Dr. Jayah: A perfectionist in all his undertakings
By A.H.M. Azwer
"I must say at the outset that I am strongly in favour of Dominion Status for this country. From the very beginning, when I was connected with the Ceylon National Congress
I have stood up for freedom for this country. And even as a member of the Ceylon Muslim League, it has been my chief and primary aim to see that this country gets freedom which is its birthright…"
The voice of T. B. Jayah echoed in the State Council in late 1945 on the motion for the acceptance of the White Paper proposals for self -government when it was debated in Parliament. He was a freedom fighter in his own terms. His brilliant oratory no doubt helped our beloved motherland to come out of the colonial shackles.
When the British expressed reservation about granting freedom to us on the grounds of possible discrimination of minorities by the majority, it was again Dr. Jayah who rose to the occasion and very determinedly and forcefully said, "We should fight for national independence without opting for any precondition."
For him, self-respect of the nation as a whole was the most important ingredient for gaining independence.
By that frank and forceful expression, Dr. Jayah defined the attitude of the Muslim Community and therefore earned the gratitude for generations still unborn. Subsequently it was accepted by many Sinhalese leaders that it was indeed an epoch-making speech that paved the path to freedom. The immediate effect of Dr. Jayah's utterance could be gauged by the remarks made on that day by Mr. Bandaranaike, who said, "I say, that if any member has brought closer the achievement of agreement among the various sections of the people of the country by an attitude of generosity where even those with whom he is concerned stand to suffer. I say the fullest credit must go more than to anyone else among us to the Nominated Member Mr. Jayah. He has made a speech today that will have a great effect in bringing unity among the people of this country, in bringing some sense of reality to the struggle."
Dr. Jayah always promoted national politics as the ideal system of governance in Sri Lanka. For him, national unity should go hand in hand with political freedom, although he vigorously espoused the cause of Muslims. He said, "we might stand up for our community, but it cannot be said that we have stood against the interest of the country as a whole. I have always said, and I repeat today, that I consider the interest of the country as a whole to be paramount."
"If we are going to have a party system on definite political and economic likes, we cannot have communal majority parties under whatever names it may be disguised. We cannot have a communal majority invested with plenary powers. Such a majority would prove to be not only a great tyranny but also a curse to the country."
Indeed it was Dr. Jayah who seconded the resolution to form the United National Party which was moved by Mr. S. Natesan, M.P. for Kankasanthurai on 6th September 1946 at Palm Court, Albert Crescent. The resolution was passed unanimously and Dr. T.B. Jayah was elected as one of its Vice Presidents.
Born on 01st January 1890 at Galagedera, young Jayah was educated at St. Thomas' College, Modera. He passed the Cambridge Junior Examination and won a scholarship to study in England. He was a trained teacher by profession having passed his London Bachelor of Arts examination in 1911. Subsequently, he held the position of Chairman, Samasta Lanka Guru Sangamaya. Dr. Jayah first taught at Dharmaraja, Kandy, then Prince of Wales, Moratuwa and at Ananda, Colombo. It is from this Buddhist seat of learning that Jayah's greatness began to flow. He had the unique distinction of having tutored some of the greatest Leftist and Marxist leaders of the country, viz. Philip Gunawardene, Dr. N.M. Perera, Dr. S.A. Wickremasinghe, Robert Gunawardene etc.
It was the golden-era of P. de S. Kularatne at Ananda and the anti-imperialist agitation was at its peak in Sri Lanka and the fever was felt in schools as well. Students of Ananda College too joined in the campaign. Young and radical Philip who later became the father of socialism in Sri Lanka was debarred from attending classes for his anti-British campaign. But student Philip was taken care of by his teacher Jayah, who took him to his house 'Fairlight,' at nearby Stafford Place and gave tuition for him to pass the examinations. Later, when Philip Gunawardena qualified from Wisconsin University, USA, he wrote to his mentor Jayah; "Sir, if not for you, I would never have been able to come to this position...."
Dr. Jayah was the foremost Muslim educationist of this country. He has been described as the Sir Seyed Ahmed Khan of Sri Lanka, who was the founder of the Aligarh Muslim University in India. He elevated Zahira College from being a tottering elementary school to one of the foremost educational institutes in Sri Lanka. Zahira College became the radiating centre of Muslim thought and activity under his guidance.
He set up branches of Zahira College in various parts of the Island in Aluthgama, Matale, Puttalam, Gampola and Slave Island.
