The Ceylon Baithulmal Fund was established on the 29th March 1957 by an Act of Parliament under ‘Ceylon Baithulmal Fund (Incorporation) Law, No. 9 of 1976 of the National State Assembly. Founded by the late Hon. H.S. Ismail, Ceylon’s first Muslim Speaker of the House of Representatives, who together with fourteen eminent civil representatives of Ceylonese Muslim Society formed its very first Committee of Management, the Ceylon Baithulmal Fund emerged with the singular purpose of ‘Poverty Alleviation’ within the Muslim community of Sri Lanka; bringing to an end the destitution and misery that plagued the lesser privileged amongst the Muslim community at the time.