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SHARIFF
ABDURAHAMAN ABDALLAH
SHATRY - 'MAN OF MANY PARTS'
foundeR
OF Coast Broadcasting
Station known as 'Sauti ya Mvita'
Coastweek
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Death of Shariff Abdurahaman Abdallah Shatry has robbed the Coast
Kiswahili speaking community of a Cultural leader whose classical
contributions have in their time tremendously enriched Kiswahili
literature.
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Soon
after he retired from the East African Harbours Corporation he
involved himself into translating the Holy Prophet Muhammad's
Sayings into Kiswahili and published three booklets
distributed free to his friends and schools.
He
started off as the Old Ports registerer in the late forties
and systematically promoted to be the first East African
Coasts Ports Manager he received numerous training in Ports
Managements at the International Ports.
He
also undertook to translate that famous poetic book on the
Praise of the Prophet known as "Burda". |
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Coastweek
- - Late
Shariff Abdurahaman Abdallah Shatry. |
[This
was with the
help of Ustaadh Yahya Ali, a
renowned scholar of Kiswahili at the University of
London.]
He was
a staunch member of a local weekly recital club of 'The Burda
Stanzas".
He
felt strongly that the members should understand the stamzas in praise
of the Prophet.
That
was what influenced him to undertake translating "Burda"
into Kiswahili.
Shatry
was a veteran Mombasa Rotary member who practically put into practice
the principle: 'Service before self'.
He
used to immensely enjoy to offer social, cultural and educational
service whenever and where he could afford.
A
well-read and highly cultured personality, he introduced a weekly
cultural study group at the 'Nady Shabab' Club in the Old Town that
attracted many well educated youth to it.
He
also travelled widely with his friend Soud Abdallah, popularly known
'Mr. Good', spending many of his annual holidays in England and the
Canary Island where 'Mr. Good' had his resort residence.
Apart
from performing an obligatory Pilgrimage: he on several occasions
performed minor-non obligatory pilgrimage at Mecca, known as 'Umra'.
In
the early fifties, along with his close colleagues - the late Sheikh
Hyder Matano, Maalim Said Bin Ahmed and Sheikh Mohamed Sulaiman
(Abu-Sulaiman) - he had founded the Coast Broadcasting Station known
as 'Sauti ya Mvita'.
He
took the initiative of introducing plays of religious topics such as
the stories of 'Prophets - Joseph, Moses, Jesus Christ and Muhammad.
This
proved to be a great success.
He
actually was the protector of this writer in his mission of promoting
'Buibui' women's secular education, as then the orthodox and dogmatic
Muslims were vehemently against girls going to secular schools.
He,
along with fellow residents of Liwatoni location, built a mosque with
a nursery and lower primary school.
His
close friend Sheikh Muhammad N. Muses was shocked when informed of his
death:
"I
have lost a dear brother with whom every Saturday would gather at our
office and conduct conversation pertaining to cultural, spiritual and
cultural problems facing the Waswahili Community - a reliable,
helpful, considerate, affectionate, and friendly gentleman."
He
left behind a widow with seven grown up children: three sons,
Abdulqadir, Abdulaziz, Abdulhamid and four daughters, one of whom is
the wife of Councilor Mohamed Daudi and the famous daughter Asiya -
who was very popular public relations officer with KPA and has happily
inherited her father's major calling of being helpful and of service
to the public.
May
Almighty Allah rest his soul in Peace.
Faraj
Dumila, Mombasa.
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