Famous Islamic religious scholar Abu Hassan Din Al-Hafiz died early this morning.

He was 73.

According to his son, Mohamad Yusri, his father fell unconscious while preparing to perform the Subuh prayer and was rushed to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 7.30 am.

Mohamad Yusri said the funeral prayers for his father would be held at the Saidina Hamzah Mosque in Kampung Batu Muda in Kuala Lumpur, and the remains would be laid to rest at the nearby cemetery before Zohor prayers.

Abu Hassan was the former grand imam of the National Mosque and had been the religious advisor to several Yang di-Pertuan Agong, including the late Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Al-Haj, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail and Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin.

Meanwhile, condolences poured in for the bereaved family of Abu Hassan, including from Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.

“On behalf of Terengganu state government, I would like to express my condolences to the family members of the late Datuk Seri Abu Hassan Din al-Hafiz who passed away this morning.

“May his departed soul be blessed with grace and placed among the righteous,” he said on his social media platform.

Mufti of Federal Territories Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri, who shared his sadness over the demise of Abu Hassan on Facebook, described the latter as a very influential Muslim cleric.

“I can vividly remember him in that once famous Forum Perdana Ehwal Islam programme. In every little joke he made, there would be bits of advice and points to ponder that would refresh one’s heart and soul.

“May his soul rest in peace. Al-Fatihah,” he said.

Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali in his tweet said he was deeply saddened by the sudden demise of Abu Hassan and prayed that Allah blessed the scholar with husnul khatimah and grant him entrance to heaven.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs MinisterSaifuddin Nasution Ismail also extended condolences to Abu Hassan’s family.

“May Allah bless his soul and ease everything for him. Al-Fatihah,” he said.

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said, today, the country had lost a prominent Muslim cleric who had contributed so much to the development of knowledge on the Quran.

Abu Hassan was the younger brother of former PAS spiritual leader, Haron Din, who died in the United States in September 2016 and Ustaz Ishak Din, who died while receiving treatment at the National Heart Institute in November the same year.