Ilma’s Founder Principal – Madam Rasheedha Mohideen

Still standing tall, strong and more established than ever before, in the heart of Colombo – 05 lies Mrs. Mohideen’s legacy. Her dream. Her life’s purpose. Her mission.

Words can never or will never draw justice to this lady whose hopes to raise the academic status of Muslim girls in Sri Lanka never did die as an idea. But instead grew like a sapling into a flourishing blossoming tree we see today.

As Benjamin Franklin quotes, “Genius without education is like the silver in the mine”. Mrs. Mohideen saw so much of potential in the Muslim girls that she couldn’t bare to see it all fall into the depths of ignorance and unawareness. Being the sole leading lady, she dared to stand up and set up an institution which would stand to provide a substantial education to Muslim girls, standardized in the English medium. Her mission was simple. “Reach intellectual attainment conforming strictly to the tenets of Islam”.

In the Muslim world, she is like another Florence Nightingale. The lady with the lamp. A lamp from which the light of wisdom, education, knowledge and power shine so bright.

It was, to quote Mrs. Mohideen, while she walked in phenomenal regalia through the hallowed halls of wisdom, who said, “Dare to do right, dare to be true, dare to do right to be true”. She got the respect and the appreciation every great leader in the world gets today. For a feminist such as herself, being presidential and authoritative came naturally. She was a natural. She was our founder.

Setting out to turn her dreams into reality, Mrs. Mohideen initially established her fortress on a tiny plot of land in Wijerama Mawatha. Running like this for some time, expansion into a wider area stood not as an option but as a must. The demand for this type of education within the dimensions of Islam grew so big that Mrs. Mohideen had to start looking for a greater space. It was during her tenure that she purchased a 142 perch land and raised a 3-storey building, now 5. What was just 140 students, 16 teachers and 11 classes in the year 1988 now boasts over 2600 students, over 200 teachers and 90 classes today!

Popularly known as a workaholic, Madam Rasheedha worked tirelessly and selflessly juggling both her family life and work life making sure she failed in neither of her duties. Not often do we get a woman so strong; so selfless so as to dedicate her life and time into making an institution that would flourish and mould not only the young minds of her own blood, but the youthful minds of her entire community! Generosity in such monstrous forms as hers is just so hard to find in one, in today’s world.

Mrs. Mohideen wanted success and normalcy in every aspect possible whilst keeping the vision and mission of the school securely intact. From the very beginning and till today, Ilma International Girls’ School was and always will be a not for profit organization. It didn’t matter where you came from. Every Muslim girl deserved to be educated. Money did not matter. With the grace and mercy of the Almighty, and the extreme disregard for greed and glory, our Lady with the Lamp managed to make our school run smoothly with as minimal funds as possible.

A holistic education for girls was provided in the means of theatre and arts, sports, debating so on and so forth. She was an excellent orator and lover of the works of William Shakespeare and the world of literature. She provided opportunities for the girls to take on different characters and explore the world of literature by giving them a chance in the limelight. Madam Rasheedha was especially fond of the play “Women of Shakespeare”, and this was evident from the way she used to go and watch and compliment the cast while they practiced. Despite the position of superiority she held over everybody at school, she was admirably humble. Madam Rasheedha’s brilliant skills of teaching were illustrated when she took her position as a teacher and played that role too.

Her strength, endurance and perseverance in achieving her dream despite all the challenges put forth, have given us a pedestal to stand on. She has given Ilma students a chance to experience the world as independent individuals. She has broadened their horizons, inculcated in them the values of the world they live in and provided them with a sound comprehension of the Islamic life they are meant to lead and the world beyond that they are all expected to face one day.

From the year 1988 to the year 2007, she ruled. Retiring gracefully in the year 2007, Ilma realized that she had lost one of her most treasured pearls that nothing in the universe could ever replace. A lady whose name will never be forgotten. Madam Rasheedha Mohideen. Etched in our hearts and in history forever.

“Rabbi Zidni Ilma – Oh Lord! Advance me in my knowledge”, taking it right out of the Holy Quran, she established it as the motto of Ilma International Girls’ School. The depth of its relevance and meaning to this institution is unfathomable.

Insha Allah may the torch she lit many years ago never be extinguished!

Madam Rasheedha. We are forever indebted to you.