Mohammed Nassimi

CHAMPAIGN - Mr. Mohammad Yasin Nassimi, father of Prof. Masooda Bashir at UIUC, was a very prominent member of the Afghan community in the U.S. and around the world. He passed away the morning of June 22, 2024, in Champaign at the house of Masooda and Rashid Bashir.

He was buried on Monday, June 24, 2024, at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Fishers, Ind.

Mr. Nassimi was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, and was blessed to have lived a long life as a great scholar, statesman, father, husband, brother and great-great-grandfather. He had vast knowledge and was an avid writer having authored over 20 books on the Islamic faith, religion, world politics and other topics.

He started from humble beginnings and was the first person in his family to go to high school and then college. He earned his master's degree in education from Indiana University in Bloomington and Chapmen College in California in 1963. He returned to Afghanistan and was a professor at Kabul University. He then worked in the government and became a very prominent statesman, eventually working as the leader of the parliament in Afghanistan with King Zaher Shah. After the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, he and his family fled the country and immigrated to the U.S. between 1979 and 1981, to West Lafayette, Ind., and other parts of the U.S. and Canada. He restarted his life in America and taught his family and children the value of hard work, education and did all he could to provide for them. His children studied at academic institutions around the country and the world, earning master's and doctorate degrees. 

He lived to be 107 years old! He was providing sage advice to children, grandchildren and others until his last day. He was very patient and kind and enjoyed calling and keeping in touch with family members. He loved reading, studying and staying busy, healthy and active as much as he could, making a point to exercise every day. He had finished his last book two days before his passing. He passed away peacefully and quickly.

He is survived by 10 children; 34 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren; and nine great-great-grandchildren in the U.S. and Canada.

We pray that his soul rests in peace and that his life of positive thinking, hard work, strengthening family and community kinship and bonds, and service to his community, be a model for all of us.

Condolences may be made at renner-wikoffchapel.com.