M A S ABDUL CADER

BIRTH: Seyed Abdul Cader, son of Muduney-Adappayaleygedara Abdul Rahuman Lebbe "Maththisam" (Mosque trustee) was born on 16th November, 1896 at Akurana, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

FAMILY: He was the third child and second son in the family of five , the eldest being Mohamed Cassim Marikkar of Akurana. The other three were female.

EDUCATION: Seyed Abdul Cader received his education at Akurana Govt School in the Tamil Medium.Later he attended Sri Pushpadana Night school and studied English there. He possessed a very command of the Tamil language and was very proficient in English as well as in Sinhalese. He attended Quran Madhrasa and learnt to read the Holy Quran according to ' Thajweed ' system of recital. He also possessed a very good knowledge of the Islamic Law..

MARRIAGE: He married Balkis Nachchiya the second daughter of Pangaragammanagedara Mahmud Lebbe of Neerella, Melchenagama of Akurana.

CAREERS: He successfully ran a textile establishment. Along with this business he managed to open a Receiving Post Office with the permission of the Postal Department. Since then he had been known and called as "Post Master". After much persuasion and show of interest he made the Postal Dept to upgrade the Receiving Office to the status of "B" Grade Sub Post Office which was ceremonially declared open by Hon. Sir John Kotalawala at Akurana town in 1940's. Thus M.A.S. Abdul Cader became the first Sub Post Master of Akurana. Subsequently this Sub Post Office was upgraded to the "B" level and then to "A" Grade Sub Post Office. He saw to it that telephone facilities were provided to this Sub Post Office around 1952. The people of Akurana as well as those of the surrounding areas appreciated his services as the Sub Post Master. He was always helpful to the poor, the needy and the sick.

CHILDREN: Six children were born of him and his beloved wife Balkis Nachchiya. Four of them were boys and two were girls. He saw to it that his children received the best of education. His eldest son Mohamed Zubair passed out of the University of Ceylon in 1958 as an Electrical Engineer - the first Engineer and Science Graduate of Akurana. Two of his other sons, Mohamed Mubarak and Mohamed Zuhyle, obtained Degrees in Arts from the University whilst the other, Mohamed Mohideen, passed out as a Specialist English Trained Teacher in 1962 - the first such teacher of Akurana.

He was an ardent follower of Prophet Muhammad's (S.A.W.) saying "EDUCATION IS AN INDESTRUCTIBLE TREASURE". His endeavour to educate his own children had a strong effect on the grand-children of his wife's sister - his immediate neighbour. They were so influenced that one of these girls passed out as a Civil Engineer and another as a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Ceylon., while others too pursued their studies upto the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) . While attending to the welfare of his own family and the immediate relatives, he played a vital role in social service in uplifting the conditions of the village of Neerella and the villagers.
SOCIAL SERVICE: With a view to providing the infrastructure to the Neerella village,he contested Harispattuwa Village Council Elections for the Neerella Ward in 1940's.

He comfortably won the elections and was returned to this Village Council as the member for Neerella. During his tenure of office, he successfully argued his case at the Council for a permanent foot bridge to be built across Pinga Oya at 6 3/4 mile post off the Kandy-Matale Road at Akurana. He also saw to it that about a hundred yard long flight of stone-steps was built from this bridge so that the people of Neerella could use the road very comfortably. Along with these he told the Council that proper drinking water should be provided to the people of Neerella and identified two springs which always supplied water through out the year, even during the severe drought season. Close to the foot bridge over the Piga Oya, the necessity of building a small dam with sluice-gates was proposed at the Council Meeting by M.A.Seyed Abdul Cader , the Member for Neerella. This recommendation was accepted by the Council. So all these three important proposals were accepted by the Council and the required funds allocated for the construction of these work and they were completed within a short period of time. The people of Neerella began to enjoy the fruits labour done by M.A.Seyed Abdul Cader. He continued with his social service unabated

With the noble mission of providing the long felt need of a motorable and a school to
Neerella and Melchenagama, he formed an association called Neerella Rural Development Society in 1955. Through this Society he made contacts with the Ministries and higher authorities concerned. He was able to make this dream a great success. A Government school called the Neerella Muslim Vidyalaya was opened in mid-1960's and the Neerela-Dippitiya motorable road was opened up in 1962. These two achievements stand as monuments to Alhaj M.A.S. Abdul Cader's thirst for social service and service to society.

An incident can be quoted which served as the foundation to English Education at Akurana Government School.

As there were no facilities or staff to impart English education to the students of Akurana Government School, he made representations to the Department of Education, in Kandy and requested them to appoint an English Teacher to Akurana Government School . Promptly the Department of Education, Kandy, responded by sending a Tamil Education Officer to inquire into this matter. This Officer had met Abdul Cader and commended his concern for the teaching of English at this school and had told him that he would recommend appointing a teacher of English to this school. After a few weeks, M.A. Seyed Abdul Cader had come to know to his dismay that the Education Officer contrary to his verbal recommendation, had written to the Dept of Education Kandy, that posting an English teacher to this school was not necessary.

This information astounded Seyed Abdul Cader and met a Higher Officer at the Education Department Kandy, a Sinhalese gentleman - Mr. Weerakoon, who took a personal interest in this matter because of M.A.Seyed Abdul Cader's show of interest and on investigation found the latter's intentions true and immediately posted an English Teacher to this School. Thus started the English education at Akurana Government School.

He also opened a branch of the Ceylon Moors' Association at Neerella. He came in close contact with Sir Razik Fareed and was able to do lot of service to the Moors of of Neerella.

Alhaj Abdul Cader was very pious and was always in the forefront in religious matters and activities. He had been serving on the Board of Trustees of Akurana Grand Mosque and as the Trustee of Juffriyathul Quadiriya Thakkiya at Akurana Town. He performed Haj in 1960.

When he returned from Makkah after performing Haj he wanted to give vivid information about performing Haj to would-be Haj pilgrims as to the manner in which they should perform it. He brought out a book-let containing all the relevant details in simple language so that anyone could understand it on reading it. He distributed it free of charge.

One Muslim who was past his 60's got one of these book-lets and read through it thoroughly. He was so impressed by the contents that he immediately decided to perform Haj the following year. He did go for Haj and returned despite his infirmity and physical weakness. This inspiration of performing Haj, he got after reading the book-let put out by Alhaj Abdul Cader.
Alhaj Abdul Cader was very careful in his food habits and strictly followed the Islamic Law when selecting food. Although he was not a qualified Moulavi, he possessed a good knowledge of Islamic Law. He also had memorised "Suras" from the Holy Quran.

As Muslim ladies had no opportunity of going to the mosque for "Tharaweeh" prayers he had been conducting these prayers at his home not only for his family members but also to the families of the neighbourhood He had been conducting these prayers for more than two decades.

Alhaj Seyed Abdul Cader breathed his last very peacefully on 12th March 1996. MAY ALMIGHTY ALLAH GRANT HIM JENNATHUL FIRDHOUSE for guiding his children in the right path and also for his yeomen service to his brethren, AMEEN !

The above was prepared by Alhaj M.A.S.Seyed Abdul Cader's second son, Mohamed Mohideen and contributed towards

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