With hearts content with the decree of Allah and His divine will, I mourn the passing of my uncle, the devoted student: Uncle Omar Brey, who departed this life after a long struggle with the malignant illness, having surpassed seventy years of age.
He – may Allah have mercy on him – was the embodiment of steadfast patience, a man who never knew surrender. Whenever the weight of the illness eased for a moment, he would once again tighten his fingers around the calligraphy pen, inscribing the words of Allah with ink of patience and faith. Many times, he would write to me from the operating room or from a chemotherapy session, apologizing for falling short in his duties or inquiring about fine details of the art of calligraphy.
I first met Uncle Brey in Cape Town, the capital of South Africa, in April 2023. From that day on, he accompanied me as a student whose resolve never knew fatigue. He was an elder in body, yet youthful in spirit.
The last works Uncle Omar inscribed under my supervision were three successive pieces: Surah al-Qari‘ah, then a verse from Surah al-Nahl, and finally al-Sab‘ al-Mathani – al-Fatihah, the Opening of the Book – as though sealing his pure soul with it.
We deem him – and Allah alone is his judge – a sincere believer, refined, humble, and full of love for the Qur’an and its arts.
It was a great honor to have such a man as my student; indeed, in many instances, I was the student, learning from his Prophetic character, his noble demeanor, and his beautiful patience.
May Allah shower Uncle Omar Brey with His vast mercy, make the Qur’an his intercessor, and grant him abode in the gardens of Paradise.
Islamic Calligraphy in South Africa
Dr Omar Brey – Wynberg Resident and Chairperson of the Yusufeyyah Masjid
