Tributes pour in for Omani diplomat and writer Dr Sadeq
Published: 04:07 PM,Jul 29,2021 | EDITED : 10:07 PM,Jul 29,2021
Tearful condolences and homages are being paid to Dr Sadeq Jawad Sulaiman, one of the eminent Omani journalists, a diplomat who served the nation abroad, well-known writer and thinker par excellence, who passed away in India during his visit to that country on Tuesday. He was 87.
He is considered to be one of the best Omani writers and scholars who has had a great experience in foreign affairs, management, leadership, and motivation.
He had been abroad since his early childhood in Kuwait and other Arab and foreign countries, and presented many literary works and writings that evoked prestigious and international response, which were published by major newspapers and magazines known in the Arab world and abroad.
Oman remembers him as a brilliant thinker who dealt with a plethora of aspects that are concerned with many areas of intellectual, cognitive and contemplative importance that enriched the Omani, the Gulf and Arab society. He was a journalist who practised his profession in Kuwait before the period of the blessed Renaissance of 1970. He worked for a period of time at the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the eighties, and was Sultanate’s ambassador to the US.
“I met this outstanding figure for the first time at the Omani Cultural Attaché at our embassy in Washington DC in 1987, in the office of brother Abdul Jalil bin Ahmed, who was the then Cultural Attaché. That was my first visit to the American capital to participate in one of the press programmes that was held at the University of Boston, Massachusetts. I was so impressed by his personality when he treated me with due regards,” remembered Dr Haider Abdul Redha Dawood al Lawati, Journalist, Economic Affairs.
“Then we caught up on several occasions in Muscat when he was lecturing in intellectual sessions at the Cultural Club and other cultural centres, especially after he became the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Omani Writers Association. He leaves a big void and all who know him would feel the same,” remembers Haider Jawad, a prominent Omani writer.
Dr Sadeq has written umpteen articles for many newspapers, magazines, social media, authored many books for many publishers, and spoken on various subjects on radio and TV. The late diplomat has also had a remarkable presence in foreign universities presenting scientific seminars on various topics, especially during his retired life in the US, in addition to his work as a lecturer at an American university and his appearance in the local and foreign media to speak on issues of freedom of thought, expression, opinion and other issues of concern to Omani society.
“Dr Sadeq was a man of all seasons, a teacher par excellence, and a diplomat of high qualities. He would find time for his friends and family at any time we approach him for any help or support whenever we conduct any social event to support any sect of society,” avers Tariq al Khabori, an active social worker who helps disabled children to dive and feel the waters.
“He used to have high regards for my father Jawad Jaffar al Khabori and he was very close to my family and always stayed in touch with my siblings as well. With his death, we lost an elderly brother,” added Al Khabori.
One of his last online interactions was the ‘Indian Leadership Academy’s Global Conclave on May 22 and 23 this year where he spoke to the delegates from all over the world on the topic ‘Leading through Ancient Wisdom’ organised by the Indian Leadership Academy (ILA), Bangalore.
“A consistent general concern of mine over these past two decades or so has been what I have observed as growing imbalance between our very impressive global advance in Knowledge, and our not equally impressive embrace of Morality and Faith, particularly in the conduct of national and international affairs. I would like to see us balance the scales by inextricably adjoining Knowledge, Morality and Faith to shape our thought and conduct,” he had urged the participants of the seminar.
“My presentation focused on Leading Through Knowledge, Morality, and Faith, the three components cognised early on in the human experience as synthetically comprising essential wisdom. It was realised that Knowledge divorced from Morality could be put to wrong ends, and Morality not sustained by faith often times faltered. We can gleam from the scriptures and philosophical analects of the ancients that they thus deemed the trio of Knowledge, Morality and Faith”, he told the Observer after his online seminar.
“He was so refined and well-qualified and was very welcoming when we invited him for the seminar,” remembers Salu Jose, ILA Alumni, Academic Coordinator, Mental health Nursing Programme at Higher Institute of Health Specialities.
