An Ode to a Great Man, a Mentor of Great Caliber

Rawan al Nadabi

“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years” said Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States.

This is what I believe when I remember Dr Hussain Said Al-Harthy who lost his life after a courageous battle with Covid this year. Al-Harthy was born in Bahla, al-Aqr, in 1962. 

The oldest-born child was curious about the world, which made him fond of knowledge and finding answers to his questions at an early age. He was an outstanding student in school. He was rosed twice to a higher grade than students his age due to his excellent and intelligent performance.

In his childhood, he lost one of his eyes while playing with other children from his village, but that never stopped him from pursuing the knowledge he sought. Before graduating from high school, he received his first job as an accountant in the Ministry of Municipalities and Water Resources, Bahla. He obtained a full scholarship to Cairo from the Ministry of Higher Education due to his outstanding marks. 

In 1986, he graduated from Alexandria University with a bachelor’s degree. His academic achievement rolled over his life as he received his Master’s Degree in sociology from Jordan in 1992 in the studies of Omani Culture, and obtained his PhD from the University of Kent at Canterbury in philosophy in psychology in 2001. He published three books, one of which is Introduction to Social Work in Islam.         

His career hierarchy was as spectacular as his educational journey. He held a number of positions, he was director of investment and events at the Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources and the general director for administrative and financial affairs and training expert at Public Authority for Craft Industries.   He was known for his leadership skills. Even though of his higher position, he was a team player, reachable, and down to earth.

In 2006, he joined the academic field as an assistant professor at Dhofar University. In 2008, he joined the University of Nizwa and held the position of Assistant Dean for Student Development Programs. Dr Hussain Al-Harthi was an essence of knowledge spreading, a unique mindset, and charity work.

Being an assistant professor, he spared no effort to help his students. And for many of his students, he was a sanctuary they go to in critical situations. Sheikha Al Mahrezi, a student he taught, memorializing him said “Dr Hussain was an ideal instructor. He was a remarkable educator, he used to advise us, provide us with the knowledge we aspired to, and he had been very understanding” Rayan Al Mandhari, a student he taught, said, “Dr Hussain was a role model for many of us in progress. He had always urged us to research for knowledge rather than waiting for it to reach us”.   

All around his community he was a symbol of selfless humanity, as he was the founder of Bahla Charity Association, he founded the association with money and thoughts. He was a standard bearer for community service and helping the poor and people in need as he had a special endowment for community services.  He also provided free family and educational consultations for the public. 

He was active on Twitter shared his thoughts and communicated his ideas to his student, loved ones, and the public. One of his tweets was “The person who deserves to be called a “giver” is the one who gives without waiting for a return or thanks” 

After a long fight with covid, he died on Tuesday, 3rd of March,2022. Even after his death his charity work never stopped, he bequeathed his home library with precious books to Bahla Public Library. He left this earth with a legacy of hard work and determination. And to those of us who loved him, and ache with his passing, known Dr Hussain Al Harthi by other titles he held: caring brother and a loving husband.  I, like others at the university of Nizwa where he worked until he passed, knew him as an assistant dean, a colleague, and above all, a mentor.