Center for Islamic Studies CIS
Hameed Karim, the man with a mission, is missed by us all
Press Release by the Centre for Islamic Studies
Renowned Sri Lankan Islamic Activist, Hameed Abdul Karim is no more with us. Hameed passed away peacefully in the Holy City of Makkah soon after completing his Hajj Pilgrimage on 26th September 2015.
Hameed Karim as he was popularly known, was a father figure of the Centre for Islamic Studies (CIS), having joined this pioneering Muslim social organization at its very inception in 1985, and worked towards realizing its mission of sharing the beautiful message of Islam with other communities.
While its founding father MCM Zarook gave it its much needed visionary leadership, it was Hameed who saw to the practical side of its operations, including obtaining the financial support of his affluent Memon community in raising the CIS to the renowned organization it is today. Indeed, it was Hameed who gave it its much needed boost in its up and coming days when Muslims themselves did not understand how to reach out to those of other faiths. The well stocked CIS library with its plethora of books on various subjects and audio and CD collection bear fitting testimony to his legacy.
Hameed was a great journalist who stood by the old adage ‘The ink of the scholar is holier than the blood of the martyr’. He wrote profusely on various topics aimed at creating a true understanding of Islam among those of other faiths, among them clearing prevalent misconceptions of Islam and on the plight of the Palestinians with whose condition he was particularly touched. However, it was not just Muslim matters which Hameed was concerned about, but service to humanity as a whole. In fact, his concern for the sufferings of the Palestinians was a reflection of his undying cause to the betterment of humanity.
We at the Centre for Islamic Studies pray to Almighty Allah to grant him the supreme bliss of the Gardens of Paradise.
