JEDDAH, 5 April 2004 — Dr. Abdul Qader Tash, a former editor in chief of Arab News, died at King Faisal Specialist Hospital here yesterday after suffering from cancer for some time. He was 53.
Dr. Tash, who also worked as editor in chief of four Arabic newspapers, was a member of the recently established National Human Rights Association and was a familiar face at international seminars and conferences.
Dr. Tash, who frequently called for a strong media to defend Islamic and Muslim causes, was the first director of the Islamic satellite channel Iqra and director of public relations at the Makkah-based Muslim World League (MWL).
He had also worked as the editor in chief of Al-Muslimoon weekly, supervisor of the Islamic supplement at Al-Madinah Arabic daily, editor in chief of Al-Bilad daily, the MWL’s weekly and Jeddah Magazine.
At the time of his death, Dr. Tash was in the process of establishing an international newspaper named Al-Mustaqbel based in Egypt. He was a regular columnist for Arab News and Al-Madinah and wrote articles in Asharq Al-Awsat, Okaz, Al-Watan and other Saudi dailies.
“Dr. Tash’s death is a personal loss for all of us who worked with him,” said Khaled Al-Maeena, Arab News editor in chief.
Born in Taif in 1951, Dr. Tash took his master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma and a doctoral degree in journalism and international media from the University of South Illinois.
He worked as an associate professor at Riyadh’s Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University for seven years and was editor in chief of Arab News from June 1994 to March 1998.
He was member of several organizations including the Education Council in the Makkah region, the Saudi Science Club and the Cultural Advisory Committee of the Janadriya Festival.
He was author of 13 books focusing on Islamic media and Muslim issues and included “America and Islam: Co-Existence or Confrontation.”
Dr. Tash is survived by his wife and seven children — three sons and four daughters. Condolences will be received at his house on Qatm ibn Abbas Street close to the Saudi-German Hospital in Jeddah’s Zahra district.
