How to condole is my naïve question?

Everyone who is born, including myself, shall eventually die as per the divine law and simply there cannot be any exception to the established practice whatsoever and therefore in compliance to the divine rule Mohammad Jassim Al-Kharafi, former Speaker of National Assembly, Kuwait also has died and buried in Kuwait on Friday 22^nd May, 2015. His Highness Sheikh Nawaf Al Sabah, Deputy Amir and Crown Prince, His Highness  Jassim Al Marzooq, Speaker National Assembly, His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al Sabah, former Prime Minister along with many members from ruling family, ambassadors, and very large number of local elite and expatriates attended his burial in Sulaibikhat grave yard. Kharafi belongs to the most prominent family of Kuwait whose father Abdulmohsin was a parliamentarian and he himself had been the longest serving Speaker from 1999 to 2011. He had also been finance minister.

I am really very much grieved to hear such shocking bad news and I cursed myself to have missed his funeral simply because today morning only the news could be read by me in Arab Times but had I also known it yesterday like many others then my attendance in the grave yard was obligatory but alas I missed the opportune. I can never ever forget his extra kindness and love shown to me when years back for the very 1^st time I had met him at some diplomatic function where I requested him to get me issued an entry pass, if not annoying, to attend Kuwait National Assembly session and though I was completely an alien to him but yet he very kindly agreed to my request and took my particulars promising that someone will contact me in due course of time.  Honestly speaking, I had my very serious doubts that Mr Jassim being placed as high as 3^rd on the ladder as per the order of precedence will care for an ordinary expatriate like me but believe you me just two days later one of his officers from the national assembly did call me saying that the Speaker has given blank approval to get me an invitation as and when I am free and wish to attend a session. I was more bewildered than happy to get such call and I very happily agreed that the very next day I will be attending the session if possible. The very next day I was seated in the front row of the visitors’ gallery attending the assembly session which was very much thrilling to be honest.

Today Saturday 23^rd around 1530 hours I had gone to Kharafi Diwan, Bidaa to offer my condolences to the aggrieved family and unbelievably one of the biggest halls was very much crowded and people were seated all around while quite a good number of people after offering condolences were standing in the hall as well and talking with each other about the tragic death.  I myself saw in the condolence hall HM Sheikh Nasser, former PM, few ministers, parliamentarians, ambassadors and many prominent personalities and each one bewildered how could he die when he was neither ill not on sick bed. Kharafi though aged 75 was very much healthy and had gone on private visit to Turkey and was very much in the flight returning back to Kuwait when he had a very severe heart attack right in the flight and as the bad luck had it, before he could be given the best possible medical attendance at Kuwait airport he died without any such medical attendance.

Just last month I had met him when he graced one of the   diplomatic functions (Senegal perhaps) and he was very much smiling and in very high spirits as always.  I paid my salam to him and he as usual very smilingly replied and asked about my welfare. Hardly had he entered that hall many ambassadors along with prominent Kuwaitis came to him and paid their respect to and of course television crew and photographers did not miss to crowd around him as usual. I very rightly quipped saying to him, ‘Sir I am not just saying on your face but the fact remains that now even you are as popular as you were popular when headed the national assembly’ and he was quick to reply, ‘Are you sure?’ Today only I realized that it was last meeting with him.

What an enlightened person possessing mental acumen, vision, far sightedness duly punctuated with patriotism is gone and that too at such a critical juncture when his advice is very much needed by the younger generation of Kuwait to shape its future.  I am neither reluctant not hesitant to pen that a person like Jassim are born once in a century. How to condole is my naïve question? I pray to Allah that he may rest in peace, aamen.