# Zahira College, Colombo

Zahira College (commonly known as Zahira) (Sinhala: සහිරා විදුහල, Tamil: சாஹிரா கல்லுரி) is an Islamic school in Maradana, Colombo, Sri Lanka, founded in 1892 as Al Madrasathul Zahira by Islamic lawyer and educationalist, M. C. Siddi Lebbe, with the patronage of Ahmed Orabi Pasha of Egypt. The college's campus features one of the oldest mosques in the country.
The word Zahira means "excellence" in Arabic.

## History

Zahira College was established as a school mainly for Muslims in 1892. It was conceived by Islamic lawyer and educator M. C. Siddi Lebbe, during a time when English education was viewed with suspicion due to its association with proselytism. At the time, almost all schools in Sri Lanka were run by Christian missionaries, and English education was seen as a tool for converting non-Christians to Christianity. This posed a challenge for Muslims who wanted to provide their children with a modern education but were wary of exposing them to religious conversion.
In a public speech in 1891 at the Maradana Mosque Hall (which later became the college mosque), M. C. Siddhi Lebbe appealed to the Muslim community to unite to promote the educational advancement of the community. This appeal led to the formation of the Colombo Muslim Educational Society, with I. L. M. Abdul Aziz as the first secretary and Arasi Marikar Wapchie Marikar as the first treasurer and headmaster, assisted by Ahamed Orabi Pasha, an Egyptian exile in Ceylon. On Monday, 22 August 1892, Zahira College opened its doors to students. The school started with 37 students, rising to 125 by the end of its first year of operation.
The Zahira College magazine is entitled Crescent.

## Governance

Zahira College is overseen by a board comprising 18 governors drawn from the executive committee of the Maradana Mosque, the Zahira College Welfare Society, the Zahira College Parent-Teachers Association, and the Zahira College Old Boys' Association. M. Fouzul Hameed took over as chairman of the Board of Governors in 2006.
Notable former principals of the college include Tuan Burhanudeen Jayah (1921-1947), A. M. A. Azeez (1948-1961), and R. I. T. Alles (1983-1985). The current principal, since 2013, is A. R. M. Trizviiy Marikkar.

## Sports facilities

The project to build a college swimming pool was proposed and funded by the Old Boys Association. It was initiated in 2010 and completed on 14 July 2012, opening for students, alumni, and the public (after school hours).
The college began constructing a major sports complex in 2020.

## Notable alumni

| Name | Notability |
| V. Anandasangaree | Member of Parliament - Kilinochchi (1970–1983), Jaffna (2000–2004) |
| Sir Razik Fareed | Member of Parliament, Minister of Trade |
| A. H. M. Fowzie | Member of Parliament - National List (2015–present), Colombo (1994–2015), Mayor of Colombo (1974–1977) |
| Abdul Bakeer Markar | Speaker of the Parliament (1977–1983), Member of Parliament - Beruwala (1960–1988), Governor of Southern Province (1988–1993) |
| Ali Sabry | Minister of Foreign Affairs (2022–Present), Minister of Finance (2022), Minister of Justice (2020–2022), Member of Parliament - National List (2020–present) |
| Abdul Caffoor Mohamad Ameer | 32nd Attorney General of Sri Lanka |
| Shibly Aziz | 37th Attorney General of Sri Lanka |
| Alavi Moulana | Governor Western Province (2002–2015), Minister of Labour (2001–2002) |
| Naina Marikkar | Minister of Finance (1988–1989) |
| Prof. Tuley De Silva | Chancellor of the WUSL |
| Prof. Achi Mohamed Ishaq | Chancellor of the SEUSL |
| A.H.M. Azwer | Member of Sri Lankan Parliament for national list (1989–1994, 2010–2014) |
| Prof. M.T.A. Furkhan | Academic, Inductee- Global Management Accounting Hall of Fame |
| Ameer Ali | Minister of Disaster Relief Management (2007–2010), Member of Sri Lankan Parliament (2015–present) |
| A. M. Merza | Member of Sri Lankan Parliament for Kalmunai (1952–1956) |
| M. H. M. Ashraff | Minister of Ports, Shipping and Rehabilitation (1994–2000), Member of the Sri Lankan Parliament (1989–2000) |
| M. L. M. Aboosally | Member of the Sri Lankan Parliament, Minister of Labor, Rugby Player |
| Mujibur Rahman | Member of Parliament - Colombo (2015–present) |
| Saleem Marsoof | Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka (2005–2014) |
| S. Z. M. Mashoor Moulana | Senator - Senate of Ceylon |
| A. J. M. Muzammil | Mayor of Colombo (2011–2016), Governor of Western Province (2019), Governor of North Western Province (2019–present) |
| Rishad Bathiudeen | Minister of Industry and Commerce (2010–2019), Member of Sri Lankan Parliament for Vavuniya (2001–present) |
| Rezvi Sheriff | academic, physician |
| S. Selvanayagam | Academic, Professor Jaffna University |
| Karthigesu Sivathamby | emeritus professor (Tamil studies), author |
| R. Sivagurunathan | Academic, Lawyer and Editor Thinakaran |
| Hasen Ali | Member of Parliament - National List (2004–2015) |
| Dharmadasa Banda | Cabinet Minister for additional plantation crops (2007–2010) and Member of Parliament Monaragala (1989–2000, 2004–2010) |
| M. M. Zuhair | Member of parliament for the nationalist (1994–2000), Chairman Rupavahini and Sri Lankan Ambassador to Iran |
| Ben Navaratne | First class cricketer (1940–1952) |
| Muttaiah Devaraj | First class cricketer (1964–1967) |
| Ghulam Razick | First class cricketer (1960s) |