Noor Hassanali
{{short description|President of Trinidad and Tobago from 1987 to 1997}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = His Excellency
| name = Noor Hassanali
| native_name =
| honorific-suffix = TC
| image = File:Noor Hassanali.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| order = 2nd
| office = President of Trinidad and Tobago
| term_start = 20 March 1987
| term_end = 17 March 1997
| primeminister = A.N.R. Robinson
Patrick Manning
Basdeo Panday
| predecessor = Ellis Clarke
| successor = A. N. R. Robinson
| birth_name = Noor Mohamed Hassanali
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1918|8|13}}Lentz III, H. M. (2013). Trinidad and Tobago - Heads of State; Heads of Government. In Heads of States and Governments Since 1945 (p. 758). New York, NY: Routledge.
| birth_place = San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago, British West Indies
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2006|8|25|1918|8|13}}
| death_place = Westmoorings, Diego Martin, Trinidad and Tobago
| resting_place = Western Cemetery, St. James, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
| party = Independent
| spouse = {{marriage|Zalayhar Mohammed|1952}}
| children = {{hlist|Khalid|Amena}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Politician|lawyer|magistrate}}
}}
Noor Mohamed Hassanali{{efn|{{IPA|hi|nuːrə moːɦəmməd̪ə ɦəsənɑːliː|pron}}}} {{small|TC}} (13 August 1918 – 25 August 2006) was a Trinidadian lawyer, judge and politician who served as the second president of Trinidad and Tobago from 1987 to 1997. A retired high-court judge, he was the first person of Indian descent along with being the first Muslim to hold the office of President of Trinidad and Tobago, and he was the first Muslim head of state in the Americas.{{cite news |access-date=2019-09-26 |title=Noor Hassanali |url=https://www.thetimes.com/comment/register/article/noor-hassanali-7ckh6vk8zqh |newspaper=The Times |date=29 September 2006 |issn=0140-0460 |via=www.thetimes.co.uk}}{{Cite web|date=2020-08-12|title=#BTColumn - Of Muslims and social justice|url=https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/08/12/btcolumn-of-muslims-and-social-justice/|access-date=2021-02-27|website=Barbados Today|language=en-US}}
Hassanali was president during the 1990 Jamaat al Muslimeen coup attempt when an Islamist group bombed the nation's police headquarters, stormed its Parliament and took the prime minister and his Cabinet hostage. Hassanali, who was visiting London at the time and remained there until the government regained control, aided in calming his fellow citizens and getting rule of law and democracy back on track on his return. His tenure, though largely ceremonial, was noted for its efforts to bridge the nation's racial divide and building consensus between various political parties.{{Cite web|date=2006-08-27|title=Noor Hassanali, 88; Former President of Trinidad and Tobago|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-aug-27-me-hassanali27-story.html|access-date=2021-02-27|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|title=Obituaries|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2006/08/28/obituaries/5fc14f72-20ec-4039-8151-2b17229f1e61/|access-date=2021-02-27|issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite news|last=25 August 2006|first=8 August 1918|title=Noor Hassanali|newspaper=The Times |language=en|url=https://www.thetimes.com/comment/register/article/noor-hassanali-7ckh6vk8zqh|access-date=2021-02-27|issn=0140-0460}}
Biography
The sixth of seven children, Hassanali was born into a Indo-Trinidadian Muslim family in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago. He attended the Corinth Canadian Mission Primary School and Naparima College. After graduating he taught at Naparima from 1938 to 1943. In 1943 he travelled to Canada, where he studied at the University of Toronto.* [http://www.nalis.gov.tt/national_icons/NoorHassanali.htm Biography] from Nalis.
Hassanali was described as "one of the most neutral, reserved, and dignified figures in the history of T&T politics".[http://www.guardian.co.tt/archives/2006-08-26/news2.html A dignified figure of T&T politics]{{dead link|date=August 2020}}, Trinidad Guardian, 26 August 2006. When he was inaugurated as president in 1987 he was described as "a person of impeccable credentials who has a reputation for honesty and humility of the highest order." As a Muslim, Hassanali chose not to serve alcoholic beverages at President's House. Despite reservations on the part of Prime Minister A. N. R. Robinson, the decision was never seen as controversial by the public."As one committed to the Muslim faith Mr. Hassanali never allowed alcoholic beverages to be served at any of his functions at President's House. I considered that as president of such diverse faiths as exist in Trinidad and Tobago, that one might appear to some to imposing one's belief on others. Nevertheless, this never became an issue in the country and the tenure of this noble citizen was marked by peaceful acceptance by the nation." [http://www.guardian.co.tt/archives/2006-08-26/news9.html Hassanali a model citizen – Robinson]{{dead link|date=August 2020}}, Trinidad Guardian, 26 August 2006.
Hassanali succeeded acting president Ellis Clarke (1976–1987) and was himself succeeded by Arthur N. R. Robinson (president 1997–2003).[https://otp.tt/the-president/history-of-the-presidency/ The Office of the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago - History of the Presidency]
Hassanali died on 25 August 2006[https://books.google.com/books?id=D4_oAwAAQBAJ&dq=Noor+Mohamed+Hassanali&pg=PA562 Profile of Noor Mohamed Hassanali] at his home in Westmoorings, Trinidad and Tobago, at the age of 88.{{cite news |first=Lester |last=Forde |title=Former president Noor Hassanali dead at 88 |url=http://legacy.guardian.co.tt/archives/2006-08-26/news1.html |work=Trinidad Guardian |date=26 August 2006 |accessdate=2016-04-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827124928/http://legacy.guardian.co.tt/archives/2006-08-26/news1.html |archive-date=27 August 2017 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }} He had suffered from hypertension for the preceding year. Hassanali was buried later in the day, following Islamic rites, in the Western Cemetery in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago.
Notes
{{Notelist}}
References
;Citations
{{Reflist}}
;Sources
- [http://www.nalis.gov.tt/national_icons/NoorHassanali.htm Biography] from Nalis.
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110307234933/http://www.nalis.gov.tt/Biography/bio_NoorHassanali.html Biographical summary] from Nalis.
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20041221081301/http://www.alumni.utoronto.ca/publications/borderlines/current/04.htm Noor Hassanali: Trinidad's Living Legend] – Nancy Graydon, Border Lines, University of Toronto; Fall 2003.
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060128140721/http://www.angelapidduck.com/hassanalis_50th.htm Hassanalis 50th Anniversary] – Angela Pidduck
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{{Succession box| before=Ellis Clarke| title=President of Trinidad and Tobago | years=1987–1997 | after=A. N. R. Robinson}}
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{{TandTPresidents}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hassanali, Noor Mohamed}}
Category:Presidents of Trinidad and Tobago
Category:Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian people
Category:Trinidad and Tobago politicians of Indian descent
Category:University of Toronto alumni
Category:Trinidad and Tobago Muslims
Category:20th-century Trinidad and Tobago judges
Category:British Trinidad and Tobago judges