Just before his passing he and his son had been working on a family genealogy beginning with the arrival of his indentured ancestor in 1885 from India. The book is an important piece of historical evidence, detailing nearly 1000 individuals over six generations, and will be dedicated to his memory.

Shahabudin had two children. His son, Omar Shahabudin McDoom, a fellow at Harvard University, is finishing his doctorate in political science. His daughter, Opheera Meezaun McDoom, a well-known journalist, runs the Reuters news bureau in Khartoum, Sudan. With his passing a family loses a father. But Guyana also loses a patriot, and its Muslim community a passionate advocate.