'Pray for my son', says dad after Oman mosque accident

Energy Tuesday 12/June/2018 21:50 PM
By: Times News Service
'Pray for my son', says dad after Oman mosque accident

Muscat: A 12-year-old boy, who was on his way to pray at his local mosque, was hit on the head by a piece of falling masonry and is now fighting for his life.
“Pray for my son to recover,” his father, Yasir, told the Times of Oman.
Abdulrahman was standing under the minaret of his local mosque when a piece of the minaret fell on him.
“He was waiting for his friends to finish ablutions so that they could go and pray, that is when a piece of the minaret fell on his head, fractured his skull and caused severe internal bleeding,” said Yasir. “We live next to the mosque; as soon as it happened his friends ran to our house and told us. I will never forget the scene. We rushed him to the hospital here in Saham where we were transferred by ambulance to Sohar hospital,” he added.
An official from Sohar hospital said, “The child is in the PICU (Paediatrician Intensive Care Unit) due to serious injuries, but he is in a stable condition.”
“We received the patient on June 11 at 3.45am; since then, he has been under direct observation by the medical team concerned,” the official added.
The distance between the hospital and Yasir’s house is some 60km. “I have been with him [Abdulrahman] since he came to the hospital,” his brother, Abduljaleel, said. “Yesterday, he moved his leg slightly for a few seconds.”
“His condition isn’t great; he is breathing through machines now. I do not know how we will celebrate this Eid,” Yasir added.
Officials of the Department of Awqaf and Religious Affairs in Northern Batinah issued a statement saying the mosque was now closed.
The department statement said that the mosque had been closed immediately and finally as of 26th Ramadan corresponding to June 11.
“[This is being done] in view of the deterioration of the mentioned mosque and its effect on the coastal road,” it said.
Abdulrahman is one of eight children; the family lives in a small village in Saham.
“This is the only mosque we have in the village. During Eid prayers, nearly 600 people would gather to pray in it. It is good that the mosque is now closed, but it has to be demolished so that it does not harm anyone else. A temporary mosque can be built somewhere else,” said Yasir
Abdulrahman’s family is praying for his speedy recovery.