In early 60’s when he established relationship with the Karachi based Motamar Al Alam Al Islami (World Muslim Congress) and the Rabita Al Alam Al Islami in the Holy City of Mecca, Mohamed took initiative to set up an Islamic Centre in Colombo. The office was operating from Mohamed’s office in Fort, Colombo 1. Mohamed was the Director General with Mr M.B.M.Mahir as the Secretary General. The Islamic Centre of the 60’s and 70’s was active but it faced numerous constraints such as funding, a suitable place for permanent operations, maintain a library facilities etc. Yet, despite such limitations, Mohamed was able to painstakingly mobilize resources to conduct several important religious functions and ceremonies, research seminars and publish Islamic literatures for the benefit of the Muslim Community in the country. According to the biographer of Mohamed, this centre was singularly responsible for a new surge in Islamic religious activities across the country and disseminating Islamic knowledge among the younger generations and introduce a new trend in the celebration of the birthday of Holy Prophet Mohammed (Sal) by organizing a full day seminar in Colombo, in contrast to Kanthooris feasts that are traditionally associated with the celebrations in Sri Lanka for decades
HISTORY
After he became Minister of Labour in the Dudley Senanayake Cabinet in 1965, Mohamed pursued the goal of establishing a full-fledged Islamic Centre in the heart of Colombo, but owing to circumstances beyond his control, he was unsuccessful in his bid. But Al-mighty Allah granted his prayers when he became the Minister of Transport in the Jayewardene Government in 1977. The once marshy and inaccessible Maligawatte was being re-developed for a large scale, self-contained Urban Housing Scheme was implemented by then Prime Minister R.Premadasa who was also Minister of Housing & Construction.
In the year 1978 Mohamed proposed R.Premadasa to allot a piece of land in the re-developed Maligawatte area for the construction of a complex to house the Islamic Centre. Receptive to the proposal, Premadasa immediately granted a substantially large plot of land in an easily assessable place in the Maligawatte National Housing Scheme.
On November 22nd, 1979 Prime Minister R.Premasasa officially handed over a 20-30 perch land to Mohamed in his capacity then as the Chairman of the National Hijra Council, which was set up to organize island wide celebrations to mark the 1500 years of Hijra and a memorial plaque was unveiled to record the historic occasion in the annals of the Sri Lanka Islamic Centre. The original plan envisaged was to construct a five storied sprawling research and cultural complex. But flow of funds was rather slow and had to face many hurdles, but unfortunately the original plan has to toil hard to be revised and a two storey building was put up instead and that too thanks to the tireless efforts made by Mohamed and his colleague working on the project. The dream Mohamed and his colleagues saw the light of the day when President J.R.Jayawardene declared opened the new building.
It was on December 17, 1986 that Sri Lanka Islamic Centre (SLIC) headquarters was ceremonially opened by then President Junius Richard Jayewardene with the Prime Minister; Ranasinghe Premadasa who hosted its first International Conference in association with World Muslim Congress Dr Inamullah Khan Secretary General of the Motamar Al Alam Al-Islami, Karachi and several foreign and local dignitaries in attendance.
On the 18th September 1999, the new wing of the SLIC was ceremonially declared opened by the its Chairman Late Al Haj Hon M.H.Mohamed MP in the presence of the foreign dignitaries Dr Mohamed Hassan Salem and Mohammed Hameduddin of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Abdullah Hersi, Director Islamic Solidarity Fund, Jeddah, Abdul Rahman Bin Abdullah Al-Zaid, Assistant Secretary General, Muslim World League, Saudi Arabia and Raja Muhammed Zafarul Haq, Minister of Muslim Religious Affairs of Pakistan and Secretary, World Muslim Congress. The new wing of the SLIC was constructed with the assistance of the Islamic Development Bank and the Islamic Solidarity Fund, Jeddah. These valuable donations were used to purchase the land for the building to construct a five storey building and purchase the necessary furniture and fittings.
Present:
Its present Chairman Al Haj M.Hussain Mohamed (former Mayor of Colombo and Sri Lankan Ambassador to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) took in charge of the centre after the demise of Hon Al Haj M.H.Mohamed. The centre consists of 21 Board Members who are leading Ullamas, Lawyers, Medical professional and Intellectuals involved in its day to day activities of the centre.