“He has carved a niche for himself in the hearts of both the citizens and expatriates living in the Sultanate of Oman. The world will always remember such an illuminary,” she added.
He is considered to be one of the best Omani writers and scholars who has had a great experience in foreign affairs, management, leadership, and motivation.
He had been abroad since his early childhood in Kuwait and other Arab and foreign countries, and presented many literary works and writings that evoked prestigious and international response, which were published by major newspapers and magazines known in the Arab world and abroad.
Oman remembers him as a brilliant thinker who dealt with a plethora of aspects that are concerned with many areas of intellectual, cognitive and contemplative importance that enriched the Omani, the Gulf and Arab society. He was a journalist who practised his profession in Kuwait before the period of the blessed Renaissance of 1970. He worked for a period of time at the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the eighties, and was Sultanate’s ambassador to the US.
“I met this outstanding figure for the first time at the Omani Cultural Attaché at our embassy in Washington DC in 1987, in the office of brother Abdul Jalil bin Ahmed, who was the then Cultural Attaché. That was my first visit to the American capital to participate in one of the press programmes that was held at the University of Boston, Massachusetts. I was so impressed by his personality when he treated me with due regards,” remembered Dr Haider Abdul Redha Dawood al Lawati, Journalist, Economic Affairs.
“Then we caught up on several occasions in Muscat when he was lecturing in intellectual sessions at the Cultural Club and other cultural centres, especially after he became the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Omani Writers Association. He leaves a big void and all who know him would feel the same,” remembers Haider Jawad, a prominent Omani writer.
Dr Sadeq has written umpteen articles for many newspapers, magazines, social media, authored many books for many publishers, and spoken on various subjects on radio and TV. The late diplomat has also had a remarkable presence in foreign universities presenting scientific seminars on various topics, especially during his retired life in the US, in addition to his work as a lecturer at an American university and his appearance in the local and foreign media to speak on issues of freedom of thought, expression, opinion and other issues of concern to Omani society.
“Dr Sadeq was a man of all seasons, a teacher par excellence, and a diplomat of high qualities. He would find time for his friends and family at any time we approach him for any help or support whenever we conduct any social event to support any sect of society,” avers Tariq al Khabori, an active social worker who helps disabled children to dive and feel the waters.
“He used to have high regards for my father Jawad Jaffar al Khabori and he was very close to my family and always stayed in touch with my siblings as well. With his death, we lost an elderly brother,” added Al Khabori.
One of his last online interactions was the ‘Indian Leadership Academy’s Global Conclave on May 22 and 23 this year where he spoke to the delegates from all over the world on the topic ‘Leading through Ancient Wisdom’ organised by the Indian Leadership Academy (ILA), Bangalore.
“A consistent general concern of mine over these past two decades or so has been what I have observed as growing imbalance between our very impressive global advance in Knowledge, and our not equally impressive embrace of Morality and Faith, particularly in the conduct of national and international affairs. I would like to see us balance the scales by inextricably adjoining Knowledge, Morality and Faith to shape our thought and conduct,” he had urged the participants of the seminar.
“My presentation focused on Leading Through Knowledge, Morality, and Faith, the three components cognised early on in the human experience as synthetically comprising essential wisdom. It was realised that Knowledge divorced from Morality could be put to wrong ends, and Morality not sustained by faith often times faltered. We can gleam from the scriptures and philosophical analects of the ancients that they thus deemed the trio of Knowledge, Morality and Faith”, he told the Observer after his online seminar.
“He was so refined and well-qualified and was very welcoming when we invited him for the seminar,” remembers Salu Jose, ILA Alumni, Academic Coordinator, Mental health Nursing Programme at Higher Institute of Health Specialities.
“He has carved a niche for himself in the hearts of both the citizens and expatriates living in the Sultanate of Oman. The world will always remember such an illuminary,” she added.