Moorish people

The sage leader of the Muslim community

June 11th 1838 is the 166th birth anniversary of Mohammado Cassim Siddi Lebbe, lawyer, educationist, scholar, philosopher, seer, writer, publisher, social reformer and visionary.

Born in Kandy to a family where intellectual and religious pursuits were encouraged, he was determined to follow his father M. L. Siddi Lebbe's footsteps. The senior Lebbe was one of the 1st Ceylonese proctors, and was the Head Moorman of the district in 1833. M.C. Siddi Lebbe became a proctor in 1862 at the age of 24. He practised in the District Court of Kandy as well as the Supreme Court.

He was a member of the Kandy Municipal Council representing Ward No. 4 for eight years. He also acted as Municipal Magistrate for four years.

Siddi Lebbe felt that the Muslims should be aroused to realise their sorry state. They were educationally backward, economically stagnant, culturally isolated, religiously obscurantist, intellectually sterile a