Sada-e-Watan
Sydney ™
sadaewatan@gmail.com
Quran Khawani for Marhooma Aliya Khatoon will be held on Sunday,19 June 2011
Quran Khawani Quran Khawani and Dua for Prominent Personality of Australian/ Pakistani Community Marhooma Aliya Khatoon will be held on Sunday 19 June at Surry Hills Mosque, 175-177 Commonwealth Street Surry Hills Sydney. Quran Khawani for the Departed Soul of Aliya Khatoon, mother of Begum Shahnaz Hyder will be held From 10:30am to 1pm before Namaz-e-Zuhr. All Ladies and Gentleman are request to attend.
The senior most South Asian Muslim of Sydney Begum Aliya Khatoon Siddiqui left us for heavenly abode on Sunday 12 June evening at Royal Noth Shore hospital after a brief illness. Her Namaz e Janazah was held on 13 June at Lakemba Mosque and then burial was at Rookwood cemetery.
Begum Aliya Khatoon, the granddaughter of famous Urdu poet Ismail Merruti lived in Sydney for well over 30 years with her daughter Begum Shahnaz Hyder, the noted ghazal singer and radio broadcaster. Born in north Indian city of Merrut in November 1910, Aliya migrated to Lahore during partition and then setlled in Karachi. Her husband Mr Salahuddin Siddiqui passed away soon after coming to Pakistan and she was left with two daughters aged 9 & 2 whom she raised with utmost love and care. In 1964 Indo-Pak war, her son-in-law Shabbir Alam Siddiqui got martyrdom, few years later Shahnaz Hyder got married to late Sultan Hyder, a PIA manager. Begum Aliya lived with Shahnaz Hyder ever since in Karachi, Beirut and Sydney.
For past 20 years she lived of her own in an apartment
in Kirribilli although she spent last few months in a Nursing home.
On her 100th birthday in Nov 2010, she had received congratulatory messages from
several parliamentarians, the Prime Minister, the Governor General and most
importantly the Queen which she most cherished. It is quite a coincidence that
her funeral was held on Queen's official birthday in Australia.
SAMAA celebrated her 100th birthday at its annual event
on 12 March 2011. She graced many Mushairas and Ghazal Programmes in 70s,80s and
90s.Begum Aliya Khatoon, lovingly called by many 'Ammi' had exceptional memory
and will power till last days of her life. She remembered urdu poetry of many
great poets by heart. She served Sydney community in many ways. She taught Quran
to many who are now grown up. The Editorial Board of Sada-e-Watan Prayed to
ALLAH Almighty to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to
her family members to bear this irrepairable loss.
