A Saudi, believed to be the oldest man in the country, has died, his family said.
Shaikh Awadh Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saifi, 120, was born in 1893 and lived in three different centuries, the 19th, 20th and 21st, local news site Gulf news reported.
He is survived by 24 sons and daughters and had 447 grandchildren and great grand-children.His oldest son is 98 years old while the youngest is 22. His oldest grandson is 65 years old. Earlier on this year,a Saudi man who was dubbed “the dean of centenarians” died in the Kingdom at the age of 154 years. Nearly four years ago his name was listed in the Guinness World Record for being the oldest living man in the world, Arab news reported. Mohammed bin Zarei died of old age at a hospital in the small village of Sadr Ayad near the southern town of Nammas, leaving behind more than 180 children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
He had 10 wives and the age of 150, he told a local TV station that he was looking for a new wife after all his wives died. “Bin Zarei (…) had seen all the kings that ruled Saudi Arabia,” one newspaper said. Bin Zarei hit headlines when the Saudi satellite TV news channel Alarabiya broadcast a film about him a few years ago, during which he said he was in a good health.The program presenter, Saud Al-Khalaf, called him “the dean of centenarians.”
Mohammed bin Zarei
This story reminds me of a patient of mine who use to frequent the hospital on a monthly basis. He is 112 years old and doesn't really have any medical history apart from pain in the joints. I use to always tell him that he is a walking, talking history book. I use to spend hours conversing with him. He related stories to me about the Ottoman empire and also the fascination he experienced at seeing a car in the city of Makkah driven by the founding king, King Abdulaziz al Saud. In fact it was the first car that Saudi Arabia ever had and not only him, but everyone in Makkah were astonished at the sight of the vehicle. He mentioned to me that the Saudi military in the past wore thobes along with shemagh and iqals ( the black double rings worn on top of the checkered scarf), the only difference being that their iqals were broad and huge. This is what differentiated them from the general public. He also told me about King Abdulaziz's generosity. During the month of ramadhaan, he was sitting in the company of King Abdulaziz in the haram area in Makkah. Just before the sunset, the king took out money from his thobe and sent him to buy food to break the fast with. He also insisted that the food should be distributed to as many poor people as possible. The king broke his fast with zam zam water and dates and only after everyone around him ate to their hearts content did he partake of the food. I miss this patient of mine dearly as I use to look forward to his monthly visits to the hospital. His knowledge and experience in life is priceless and I feel blessed and honoured to have been a part of his life. May Allah give him an even longer life of good health and bless him with the highest stages of Jannah. Ameen.
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