World Memon Organisation (WMO): January 2014

Shared by brother Khalid Jussab from Leicester, UK.

AHMEDABAD: While Gujarati businessmen donated generously for Mahatma Gandhi's non-violent freedom struggle, there were some who helped Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National Army.

A businessman from Dhoraji town of Saurashtra, Memon Abdul Habeeb Yusuf Marfani, donated almost his entire fortune of Rs 1 crore to the Indian National Army, a princely sum in those days.

The Memon family was settled in Rangoon. On July 9, 1944, when Netaji founded INA in Rangoon, Marfani was the first to come forward to contribute financially to the Azad Hind Bank. Soon, the coffer swelled with contributions from Indian expats in Rangoon and Singapore.

Historian Yunus Chitalwala says Marfani was among the first donors and Netaji expressed his gratitude by awarding him a Sevak-e-Hind medal. He was the first recipient of this award.

Marfani's gesture has been documented in various history books. Historian Raj Mal Kasliwal in his book 'Netaji, Azad Hind Fauz and After' says, "One Muslim Burmese business magnate of Rangoon donated a crore worth of cash and jewellery and offered his services to the Independence movement." After he emptied a plate full of jewellery and placed a bundle of title deeds before Bose, the leader praised the gesture saying, "Brothers! I am very happy today that people have started realizing their duties... People are ready to sacrifice everything. What Habeeb sheth has done is commendable and those who emulate him in serving the homeland are really praiseworthy."

Marfani is not the only Gujarati Muslim to have contributed to INA. Surat's Ghulam Husein Mushtaq Randeri was the recruiting officer for the army. During the recent celebration of Bose's birth centenary, Marfani's grandson Yacoob Habeeb was felicitated in New Delhi for his ancestor's action. However, these references were missing from chief minister Narendra Modi's speech on the occasion last week, when he donned the INA cap and tried hard to establish the Gujarat connection with Bose.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Gujarati-Muslim-gave-Rs-1-crore-to-Netaji/articleshow/14870715.cms?intenttarget=no

Thought to share a small insight about our Memon community…. Everyone should be proud to be born asMemons.

Memons….Always appreciated !

Mohammed Ali Jinnah – 1938

“I am glad to see that business community like Memons is taking keen interest in the politics. This step of the Memons is taking keen interest in the politics. This step of the Memons provethat the Muslim League is quite justified in its policies. Calcutta, 1938.

Mohammed Ali Jinnah – 1946

“I know that Memons are a business community. Such a calculative community has really provided encouragement by giving support to the Pakistan Resolution in such emotional words”. Karachi, 1946.

DR. RAJENDRA PRASAD

“Knowing as I do the way in which you go about this business of relief, I expected nothing less and I am glad that Quetta sufferers had the advantages of services of the Memon Relief Society. I hope, should unfortunately any natural calamity visit any other part of India the Society will ever be ready with funds which are so generously subscribed by the members of the Memon Community and others, literally rush, if not fly, to the rescue of the sufferers”. Wardha, 1935.

MARQUESS OF LINLITHGOW

PRIVATE SECRETARY TO THE VICEROY

“On behalf of His Excellency, I am directed to convey his sincere gratitude on the excellent work done by your (Memon Releif) Society in aid of victims of the Quetta Earthquake. The Society’s work was brought to the notice of His Excellency when he visited Karachi, and he feels pleased that he has had the opportunity of thanking our workers in person”. New Delhi, 1935.

MAULANA SHABBIR AHMED USMANI

“You will not find a single place in this whole sub-continent where the Memons had gone for business and had not constructed at least a masjid”.

KHAWAJA NAZIMUDDIN

“This Memon Community is well-known in the business field for its pioneering spirit. After the Partition of the sub-continent, when the trade and commerce were completely stopped, the Memon Community played a very important role in reviving them. The Memon Community is also equally well-known for donating generously towards religious and charitable works”. Karachi, 1949.

GENERAL ZIA-UL-HAQ

“The history of Paksitan and the history of the Memon Biradari go together. The history of the progress of Pakistan is the history of the Memon Biradari, and the history of the progress of the Memon Biradari is the history of Pakistan”. Karachi: 1983

PRINCE CHARLES

THE PRINCE OF WALES

It gives me immense pleasure to send the Board of Trustees and the National Council of the Memon Association UK, as well as the British and world-wide Memon community, my very best wishes on the occasion of the opening of the Memon Centre in South West London.

I am sure that the culture of industry and enterprise, mutual help and community service that are the hallmarks of the Memon community will provide an example and an inspiration to the other communities that make up our multicultural and multi-faith society. January, 2001

MR. TONY BLAIR

BRITISH PRIME MINISTER

It gives me great pleasure to send my best wishes for official opening of the Memon Center. Although unfortunately, I cannot attend the official opening due to prior commitments. I would like to congratulate you on all that you have achieved since you purchased the site nearly 15 years ago. The fact that the Center has been built entirely from donations and interest-free loans is a great tribute to the energy and vision of the Memon community.

The Center will provide sports and social facilities, particularly for women and young people. The fact that the Center will be open to all communities will strengthen links between people with diverse faiths and experiences.

This Government is delighted that the Memon community has taken such an active role in public life. We share many common values – a belief in opportunity and enterprise, reward for hard work, tolerance and community. We share a real passion for education and a belief in the importance of family.

I believe that all of the faith communities play a key role in building a strong society. Your contribution is greatly appreciated and I look forward to helping build on this in the future. February 2001

MR. WILLIAM HAGUE

LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION – BRITISH

I am delighted to offer my support and best wishes to the Memon community on the special occasion of the official inauguration ceremony of the Memon Centre in Balham.

The construction of the Memon Centre is a fantastic achievement and everyone involved with this project deserves praise and credit. I would like to pay special tribute to Iqbal Sacraine, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Memon Association for his continued work for the Muslim community in the U.K.

Nobody should be in any doubt as to the outstanding contribution that the Memon community make to the strength, prosperity and success of our country. And I want to strees our country because I believe passionately that the United Kingdom belongs to all of us, whatever our religious beliefs or our ethnic background. As far as I’m concerned, Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish, White, Black or Asian, we are all British as each other.

The Memon community has a significant role to play in all areas of mainstream life, not least because Islam, while proud of its own traditions, holds values that I believe are common to us all. January 2001

GANDHI GROOMED AS A LEADER BY A MEMON

It might be a news to many, that a Memon businessman played important role in providing an opportunity to Mahatma Gandhi in becoming a Leader.

Mr. Luis Fischer, the author of “the Life of Mahatma Gandhi” one of the well know biographies of Gandhi, writes that when Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi returned from England after doing his law in London, he started practice in Rajkot with the help of his elder brother. “But Mohandas was a complete failure as a lawyer in Rajkot as well as in Bombay when he could not utter a word during petty cases in court”. At this junction, a Memon from Parbandar, Ghandhi’s home town, Mr. Dada Abdullah Seth, who had settled in South Africa offered him retainershipon an annual stipend of Pound Sterling 105.00 for looking after his court cases in Durban. Mr. Gandhi accepted the offer and landed in Africa. He spent full year in the service of Dada Abdullah Seth who did his best to groom him as a good lawyer. During this period Gandhi witnessed the atrocities of whites against Indians and other coloured people and started participating in agitation against these atrocities. Later on he decided to stay in South Africa and lived there for 20 years. This changed the life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi who became a prominent political figures.

Serving & uplifting our community is our responsibility !