Police concluded Saturday that Islamic arts and archeology professor Nasser Al-Harthy, 50, of Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah, who was found hanging by his headdress (shumagh)from the ceiling of his private office Friday night at his residence in Alwali District in Makkah, committed suicide. The police rushed to the professor's office when they received a report that he had not left the office for two days. The professor used to spend long hours by himself doing library-based research in his office. The police said that they found the office locked from the inside, suggesting the planned suicide attempt. The police also came to a conclusion that the professor had committed suicide after reading a note he left in his office, asking that all his debts be paid in full and that his children be taken care of, said Major Abdul Mohsen Al-Maiman, Spokesman of Makkah Police. The driver and the housemaid were questioned Saturday. As the police have confirmed that suicide was the cause of the professor's death, the Commission of Investigation and Prosecution (CIP) has started its own investigation into the case. The CIP has received the case file from the police with full access to the professor's office, Al-Maiman said. A forensic report of the detailed causes of death will be available Tuesday to the family. Academicians have been shocked by the unexpected “suicide” of Al-Harthy who only last week was promoted to head the History and Islamic Civilization Department at Umm Al-Qura University. The medical history of Al-Harthy indicates that he has had no psychiatric illnesses. He, however, suffered from diabetes. Abdul Rahman Al-Thubaiti, Director of the Antiquities Bureau in Makkah, said he had a long phone conversation with Al-Harthy two days ago before his death and that he sounded well. “He said that he was ready to attend the scheduled meeting of the General Commission for Tourism and Antiquities within the next few days,” Al-Thubaiti said. “Al-Harthy was an authority in the field, especially on the history of Makkah, and he was very helpful to his students,” Al
