Death
Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait's demise took place at early dawn of 27 April 2005 owing to cardiac arrest. He had booked a ticket to travel to Cochin the next day when chest pain took hold of him. He had been admitted to the ICU of Manipal Hospital on 25 April owing to chest pain. He had a massive heart attack around 6.30 AM on 26 April and was revived by electric shock.
On the evening of 26 April, he looked pleasant and cheerful, shifted from the ICU, stayed up late and met many members of his family. He expressed his disappointment at not being permitted to travel and participate in the first ever state conference of the Indian National League, held at Kozhikode, Kerala. He dictated a lengthy message to be read out at the state conference by his son Siraj Ebrahim Sait.
Early next morning, by about 5.30 AM, he suffered another cardiac arrest and breathed his last. His youngest son-in-law, A.M. Shahjahan Sait, was with him at that time.
The body was shifted to his daughter, Razia Sulaiman's house. The burial took place on 28 April at 12 PM, after the janaza namaz at Qudus Sahib Eid Gah Masjid, Bangalore. He was laid to rest near the grave of his mother Zainab Bai and his wife Mariam Bai, with thousands of admirers and well-wishers in attendance. The State Government arranged for a 12-gun salute guard of honor.
Extract from the obituary reference in the Lok Sabha
Mr. Speaker: Hon. Members, I have to inform the House of the sad demise of our former colleague Shri Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait.
Shri Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait was a Member of the Fourth to Tenth Lok Sabhas from 1967 to 1996. He represented the Kozhikode Parliamentary Constituency of Kerala in the Fourth and Fifth Lok Sabhas; the Manjeri Parliamentary Constituency in the Sixth to Ninth Lok Sabhas and the Ponnani Parliamentary Constituency in the Tenth Lok Sabha.
Earlier Shri Sait was a Member of the Rajya Sabha from 1960 to 1966. During his long tenure as a parliamentarian, he served on various Parliamentary Committees.
A renowned social and political activist, Shri Sait started his career as a teacher. He took active interest in sociocultural and educational activities and was a champion of religious and educational rights of minorities. He was Honorary Magistrate, Cochin, from 1954 to 1957; General Secretary, Kerala Muslim Education Association, Ernakulam from 1957 to 1959 and its Vice-President from 1959 to 1965. He was General Secretary, All India Muslim Personal Law Board in 1973 and member of the National Integration Council. He was also a member of the Central Haj Advisory Board from 1982 to 1985 and Central Wakf Council.
A man of letters, he was editor of a magazine published by the Urdu Society of Aligarh Muslim University. He also had a publication of selected Urdu poems and books on Muslim League, its history and objectives, and Muslim Personal Law.
A widely travelled person, Shri Sait was a member of the Indian Parliamentary Delegation to Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey in 1971, and to Switzerland and the United Kingdom in 1975. Shri Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait passed away on 27 April 2005 at Bangalore at the age of 83.
Extracts from the Rajya Sabha proceedings, 28 April 2005
The Chairman referred with profound sorrow to the passing away of Shri Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait, former member of the House, on 27 April 2005 at the age of 83. Born at Bangalore in November 1922, he was educated at St. Joseph's College, Bangalore. A businessman and teacher by profession, he was actively associated with social, political and cultural organisations and took keen interest in Islamic History and Theology, Urdu poetry and minority problems.
He represented Kerala in the Rajya Sabha from April 1960 to April 1966 and was also a member of the Fourth through Tenth Lok Sabha. The House mourned the loss of a veteran parliamentarian, renowned social worker and champion of minority rights.