PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz dies

[KOTA BARU] Former Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat has died on Thursday evening. He was 84.

"He passes on Malam Jumaat (Thursday night). Hope Allah will bless his soul and put him among the pious in Heaven," said a statement from PAS.

His son, Pasir Mas MP Nik Abduh, confirmed Nik Aziz's death via Twitter according to The Star online report.

Nik Aziz who had been suffering from prostate cancer had been warded at the Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital in Kubang Kerian after suffering a stroke.

PAS' spiritual leader was born on Jan 10, 1931 in Pulau Melaka, Kelantan. He studied at Darul Uloom Deoband in Uttar Pradesh, India for five years and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Arabic Studies and Master of Arts in Islamic jurisprudence from Al-Azhar University, Egypt. He was able to speak in Arabic, English, Tamil and Urdu.

Second among five siblings, he joined PAS in 1967 and helmed the Kelantan government for 23 years as Chempaka assemblyman under the Pengkalan Chepa constituency.

Nik Aziz retired as Kelantan's Mentri Besar in 2013 and was replaced by his deputy, Datuk Ahmad Yakob.

He was married to Tuan Sabariah Tuan Ishak and had 10 children.