By Hassan Cheruppa
Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH – The Indian community in Jeddah on Friday mourned the death of Syed Masoodullah, the husband of International Indian School-Jeddah (IISJ) Vice Principal Farhatunnisa.
Masoodullah hailed from Chennai in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. He was 50. He is survived by wife Farhatunnisa, vice principal of Girls’ Section of IISJ, and two sons, Muhsin Masood and Muhit Masood.
Muhsin is working in Jeddah as an engineer while Muhit is pursuing higher studies in Malaysia after completing senior secondary education at IISJ. He has served as head boy of IISJ. Syed Masoodullah had three brothers and four sisters.
Syed Masoodullah breathed his last at the University Hospital Friday morning after undergoing treatment for illness for some time. Funeral prayer was offered for him at the Palestine Mosque on Prince Miteb Street (Arbaeen) after Maghreb prayer on Friday and the body was buried at Al-Rahma Cemetery near Old Airport in Al-Wurood district.
Farhatunnisa will receive condolences from women members of the community from 4.00 to 6.00 p.m. at the Girls’ Section campus of IISJ in Aziziyah on Saturday.
A large number of people including Indian community leaders, as well as IISJ officials and staff attended the funeral prayer and the burial. They included Managing Committee (MC) Chairman Mohammed Iqbal, members of MC, Principal Syed Masood Ahmed, Vice Principal Dr. Najeeb Qais Ammar, Headmaster Noufal Palakkoth, Headmistress Rita Sharma, Headmaster of Open School Paul Joy, and other teachers, school staff, parents and students.
Iqbal and managing committee members offered their condolence on the death of Syed Masoodullah. Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Principal Ahmed said that he has lost a true friend. “He was a very pious, serene and a very humble gentleman in all senses of the word. Everyone praised him for his courage and humility. He was a very caring head of the family who boldly faced the challenge while fighting the disease,” he said.
Ahmed expressed deep sorrow and sympathy with Farhatunnisa and offered her deep condolences. “She is very courageous and left no stone unturned in serving him throughout the ordeal over the last 11 months. He was awed to see this wonderful lady taking care of him, and his family with utmost patience as well as running the day-to-day affairs of the Girls’ Section of the school simultaneously,” he said, while praying Almighty Allah to reward him and accommodate him in His Jannatul Firdous.
Masoodullah had worked as electronics engineer with several companies in Jeddah, the last of which was with National Advanced Systems Company, which provides telecommunications and security solutions. He gave up his job after falling ill last year.
Abdullah Neamy Al-Shahri and Mazyad Al-Sahfi, Saudi officials at NASCO, said they had worked with Masoodullah for 24 years. "He was more than a true friend who considered them as family members," one of them said, while praising his qualities of sincerity, hard work, dedication and his ability to empathize with colleagues.