In November 1923, Dr. Jayah said, "the supreme need of the hour is education, not merely elementary education, not mere half hearted education, but an education that will turn heroes and heroines, leaders and reformers, thinkers and philosophers, an education that will make us a progressive, enlightened and powerful minority".
In 1924, Dr. Jayah said that the Muslim community was "a backward community, for on looking at their public life in the country, the public services, the learned professions, where are the distinguished Muslims to be found? Their backward position today was due to the utter disregard to the educational advantages, which other communities avail themselves of, which ought to put them to shame. It was an admitted fact, that their community as a whole did not take sufficient interest in education.
It was a shameful confession to make. Yet, they must make it, especially knowing as they did that they were the inheritors of a glorious past."
Dr. Jayah roused the Muslims from their lethargy and helped them to make giant strides in the sphere of education. Dr. Jayah was elected as a Member of the Legislative Council in 1923. He was nominated to the State Council in 1936 and was elected to the Sate Council in 1947 when he became the Minister of Labour.
Dr. T.B. Jayah supporting in the State Council, the adoption of the Soulbury Scheme of Reforms said, "where the Muslims are concerned, it has been the practice, in fact it has been considered the duty of Muslims wherever they may find themselves, that they should be first and foremost in any movement that is intended to secure for the people of the country a full measure of freedom. If the fight is for full freedom, the Muslim community as far as it is concerned, will be prepared to work without any safeguards, because they know the spell of freedom can obliterate any differences."
Dr. Jayah was a diplomat par excellence. He was Sri Lanka's first High Commissioner to Pakistan. In the newly created nation of Pakistan he even helped Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan in the drafting of the Pakistan Constitution.
His contribution to the relations between the two countries, Sri Lanka and Pakistan was such that when the Prime Minister Sir John Kotelawala visited Pakistan, the Government requested him to allow Dr. Jayah to remain there for a longer period to which Sir John readily agreed. The Pakistan Government even offered him citizenship-an honour no other diplomat could boast of.
Dr. Jayah was an eminent exponent of Islam, being so well versed with the Islamic religion, its culture and its civilisation. In 1936, Dr. Jayah was invited to deliver a lecture at the Jawatte Muslim burial grounds.
The subject was the martyrdom of Imam Hussein and the tragedy at Karbala. Justice M. T. Akbar, who was the Senior Puisne Justice of Ceylon, presided at this meeting. Justice Akbar commented after Dr. Jayah's speech was delivered. His oration was very illuminating.
He said, "you have just now listened to Mr. T .B. Jayah, who spoke for nearly two hours, displaying great erudition and learning on Islam by his stirring oration. It looked as if Imam Hussein was martyred at the Jawatte burial grounds and not at Karbala. In other words, Mr. Jayah re- enacted the tragedy of Karbala at the Jawatte burial grounds."
In the arena of world politics, he was an arch-supporter of the Palestinian struggle. Hand in hand with contemporary Muslim leaders such as Dr. M.C.M. Kaleel, M.A.C.M. Saleh, O.K. Mohideen Sahib, S.H.M. Mashoor, S.M. Sahabdeen, M.A. Bakeer Markar, M.H. Amit, A.L.M. Hashim, and veteran journalists of the calibre of A.L.M. Kiyas, M.K.M Aboobucker and a host of young turks of his time, he influenced the thoughts of British Raj, in our freedom struggle as well as on the Palestinian issue.
Dr. Jayah was a perfectionist in every field of activity. He was highly disciplined. It will be of great interest to note what he had written in his diary, which was in the possession of his eldest son, T. A. Jayah. It is stated there, that Dr. Jayah never failed to attend a single sitting in the Legislature, was always present in the House before the Mace was brought in by the Sergeant-at-arms followed by the Speaker. Herein lies a great example for the present generation of Parliamentarians.
Many tributes have been paid to Dr. Jayah by Muslims and non-Muslims alike, both here and abroad. But the greatest tribute to his greatness comes from Almighty Allah who has destined for him a place in Jennathul Baqi in Madinah where the Holy Prophet and His companions are laid to rest.
The beckoning was on 31 st May1960, prior to performing Hajj, where he was visiting with the objective of acquiring a building to house the pilgrims from Ceylon. By the help of God Almighty, Jayah was able to establish the 'Ceylon House,' following his discussions with His Majesty the King Faisal Ibn Abdul Aziz. (The writer is the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs)
-
