As-Seyyed M H M Ashroff:

His generosity was immense

My Dada, As-Seyyed Mohammed Haneefa Mohammed Ashroff Moulana who passed away on November 02, 2011, (05th Zul-Hajj 1432 A.H.), was 78 years old at the time of his death. Many in the business circle knew him as “Ashraf Doray”, “Ashraf Nana” and some simply called him “Ashraf”. Verily he was a very nice, gentle and kind hearted person. He never hurt anybody, even the servants and drivers never got scolded from him for their blunders.

He never had the superiority complex to hurt others. He never regarded himself as a chief, boss or head of the family. He was so sincere that he rarely kept secrets with him, as he let it out due to honesty so he was nicknamed “Oata waai” (broken mouth) in the family circle.

Frequently, he used to sit and have meals with servants and drivers. Whoever met him was greeted with a pleasant smile.

Among his acquaintances, he was never known as a person who belonged to the family of Moulanas or Shahs, in other words, a descendant of our beloved Holy Prophet (Sallallahu-alaihi-wa-sallam). Although he knew he was a “Seyyed”, he never wanted to address himself that way because he always said that, he did not have the piety to carry that name and did not want the image of “Seyyeds” to be tarnished by his actions.

Dada’s initial part of life was a sad one. As his father, who was from India died when he was aged nine. Then his younger brothers, Faalir, who later became a civil engineer at the P W D and Rishard, who worked as a senior import and export officer at the Habeeb Bank Ltd. were just seven and three years old respectively. At his father’s demise, the relatives from India, wanted to take the children along to India and at least tried their level best to take my dada but my grandmother, adamantly did not allow this to happen, thus they stayed back in Sri Lanka. My dad took up the burden of the family at a small age, after he had passed the SSC exams at St. Joseph’s College, Colombo. He had educated his younger bothers with his paltry earnings.

He helped in many ways and was kind to all and treated all as human beings regardless of the social background. Thus we had at home Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese as servants and drivers.

His generosity was immense. He never said “No” to anyone who asked him directly for financial assistance as he felt that saying “No” will hurt the person. He even gave up his father’s house for his cousins free of charge. He liked the poor and moved well with them.

Personally I was against his way of life and certain actions but, I admired his qualities a lot. Those were treasures I valued from his life span.

I am proud of addressing myself as his eldest son due to his trustworthiness. Pettah businessmen especially the Memon community, knows his trust very well and they bear witness for it.

My dad never cheated or deceived any. He did not have any enemies as he was truthful and gave others’ rights. He never quarreled with any. He always became the scapegoat for his superiors due to his honesty and even languished in jail to safeguard the trust the superiors had for him.

Although, my dada was not pious in his middle age, he tried his level best to up keep with the norms of Islam according to his capacity. Only blemish in his life was the blunder he committed by a controversial marriage which was against the Islamic Shariah that astound the whole family. Indeed it was a trap by certain greedy family members of my mother, who were jealous of my father’s prosperity. Surely Allah Almighty will suffice to judge the actions of the miscreants.

Alhamdhulillah, Allah Almighty was so merciful that my dada realized the blunder during the latter part of his life and made sincere “thauba” and gave up the blunder and sin. By the Grace of Allah, I was personally instrumental to make him realize the blunder as I know the consequences in the Akhirath if he dies without thauba.

Alhamdhulillah, he became pious lastly and always lamented, “Laa ilaha illa antha subanaka innee kunthu minal lalimeen”, even on his death bed.

At the time of death, my dada was debt free, even before his death he distributed his properties among his five sons accordingly. He never kept life interest in any property but wrote everything up front for all of the sons.

Alhamdhulillah, his departure was peaceful and was during one of the best days of the Islamic year that is within the first ten days of Zul-Hajj. All who came for his janaza was astonished to see his smiling face which was a sign of a dweller in paradise. Many who came commented that he lived smiling and departed smiling.

”Jazakallah Khair dada, May Almighty Allah expand your grave and grant you Jannathul Firdous in the Akhirath” Aameen.

As-Seyyed M.R. Quraish Moulana

Sonali Kamini Fonseka nee Dassanayaka:

Irreparable loss

Sonali Kamini Fonseka was educated at Christ King College Pannipitiya. Later she was sent to St Joseph’s College Nugegoda.

She was an English trained teacher and her very first appointment was to Gilimale off Ratnapura. She married to Shantha Dassanayaka owner of Gilimale Walauwa.

Sonali was a perfect hostess who entertained lavishly and ungrudgingly. All relations liked to visit this remote area during the holidays.

Her tragic death was a great shock to everyone who was in touch with her. With her untimely demise on August 27, 2011 Sonali left a void in the Gilimale area which will take a long time to fill.

The world was so cruel to have killed her by a branch of a kumbuk tree falling on her while she was washing clothes in the river. She was a devoted teacher and a principal of the “Raththurugala Maha Vidyalaya”.

As much as she loved people, people loved her. There are virtuous women, but she surpassed of all of them.

Her pupils call her a blessed mother and those who knew her say that she was a unique person, who lived a life of caring and sharing.

The pupils of Raththurugala Maha Vidyalaya paid their last respect by keeping the dead body at school for a few hours before the burial. The amount of banners hanged and condolence messages distributed showed their gratitude towards her.

The large and distinguished crowds including students who visited their now darkened Gilimale walauwa bore ample testimony to how Sonali lived and she was loved.

It is an irreparable loss to the school and children of “Raththurugala Maha Vidyalaya”.

Jayanthi Aunty

Sidat Sri Nandalochana:

My sincere friend is no more

I was indeed very fortunate to have come in contact with Sidat after he joined the college boarding at S Thomas’ College, Mt Lavinia. This was the beginning of a long and sincere friendship. We had no misunderstandings or ill feelings whatsoever throughout these long years and became so close to each other. I used to spend the major portion of my school vacation at his house at Asoka Gardens. Hence I had the pleasant opportunity of associating his parents, brother Sampath, sister Sujatha and brother-in-law Stanley.

Sidat was a very sincere friend. That was his way. He was sincere to everyone. He gave the best possible advice to me and several others who sought his advice.

He was straightforward and meticulous in everything he did.

I had been out of the city for long periods and it was not possible for me to contact him regularly. However, I made it a point to contact him on his birthday each year and convey my best wishes. When I called him on November 29, 2009 he told me “P N D. Don’t you see that wishing me on my birthday does not mean anything much? We had been good friends for over 50 to 60 years and whether you wish me or not does not mean anything either. Just forget it “I did not wish him in 2010 and he passed away before his birthday this year.

With his demise I have lost a very sincere friend and a worthy adviser. In Buddhist terms he was my Kalyana Mithra and I wish we meet again sometime in Sansara.

May he attain the supreme bliss of Nirvana.

P N D De Silva