cupboard by cupboard, particularly during his free-time after studies at school and university. When the next re-classification took place, Ali whispered to himself “Oh, here he starts again”, but he confesses that he learnt a great deal. To register his ownership Azeez had rubber-stamps made with his name and the number of the book, the rubber-stamps were different with every re-classification. Finally, he had a printed label with Islamic architecture and a verse from the Holy Quran on knowledge. Ali says with glee that he uses the same label for his own books by erasing the first initial ‘A’. During his lifetime Azeez had donated most of his books, Zahira College being the major beneficiary upto 1961. In 1973 it was Jamia Naleemiah that benefited. After his death, in complying with his intentions, most of the remaining valuable books, other than Tamil books, were donated to Jamia Naleemiah by his children.
Azeez’s experience and training in the Civil Service made him an Administrator cum Disciplinarian par excellence. These were the two pillars of his success at Zahira College and in other organizations. During his lifetime he ‘worked like a beaver’ in contributing in whatever he could to society in general and education in particular.
Therefore, it becomes incumbent specially on every family member, past pupils and other beneficiaries of Azeez to publish his voluminous writings and speeches for the use of future generations. They will become inseparably connected to the history of Sri Lankan Muslims. Our history is becoming more and more vital in establishing the inalienable rights that we have as an integral part of the citizenry of this country for over thousand years.
The Dr. A.M.A. Azeez Foundation has embarked on this venture in compiling and publishing these vital documents so meticulously collected by Azeez and preserved by his son, Ali. We appreciate the support extended by the Executive Committee of the Foundation. Our special thanks are due to Mr. Ali Azeez, Mr. P. Balasingham, a student and teacher at Zahira College during the Azeez era, and Mrs. Marina Ismail, the daughter of Azeez for the support extended for this publication.