Saturday 14 / March / 2026
The passing of His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said marks the conclusion of a foundational chapter in the history of modern Oman. As the nation mourns the Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, who served with distinction for over 56 years, those of us at the Times of Oman feel a loss that is both national and deeply personal.
To the world, he was the senior statesman and the calm face of Omani diplomacy. To me, he was the man who, with a characteristic smile and a sense of urgent vision, gave this newspaper its beginning.
The October meeting (1974)
The story of the Times of Oman began in a small office in October 1974. At the time, His Highness was the Minister of Information and Culture, tasked with building a media landscape from scratch. When my late father approached him with the proposal for the Sultanate’s first English-language daily, he didn’t encounter a cautious bureaucrat. Instead, he found a catalyst.
“Do it, and do it quickly,” His Highness urged. He understood that for the Omani Renaissance to be understood by the world, it needed a professional voice. Because of his decisiveness, by February 1975, the first edition of this paper was in the hands of the public.
The athlete on the dusty pitch
Long before the mahogany tables of the Council of Ministers, my earliest memories of His Highness are far more spirited. In the early 1970s, before the grand Ministry of Finance rose in Muscat, there was the Oman Club ground.
As a young boy, I would stand by the sidelines and watch him play hockey. It is a vivid image: His Highness, athletic and focused, competing with the same vigour he later brought to statecraft. He had a charming, practical habit—a small white towel tucked neatly into his shorts to wipe away the sweat of the game. But what stood out most, even in the heat of a match on a dusty field, was his smile. It was a warmth that never left his face.
The pillar of continuity
That same calm was what the world saw in January 2020. During the profound grief following the passing of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, His Highness Sayyid Fahd stood as the embodiment of continuity. As the head of the Royal Family Council on that historic day, his wisdom and composed words guided the transition to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik. He demonstrated to the world that while leaders may pass, the institutions they build are eternal.
Our deepest condolences
Until his final days in 2026, His Highness remained at the helm, re-confirmed in his post by His Majesty Sultan Haitham just months ago. He was the last of the original pioneers from the 1970 cabinet to die in office, serving three Sultans with unwavering loyalty.
As we go to press today, we do so with a heavy heart. We extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family, particularly to his children, His Highness Sayyid Kamil bin Fahd and Her Highness Sayyida Muna bint Fahd, and their families.
His signature smile may have left the halls of the Council of Ministers, but it will forever be etched in the memory of this nation.
“To God we belong, and to Him we shall return.”
