Ustaz collapses at mosque, pronounced dead in hospital

ALOR SETAR (Bernama): A khatib collapsed while delivering the Friday (June 7) prayer sermon at the Al-Bukhary mosque here and was rushed to hospital before he was pronounced dead.

A khatib is a person who delivers the sermon.

Ustaz Ku Yaacob Ku Hashim, 68, a former teacher of SMK Agama Kedah here collapsed in the 1.30pm incident, said his former student, Hassan Mustafa Afifuddin, 30, who was among the Friday prayer congregation.

"We were focusing on his sermon when he suddenly collapsed and fell on the pulpit. A few of us rushed to bring him down and several doctors in the congregation administered CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) while I called for an ambulance,” he said. 

Hassan said he then went to fetch Ku Yaacob's wife, and as soon as they reached the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, they were informed by the medical officer on duty that Ku Yaacob had passed away.

Hassan said he had dropped by at Ku Yaacob's house earlier for a few minutes before the mosque deputy chairman left the house at 12.30pm to prepare for his Friday prayer sermon. 

"I had asked him to pray for my child but he told me he had to rush because he was to deliver the sermon. I didn't expect this would be the last day of seeing him alive,” he said. 

Al-Bukhary mosque senior executive Abdul Rahman Yaacob described Ku Yaacob a soft-spoken and humble man, besides being very committed to his duties. 

The mosque committee members and congregation were always consulting him if they had queries on religious matters, Abdul Rahman added. 

"Recently, he had been complaining to us about his diabetic condition and chest pains now and then,” he said. - Bernama