Sheikh Rashid



Sheikh Rashid was a popular religious and political leader in Abbudin and the nemesis of Khaled Al-Fayeed. He had two sons, Ihab and Namir and was married to an unkown woman. HIs brother, Walid, was an Al-Fayeed collaborator and was generally looked down upon by the rest of his family. The Sheikh led a terrorist rebellion against the Al-Fayeed regime in his youth that ended in failure after his home province, Ma'an, was gassed in a surprise attack that killed twenty thousand men, women children. This gas attack killed the Sheikh's wife and scarred his lungs permanently, leading to numerous health problems in the future. Following the attack he was forced to flee into exile, where he remained for twenty years. His son, Ihab, remained in Abbudin and continued the Sheikh's rebellion, launching terrorist attacks against the Al-Fayeed regime in the name of a fundamental Islamic rebellion. The Sheikh died after being first hospitalized by Jamal Al-Fayeed and then killed in the hospital via lethal injection by Bassam. According to Bassam he, "Died as he lived, for Ma'an."

The Sheikh was a calm, rational man who, despite everything done to him, bore no grudge against the Al-Fayeeds. He greatly respected Khaled until Khaled gassed his home (an act which Khaled in fact did not order.) His forgiving nature may be part of his Islamic upbringing, and he followed fundamental Islamic laws to the letter, including the law of not harming a guest. He once told Bassam, "Bassam Al-Fayeed, yesterday you were my enemy, but today, you are my guest" shortly before inviting him to dinner and after defending him from an assassin.

Biography
Almost nothing is known of the Sheikh's childhood or teenage years. In his youth however he became a prominent religious leader and spoke out against Khaled's increasingly totalitarian regime. Eventually the Sheikh's protests turned violent and Abbudin broke out into civil war. Khaled finally agreed to negotiate with the Sheikh but on the eve of the negotiations launched a surprise attack against the Sheikh's home of Ma'an, killing twenty thousand men, women, and children, including the Sheikh's wife. The Sheikh's lungs were permanently scarred following the attack and he developed numerous health issues afterward, including a raspy voice and a bad cough. The Sheikh was forced to flee into exile following the attack, ending the war decisively as a victory for the Al-Fayeeds. The attack was retaliation to an apparent bombing of an Al-Fayeed military barracks by the Sheikh's forces, though the Sheikh denied any responsibility for the attack. The bombing was in fact orchestrated by Khaled's brother, General Tariq, in the hopes of provoking Khaled into authorizing an attack against Ma'an. When Khaled refused however Tariq acted on his own authority and ordered the attack, much to the horror of Khaled.

Season 1
The Sheikh does not make an appearance until the episode, "Hail Mary" when Bassam goes and visits him in secret and without Jamal's knowledge. The Sheikh greets Bassam and defends him from an attempted assassination, acknowledging Bassam is a guest and should be treated as such. After dinner Bassam and the Sheikh speak privately and Bassam invites the Sheikh back to Abbudin to peacefully resolve a protest. The

Sheikh initially declines but appears at the protest in the square where he calms the crowd down and demandsto speak to President Jamal. Jamal, though offended by the Sheih's "demand", agrees to do so with Bassam's encouragement. At the meeting Jamal offers generous terms to the Sheikh but the Sheikh counters with one demand: free democratic elections for the office of President. Jamal initially balks but with Bassam's encouragement once again agrees. The Sheikh creates friction between Jamal and Bassam by describing Jamal as a "lion" but describing Bassam as the "lion tamer, telling the lion what to do" on a 20/20 interview. The polls for Jamal look dismal and it appears the Sheikh will be the victor. At the ceremony where



Jamal will officially amend Abbudin's constitution to involve democratic elections the Sheikh taunts Jamal on Bassam's superior leadership and Jamal, in a fit of rage, attacks the Sheikh, apparently killing him. However the Sheikh survives and appears will slowly recover. Jamal asks Bassam to finish the job and Bassam, disgusted, initially refuses but agrees to do so. Bassam reluctantly injects the Sheikh with a slow poison and the Sheikh dies afterwards.

The Sheikh's death does not mark the end of his influence, however. His son, Ihab, runs in his place against Jamal and the Sheikh's death forces Bassam to acknowledge Jamal's poor leadership. This prompts Bassam to initiate a coup to depose Jamal and instate himself as interim President until the elections.

Relationship

 * Namir Rashid (son)
 * Ihab Rashid (son)
 * Khaled Al-Fayeed (archenemy)