Ash Sheikh Magdoom Mubarak is a prominent Islamic scholar in Sri Lanka, well known for his insightful and thought-provoking talks on Islam. Born to a devout Muslim family in the village of Malwana a picturesque town with a substantial Muslim population in Central Sri Lanka, Sheikh Mubarak was inspired in his young days by his father Magdhoom Alim who served as a religious teacher in Madhrasa al- Mustafaviyya, Malwana, and later by his teachers such as P.T.M Ibrahim (Azhari) in Madhrasa Maktabul Uloom in Malwana. He pursued his secondary Islamic studies at Ghaffooriya Arabic College, Maharagama, which he completed in 1970 before choosing to start life as a teacher.
As fate would have it, the young Mubarak while teaching at two state-run schools Darussalam Muslim Vidyalaya (today Al Azhar Central College) in Thihariya and Gal-oluwa Muslim Vidyalaya in Minuwangoda was given the opportunity by the Grace of Almighty Allah to pursue his higher studies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1973 through a scholarship and completed his Graduate Studies at the Islamic University in Madina in 1978. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Shari’ah from Al-Madina Islamic University in Saudi Arabia.
Following the completion of his studies in 1978 Sheikh Mubarak was invited to serve as a visiting lecturer at Jamiyyah Naleemiya Islamic University in Beruwela Sri Lanka where he served as a lecturer until 1981. He was instrumental in formulating the syllabus of the university to give students a sound grounding in both religious and secular subjects which would stand them in good stead once they passed out. He also lectured at his Alma Mater Ghafooriyah Arabic College Maharagama and eventually rose to be the Principal of this well reputed Islamic school. He also rose up in the ranks of the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU), the apex Islamic religious body of Sri Lanka and went on to serve as its President for nearly ten years from 1994-2003. Sheikh Mubarak presently serves as General Secretary of the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU), the apex Islamic religious body of Sri Lanka and is also the Principal of Ghafooriyyah Arabic College Maharagama and President of the Al-Imam Dar Bin Baz Ladies Arabic College Malwana. He also sits in the Shari’ah Advisory Boards of a number of leading Islamic financial institutions including Amana Investments Limited and Amana Takaful Limited, as well as the Islamic unit of MCB Bank and PLC Islamic Finance Unit.
Sheikh Mubarak’s contribution in the field of Da’wa activity is well known. He has served as a Da’wa delegate since 1978 having been appointed by the Ministry of Waqf, Muslim Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the purpose. He has in pursuit of his Da’wa mission, travelled extensively in a number of countries including among others India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bangkok, Egypt, Syria, Turkey, Jordan, Denmark, Switzerland and Norway to deliver lectures and to attend conferences on Islamic issues. He rose to popularity largely as a result of a radio program titled Sharia Varayarai (Conditions of Shari’ah) which was broadcast by the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation from the 1980s and enjoyed immense popularity among the Muslim masses.
To this day Sheikh Mubarak continues his good work by the Grace of Almighty Allah. He still travels widely and delivers sermons on a wide range of Islamic topics. He has done much to create an awareness of Islamic banking and finance among the masses and has actively campaigned for Arabic and Islamic universities to incorporate Islamic finance subjects in their curricula so that those passing out would have a broad knowledge of this fast growing industry.
More details of Sheikh Mubarak and his activities can be found in his personal website - www.sheikhmubarak.com