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19 March 2024

Father of 96 mourns loss of second son

Published
By VM Sathish

Daad Mohammed Murad Abdul Rahman is short of four children to reach a world record.

The family of Daad Mohammed Murad Abdul Rahman, the 70-year-old UAE Superdaad, who has fathered 96 children already, has been mourning the death of Fareed Abdul Rahman Murad (25), the second loss of a son.

The unexpected death of Fareed, a young member of the Daad Muraad family of nearly 170 children and grandchildren, who live in 17 different homes in different emirates, has saddened the family members, who are still recovering from the shock.

 “Life and death is in God's hand. It is God’s will that Fareed is called back. I have been blessed with 96 children and Fareed is my second son to die so young. It was about 12 years ago that my son Ismail died at the age of 18 in a road accident. Fareed was just 25 years old and he has died in the Sheikh Khalifa Hospital Ajman, after collapsing in the house. He was rushed to the hospital and was kept in the Intensive Care Unit for one night and he passed away the next day,” a saddened Daad Murad told Emirates 24|7.
“He came back from work and was resting in his room. Later my other children came rushing and crying saying Fareed is lying motionless and that he is not talking. We all rushed him to the Sheikh Khalifa Hospital and he was kept in the ICU but he died next day,” Daad Murad told Emirates 24|7.  “All the family members including 170 children and grandchildren, have taken four days leave to mourn Fareed’s death. Many of his grown up children who work in various government departments, police and armed forces have taken four days leave to mourn Fareed’s death. “Many people visited me to offer condolences and prayers,” he said.

Daad’s eldest son is 49 years old and his youngest daughter is just 16 months old. In between, there are 94 children registered in the Ajman Government Family Register, he said, adding that his target of reaching 100 children before he dies is yet to be realized.
His father Murad Abdul Rahman lived until 110 years –he had only four wives with 27 children. Daad has married 17 times and the one legged man may have to get married again to reach the century mark. He lost his leg in an accident in 1995.
The superdad of the UAE was in news for being the father of largest number of children. He has already married several times  and 15 of his children including the deceased Fareed are married with their own children.

When Emirates 24|7 interviewed earlier he had expressed his desire to reach 100 children by 2013. He had vowed to stop marrying and having children after reaching the target of 100, which is a world record.
All the school going children and grand children, numbering about 50 too have taken four days leave from their schools. In order to accommodate all mourning members of our big family gathering in Ajman, we have created special tents. The Sheikh Zayed Masjid Ajman was almost full of Daad Murad family members, well wishers, friends and neighbours of the Murad family. Sitting at the Majlis of his family villa in Al Bustan Ajman, Daad Murad keeps receiving family friends and relatives who are coming in to offer prayers and condolences over Fareed’s death.

“He has died at a very young age. He is married with two daughters and the family is sad about his death. It is Allah’s blessings to give children and  call them back when the Almighty decides,”  he told Emirates 24|7. Normally available family members get together in their Manama villa and on special occasions like Eid or Ramadan, family members come together from different locations. During Eid celebrations, he spends about Dh 60,000 just to pay only Edia to his siblings.

“I am short of four children to reach the ultimate target of 100 children. I did not go out of the UAE for two years four months now and I hope  to get more children. I could not go out of the UAE to India or Pakistan or get married again due to many reasons. I have still plans to get married and  reach 100 children by 2018,” Daad Murad told Emirates 24|7.

He said raising 96 children is not an easy task and some of his friends  who have got eight to ten children find it difficult to manage them. “Nowadays young children are addicted to mobile phones and the Internet. They always keep their headphones fixed on their ears and do not know what is happening around. Even though I am 70 years old, I don’t know how to make a call with a mobile phone. Young boys are also involved in accidents due to reckless driving. My son, Ismail died at the age of 18, in a road accident. I too have lost my one leg in a road accident. However, I have a driving license issued more than 50 years ago and I can still drive with my single leg,” he added.

“We are all sad about his son’s death. He was quite young and normally it is celebration time in the family because of a newborn baby. We all hope that Daad Murad will be able to achieve his target of 100 children. Death of his son is a major set back, but it should not deter him from marrying again and fathering more children,” said a neighbour, who was sitting in Daad Murads Majlis.