Kannur: A Umarkoya Mashhoor Thangal, Kannur district vice-president of Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama and vice-president of Jamia As'adiyah Islamiya Arabic College, died on Thursday after a prolonged age-related illness. He was 75. He also served as state and district patron of the Bakhavi Association and had earlier been vice-president of the Samastha Kannur Taluk committee.

He had been confined to his home near Moosakkam Mosque in Mattool for some time. As district vice-president of Samastha, Umarkoya Thangal played a key role in strengthening the organisation's religious and educational activities and coordinating scholars and workers across the district. He was a disciple of E K Abubakar Musliyar and K Alikkutty Musliyar.

After graduating from the Arabic college, he devoted more than four decades to teaching and delivering dars (Islamic lessons). He served for many years at Beericheri Mosque in Trikaripur in Kasaragod district, and later at Mukkood near Poochakkad, Punchavi, Kuppam, Sayyid Nagar, Chandera, Vadakkumbad in Trikaripur, and Cheruvathur. His long tenure at Vadakkumbad earned him the title "Vadakkumbad Thangal."

He was the son of Attakkoya Thangal Mashhoor and Ummu Habeeba (Ummu Beevi). He is survived by his wife, Kunji Beevi; sons Hamid Fazl Mashhoor and Mohammed Mubarak Mashhoor; daughters Sumayya Beevi, Muhsina Beevi, Rafeeda Beevi and Faleela Beevi. Funeral prayers and burial will be held at 10 am on Friday at the Talakkal Mosque cemetery in Puthiyangadi.