Fatal Oman crash: Funeral of former UAE soldier tomorrow; wife still in hospital
His funeral will be held in Dubai's Al Qusais Cemetery on Tuesday, August 5.
The father of six was travelling with his wife and daughter to Salalah on a weekend getaway when their car crashed into another vehicle coming from the opposite direction at full speed. The driver in the other vehicle, an Omani citizen, Nasser Al Kindi, also lost his life in the tragic incident.
Nasser, a mathematics teacher, was accompanied by his family in the car, as per local media reports.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Ansar Al Tamimi, one of the sons of the late Emirati, offered his condolences to Kindi's family and prayed for his soul to rest in peace. "Nasser Al Kindi's family are always in our prayers and thoughts."
Mohammad Faraj's daughter Samiha will be returning to the UAE with his mortal remains by tonight (August 4) via flight from Salalah.
"She was the most beloved child of our father. It will be extremely hard for her to bury our father. Same for us too. But for Samiha, it will be the hardest. We are proud of her," said the brother.
However, Mohammad Faraj's wife of almost 54 years with whom he battled cancer — 69-year-old Fathima Al Hashmi — will be unable to attend the burial of her own husband, as doctors back in Oman have stated that she is not fit to travel by plane.
Fathima, who is now in a stable condition, suffered injuries to her ribs due to the impact of the crash, which led to ruptured lungs. Ansar Al Tamimi said his sister Alia and her husband Abdullah, who were also travelling in another car with their two-year-old son Said, will be staying behind with their mother.
"Mum might take a few more days to come back. Hopefully two more days," said the grieving son.
Funeral details
Mohammad Faraj's funeral will be held after the Asr prayer on Tuesday, August 5, at Al Qusais Cemetery.
Condolences for the former soldier, who served his nation for 27 years, will be accepted from Tuesday, August 5, after the burial, until Thursday, August 7. Those who wish to pay their respects can visit the family from 10am to the call for Dhuhr prayer in the day time and from after the Asr prayer until the call for Isha prayer during the evenings.
The meet for women will be held in the deceased's home in Mirdif, meanwhile the gathering for men will take place at another location in the area.
"To God we belong and to him we shall return. We ask God Almighty to bestow his mercy upon the deceased, to grant him a place in his spacious gardens, and to grant him the highest level of paradise with the prophets, martyrs, companions, and righteous people. What excellent companions they are," said the family.
Daughter's sacrifice
The brothers, while speaking to Khaleej Times, praised their sister Samiha who was in the car during the crash.
"She was always the one who gave up her own everyday life and sacrificed everything just to accompany him and take care of our father during his medical treatments abroad and at home together with mum. Dad preferred Samiha more because he felt her unconditional love," said Ansar Al Tamimi.
Tamimi explained his sister was currently in shock after being in the same vehicle as her father who passed away.
"My father loved his country with all his life. He shared great achievements with our mum. Samiha, second. And then all of us," he added.
Diehard football fan
While reminiscing about his father, Ansar shared how the former soldier along with his wife sacrificed a lot for their children, ensuring they were all educated and enrolled in private schools.
"It was a privilege to study in private schools in the 80s' and 90s' in the UAE. Being a soldier and caring for a family is not an easy task. There are flashbacks when my father used to take me to the military camp when I was six years old."
Mohammad Faraj was known for his passion and love for football.
"He was loved and respected as an athlete who loves football even in the military. His favourite club in Dubai was Al Ahli club. He was a diehard fan," said the son.
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