Sohaib’s Smile Revisited: Dr. Michot
In April 2021, Sohaib Sultan passed away from bile duct cancer, a super rare cancer that effected the area in the liver that makes bile. His death was an elegant one. He published articles on Medium speaking about his experience. I did know Sohaib and considered him a friend. I do not know where I was in his life, but he made me feel like I was in it. When he died, I felt compelled to write something on my old Substack. Near the end of Sohaib’s life, friends and acquaintances visited him from far and wide. Except me. Why? I do not know nor do I feel comfortable revisiting it. Thank God, I did make it to his funeral. In Islam, it’s somewhat a last goodbye from the earthly life. What a peaceful day that was. I was not going to let this pass me again.
On the morning of April 1, I found out a mutual professor, my thesis advisor, and someone who I often visited with family and friends passed away. Dr. Yahya Michot in his seventies. He was sick and it was a slow regression into nothing. Dr. Michot was an academic powerhouse, publishing and translating for decades. He was known for his work on ibn Sīnā and Ibn Taymiyya. His passion though was Islamic art and architecture. He also thoroughly enjoyed works like the Arabian Nights, a class of his I missed.
His inevitable death caused me to remember narrations from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ like this: “Just before the Last Hour there will be a time in which ignorance descends, knowledge is lifted up, and harj is everywhere.” He asked, “What is harj?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Killing.” (Bukhari, Muslim) Over the periodic visits, I watch Dr. Michot get worse and worse. As the world becomes more topsy turvy, this was worrying.
But I will remember a man who cared not only for his family, but students, his community and the world at large. Dr. Michot challenged us individually. He had a standard in class that was particular but not overwhelming. I think this with his deep voice was intimidating for students but I relished in that environment, especially after finishing my Zaytuna degree. I took Islamic theology, Islamic history, spirituality, and more with him. In three years, I only missed the Arabian Nights class he taught.
As my third year approached, a thesis was the topic of many. He mentioned something in class once and no one raised their hands. A few days later, I was first to class and wondered if the offer was still on the table. It was and I jumped on it. Him and I ended up working on a text by the Persian scholar Fakhr al-Dīn called Risāla Dhamm Ladhāt al-Dunyā (Letter on Blame of the Pleasures of the Worldly Life). I grew up with Arab speakers an arm's reach away and this was difficult for them. How was I supposed to get through it? But thanks to Dr. Michot, I did. Once I almost cried, but it was worth it. Just as that happened, he took me by the hand and showed me my growing edges quite nicely. Sure, I have the only full translation of that book but the experience with him and what I learned is a greater accolade.
During exams, he did bring his cup filled with students' tears. Dr. Michot was a joker. He was a tall man and had a big beard to go along his stocky presence. When there was something funny, his smile lit up the space. Yahya was all our friends for a moment. For those of us that recognized who we were with, we took advantage of his presence in between class occasionally visiting his home. As I write this, a Google Photos album is slowly filling up with pictures of Dr. Michot from over the years. Watching memories come in one by one, I see the lives he touched and their smiles. Was there a part of Dr. Michot in Sohaib? I bet there was.
There was something contagious about Dr. Michot. We saw it in his smile. Islam has a lot to say about the heart so much so, it takes priority over the mind. Some scholars argue that it is the seat of the soul. As Dr. Michot matured into a husband, father, professor, mentor, and friend for some, his heart became more and more illuminated, where it was still felt into his last weeks. Those around him felt it. We saw it in his smile. When I think about him, I still feel it and I will definitely miss him.