On 19 Ramadan was the Day the United Arab Emirates lost its founder, father and builder. To mention the United Arab Emirates without acknowledging a truly inspiring leader would be overlooking the hardships of turning a desert into a developing country. Since the birth of the federation over three decades ago he managed to transform the desert into the developing country it is today. To all who lived in his era I would say are lucky and blessed.
Nothing comes close to an Emirati’s heart, nothing compares to Sheikh Zayed. Many non-Emiratis ,ay not understand what goes through Emirati hearts, minds and veins when Sheikh Zayed’s name is mentioned, its pride, joy and much more.
What he did was a not a small miracle, the fact that he was able to keep the UAE federation together out of small and vulnerable Trucial States, in an age that increasingly has become one of combat zones everywhere, is not small.
“He was our Washington and our Lincoln, rolled into one” – Sultan Al Qassemi
Washington established the United States of America, and Lincoln saved it from its biggest threats. Sheikh Zayed lived long enough to do both. Six years on, we’re just waking up to the UAE’s loss of the century; and it still hurts.
As someone once asked: “The question of where we stand tomorrow, lies with us today and I always ask myself–are we, as a generation, ready to take the torch and run with our late father’s dream? We better be… he’s counting on us.
Coming from the USA and becoming a Proud Emirati Citizen, it was a sad and somber time in my life and those around me. People make jokes and say we are “opressed” but would opressed people mourn so for a leader? Allah yar humma Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Rashid and those who raised them to be merciful and loving to all of us, Alhumdullila, we were blessed.