A writer who pens from his heart!

I never knew him as a writer and a journalist. He wrote what his heart wanted him to write about this country. His pen expressed his loyalty and reverence to Omanis. He appreciated the respect he himself, his co-countrymen — Sudanese and other residents enjoyed on this most revered land known as the Sultanate of Oman. He and others like him regarded Oman as another homeland. I was surprised when I found what Al Rasheed was writing about this country with his heart and soul. He wrote, “Goodbye, O’ good people.” He loved this country sincerely. Why not. He had lived here among us for full 40 years. The farewell he wrote will always be remembered by the country. It is a testimony of the care, justice, respect and legal protection enjoyed by the residents at par with citizens. This is the reason they loved Oman where they were treated not less than citizens. Barring voting rights, they have all equal privileges. This is the reciprocal love and affection of the land. When he expressed his loyalty and love for this country, he also got a lot of affection from this land. It was not less than a love affair between the two. This is the characteristic of this country that whomsoever is sincere to it is greeted by this land with open arms. This country treated him and others like him as guests and its citizens. Al Rasheed’s mother visited him some time ago. When one of the officials of the Royal Oman Police completed the procedures of arrival with respect and compassion, she was bewildered. It was a traditional Omani expression of respect and hospitality which impressed her. It has left a positive impact on his mother. Immediately after this, her expression was that she was now satisfied with her son. Al Rasheed was an integral part of this country, he lived with us and shared our joys and sorrows. He lived throughout the years of the Omani Renaissance and saw with his own eyes the wheel of development moving forward and covering every nook and corner of this country. This is how he became an integral part of this country. Al Rasheed, by virtue of spending long years here, was dear to us. He was familiar with every inch of Oman due to his work as a communications engineer for the Oman Telecommunications Company. He visited all the wilayats of the country and its villages, providing them communication lines and Internet network to connect people with each other and link Oman with outside the world. When I started my relationship with “Omantel”, I heard everyone talking about him. If the phone breaks down, the cable is cut, or if there are any other related problems, everybody had the word on his or her tongue “Call Al Rasheed.” Al Rasheed responded swiftly and always with a smiling face. Therefore people were overwhelmed by him. A friend of all, Al Rasheed was always known for his kindness, good qualities, high morals, and good manners. Everybody knew him. None of the 4,000 employees of Omantel can say they he or she did not know him. Everybody loved him and it was a mutual love and affection. Talking about Al Rasheed people never got bored. He left living memories. He was a living link between Oman’s past and present. He saw and experienced every phase of the Renaissance. Al Rasheed could write what he saw and experienced. Everything was from his own experience and not a story narrated by others. He had a remarkable memory. He could draw a picture of everything he had seen with all the precise details as if it just happened under his nose. He had his own style of narrating a story and drawing a picture. He was seen everywhere in all social functions. Due to his good manners, he was easily noticed even in large gatherings. He was loved by Omanis. Whosoever came across him became his friend and a well-wisher. He adopted all Omani traditions in his life and protected them. With these qualities, he was regarded as people’s ambassador to Sudan free from all sorts of protocols and official nitty-gritty. Al Rasheed would always be remembered as a legend for his love for Oman and lives in our hearts and minds. He was a testimony that Oman is for all.