(First version. You can read an updated version (after editor access) as published at USA TODAY College here.)
Wichita State student killed in Islamic State attack, “kind,” “polite”
—Kevin Brown, Wichita State University
A Wichita State University electrical engineering student was killed early Friday morning in Saudi Arabia when he, along with a friend, thwarted an attack from an Islamic State suicide bomber at a mosque.
Abduljaleel Alarbash, 22, was on vacation to his home country of Saudi Arabia to get married, with plans to return to WSU in the fall to finish his degree.
While home, Alarbash and a friend were volunteering as security guards at a mosque in Dammam when they, according to local witnesses, noticed a man, dressed as a woman, trying to enter the female entrance of the mosque.
After refusing entrance of the man, Alarbash and friend Mohammed hassan Ali bin Isa chased the man away from the entrance where he detonated the bombs in the mosque’s parking lot, killing the two men along with two others, the Associated Press reports.
Since the incident, The Independent reports that photos of the pair were circulating on social media today, with people calling them heroes and ‘martyrs.’”
Although the tragic incident took place thousands of miles from Kansas, shock waves of the attack have hit the WSU community.
“We are all extremely saddened,” said Taben Azad, vice president of the Wichita State Muslim Student Association (MSA) and mechanical engineering, political science undergraduate student. “We are a little surprised, as this is an unprecedented and tragic death not just of another Muslim individual in the community, but as another student, as he was a graduate student planning on coming back next fall.”
Alarbash is known for not only being an extremely intelligent student, but also as being a humble, kind and caring student, having many friends within the community — with his character making waves off-campus was well.
“I have known him,” said Azad. “He comes to my Dad’s grocery store every day and one of the comments my Dad gave is that ‘He is one of the most genuine people he knows — always smiling, always happy.’”
Alarbash made an impact on his professors and teachers as well, as a dedicated student that was always on the lookout for the well-being of those around him.
“He was one of the friendliest, sweetest and was so kind,” said Preethika Kumar, associate professor in the department of electrical engineering and computer science at WSU. “He would always sit at the front of my class and was always smiling, no matter how difficult the topic was.”As a professor, Kumar was able to get to know Alarbash not only academically, but also as an individual, as Alarbash would regularly speak to her outside of class.
He made sure that honesty was a part of his interactions with Kumar.
“I remember, after he took my final exam, he came to me and said, ‘I’m sorry, Dr. Kumar, I don’t think I did so well [on the final] because I am so excited about my wedding,’” Kumar said. “It was so cute.”
The attack that claimed the life of Alarbash was not unique, as security had been increased at the country’s mosques following a similar Islamic State bombing on May 22 that killed 21 individuals.
Even with the attack on May 22, Alarbash has been viewed as a hero for thwarting the attack on the mosque, living up to the nature of the way he treated those around him.
“It is important to note he was not only doing his Muslim duties, but also his duties as a global citizen of the world by protecting those people at the mosque,” said Azad. “His act is a genuine and, more importantly, a widespread characteristic of Muslims alike — we want to do the best we can to help all individuals and he did what he needed to do as a Muslim follower.”
Azad said plans for a candlelight vigil and memorial service in respect to Alarbash are being finalized and the event will take place some time next week on the WSU campus.
“We want to be sure to give individuals a good time to mourn, come outside and get a good gathering of individuals together to remember his life.”