The passing of Abdul Hakim Mufid, prominent figure in Arab and Muslim media

Abdul Hakim Mufid, a journalist and member of the Politbureau of the Northern Islamic Movement died on Sunday evening at the age of 55 from a heart attack in Shefa-Amr in the occupied Palestinian territories. He was taken to Naharia hospital where he passed away.

Mufid emerged as one of the leading figures of the Northern Islamic Movement and was nominated to be lead the Higher Follow-up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel.

In the wake of the Shefa-Amr attach – when an Israeli soldier, Eden Natan-Zada, killed four Arab residents and wounded twenty-two others when he opened fire on a bus and as subsequently beaten to death – Mufid led a campaign in support of the Shefa-Amr’s prisoners.

In a statement, the southern branch of the Islamic Movement has announced: “With believing and patient hearts, the Islamic Movement in the country mourns the death of our brother and Islamic leader, Sheikh Abdul Hakim Mufid, who passed away on Sunday evening after having a heart attack.”

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Mufid studied media and has also written hundreds of articles published in various newspapers and websites, including Arabs 48 and especially in the banned Islamic newspaper Voice of Truth and Freedom, in which he was previously editor-in-chief.

Mufid’s passing was mourned by a number of his contemporaries. The Islamic Movement and its leader, Sheikh Hamed Abu Daabas, mourned the Mufid’s death, stating,

With believing and patient hearts, the Islamic Movement in the country mourns our honourable brother and leader of the Islamic Movement, Sheikh Abdul Hakim Mufid, who passed away on Sunday evening after having a heart attack.

The movement said that that Sheikh Abdul Hakim Mufid was the “knight” of Islamic and Arab media, who has dedicated his life serving and advocating the cause of Islam and serving the Palestinian issue and defending it. He was a free and honest man fighting with his pen and thought.

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Ta’al, the Israeli Arab political party, mourned Abdul Hakim Mufid stating:

“The loss of Professor Abdul Hakim Mufid has cost our people a sincere leader who has worked for the unity of our people through his words and deeds. He contributed to the promotion of belonging and loyalty to our society and its fair causes through his pen and his thought. May God have mercy on Sheikh Abdul Hakim Mufid and grant his people, bereaved family, and the Islamic Movement the strength to endure and persevere.”

The Imams Association in Umm al-Fahm stated,

“With hearts full of sorrow and pain, we console ourselves and our Islamic nation for the loss of one of our Islamic awakening pens, knight, and most important pillar. However, what inspires the soul is that even if our knight was physically absent, he will remain with us through his thought, courageous stands, sincere belonging and his sense of humbleness … May God have mercy on you Abu Omar, we will meet in paradise… May God grant his people, bereaved family, brothers, Sheikhs and students the strength to endure and persevere.”

Dr. Saleh Hussein al-Raqab, professor of faith in the Islamic University in Gaza, said,

May God show his mercy upon him. He was a creative Islamic writer with a visions and very useful political writings. Rarely can someone like him be found in the occupied Palestinian territories. The news of his death obscured dozens of websites.

The writer and journalist of the Palestinian Press Agency, Muhammad Khairi, mourned the deceased, and wrote about him on his Facebook page,

“My mentor and respectful teacher Abdul Hakim Mufid passed away. This is a tragedy that I have not seen in years. Abdul Hakim was a political analyst and Professor in media and Israeli affairs. He was one of the leaders of the Islamic Movement in Palestine and an example of those who devoted themselves to the service of their homeland and religion.”

He went on:

“I have always seen Abdul Hakim Mufid as a humble and courageous. He was always on the front line. He used to teach us that homeland deserves more than just the words to be written or opinions to be expressed.”