Yemen’s father passes away

Multitudes of Yemeni men and women, senior government officials, the aged and young, blocked the main road of old Sana’a and al-Zubairy street on Sunday morning, as they mourned the passing of well-respected religious clerk Yahya al-Durra, and accompanied him to his final resting place in the Khuzaimah cemetery.
 
Al-Durra was well known for his TV and radio religious programs. His radio program, Oli al-Elm (People of Knowledge), was one of the most famous radio programs in the country, heard all over Yemen. Al-Durra hosted a live weekly Fatwa program on Friday covering religious provisions and general concepts of Islam. He also received multitudes of questions from listeners on a weekly basis, the majority of whom were women asking about their daily life and religious issues Al-Durra always hosted a religious cleric in each program to answer the listeners’ questions.
 
On many occasions, al-Durra would interfere in order to correct any misunderstanding between the gusts and the participating callers.
 
Al-Durra was beloved by both men and women and well known for his moderate religious opinions and beliefs. He was called “Abi Yahia”- my father yahya, a name Yemenis only use to refer to their own well-respected figures, by the majority of the Yemeni populace.
 
Al-Durra passed away on the 13th of March, at the age of 77. On Sunday, al-Durra’s death prayer was held at the Grand Mosque by the people who loved him and been helped by him. Mourners at the funeral ceremony were racing to carry the casket into the cemetery of Khozaima, located on Zubairy Street.
 
After the burial, the mourners lined up to offer their condolences to his sons, Abdul-Wahab, Abdul-Malik, Mohammed and other relative members.
 
Considered one of Sana’a’s pioneers in radio and television, al-Durra spent his life assisting those people who sought guidance in Islamic shariaa. Through his radio show Oli al-Elm (People of Knowledge), many influential Islamic scholars were able to communicate with the people of Yemen and give fatwas.
 
Al-Durra was born in 1352 A.H. in Sana’a. A pioneer of media, radio, and television, al-Dora was one who gave his lives in the service of a tolerant Islamic faith and in teaching the values of Islam’s moderation. Al-Durra was famous for other TV and radio programs, such as al-Deen Wa al-Hayiat- Religion and Life, and Fatawas.
 
Al-Durra received his primary education in Sana’a, joined the scientific school and then continued his education at the Grand Mosque in Sana’a, where senior scientists taught him the Holy Quran and modern interpretation, jurisprudence, grammar, and the science of religion.
 
Al-Durra began working in Sana’a Radio Broadcast’s in 1956 in the Department of Public News.  He took over a number of positions where he worked as the Director General of the programs in 1973 and then director-general of the Financial and Administrative Affairs, Ministry of Information. Lately, he was the General Director of the printing press, and general-supervisor of the religious programs at the radio station.

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