Sheikh of Dubai. (Photo) The life and success story of the Ruler of Dubai - Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Dubai, one of the key emirates in the UAE, is in mourning. Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed al-Maktoum, the eldest son of Mohammed ibn Rashid al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, and concurrently the second most influential person in the United Arab Emirates, prime minister, vice president and minister of defense of the country, has died. Sheikh Rashid died of a heart attack, less than a month and a half shy of his 34th birthday. His younger brother and Crown Prince Hamdan wrote: “Today I lost my best friend and childhood companion, dear brother Rashid. We will miss you." Lenta.ru tried to figure out what made the eldest son of the Dubai emir famous.
According to British standard
Little is known about Rashid’s childhood and youth: Instagram did not yet exist at that time, and Arab emirs and their heirs had not yet acquired the habit of posting scenes of a rich life with geotags for public viewing.
Rashid is the eldest son of the emir from his eldest and main wife Hind bint Maktoum and, accordingly, the stepson of the emir's second wife, the Jordanian princess Haya bint al-Hussein. The children of Mohammed and Hind, according to the memoirs of brother Rashid Hamdan, were brought up in the spirit of traditional values.
In Dubai, the heir graduated from a school for boys named after Sheikh Rashid - education there was conducted according to the English model. After which his father sent Rashid to the UK - to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, where Arab sheikhs traditionally send their children (the current emir of Qatar, the king of Bahrain, the sultans of Brunei and Oman graduated from it).
Disinherited
Rashid ibn Mohammed was preparing to become his father's successor: the emir introduced him to state affairs and entrusted him with control over various economic projects. But on February 1, 2008, everything suddenly changed: Rashid’s younger brother, Sheikh Mohammed’s second son, Hamdan, was appointed Crown Prince of Dubai. His younger brother Maktoum received the post of Deputy Ruler of Dubai. The emir's eldest son officially abdicated the throne, and moreover, there was no place for him among the leadership of the emirate.
This step, however, can only be called unexpected: diplomats and Arabic experts, long before the emir’s decree, noticed that Hamdan was increasingly appearing in front of cameras next to his father and that the emirate’s press was writing about him more and more often. What happened, why was Rashid out of work?
The publication of WikiLeaks documents brought some clarity to this issue. Among the released cables is a telegram from the US Consul General in Dubai, David Williams, in which he reports on the change in the order of succession and the reasons for it. Without disclosing his sources, Williams reported that Rashid killed one of the workers in the emir's palace, this angered the sheikh, and he revised the line of succession.
Solace in sports
The PR campaign in the emirate and around the world bore fruit: the new Crown Prince Hamdan quickly became a darling of the press. A diver and paratrooper, a falconer who keeps a menagerie of lions and white tigers, a snowboarder and a poet who writes under the pseudonym Fazza. An excellent rider, multiple winner of equestrian competitions, owner of expensive cars and yachts - Hamdan ibn Mohammed willingly demonstrates all this luxury on his Instagram account. Hamdan is known as a philanthropist and philanthropist, generously distributing donations to the disabled and sick children, and also as one of the most eligible bachelors in the world. Admiring fans gave him the nickname “Aladdin”.
Against this background, his older brother Rashid looked rather pale (especially considering the difference in their capital - less than two billion dollars for Rashid versus 18 billion for Hamdan), and he does not have an Instagram account. Although it cannot be said that the press did not spoil him with their attention. Since 2005, he has consistently been included in the list of “20 Sexiest Arab Men” for five years in a row; in 2010, Esquire magazine recognized him as “one of the 20 most enviable royals,” and a year later, Forbes included him in the top 20 “most desirable.” persons of royal blood."
Having lost his right to the throne, Rashid ibn Mohammed focused on sports. The entire Al Maktoum family is famous for its love of horses, and Rashid is no exception. He owned the Zabeel Racing International racing corporation and won numerous competitions both in the UAE and abroad. In total he won 428 medals. The pinnacle of Rashid ibn Mohammed's sporting achievements was two gold medals at the Asian Games in Doha in 2006. From 2008 to 2010, Rashid was even the president of the UAE Olympic Committee, but left this post, as he explained, due to lack of time.
Scandal in a noble family
Arab sheikhs try not to make their internal affairs public, but sometimes, when the traditional values of oil emirs collide with European realities, leaks occur. This is what happened with Rashid.
In 2011, a black employee from the staff of the British palace of Emir Olantunji Faleye appealed to the British court. He claimed that he was discriminated against on racial and religious grounds: members of the sheikh's family addressed him as "al-abd al-aswad" - "black slave", and repeatedly insulted Christianity (Faleye is an Anglican), calling him "bad, low and disgusting faith,” convincing his “black slave” to convert to Islam.
During the hearings, another service employee, Ejil Mohammed Ali, was summoned as a witness to the court, who, among other things, stated under oath that Sheikh Rashid was a drug addict who had recently completed a rehabilitation course.
However, it is unlikely that such scandals can shake the reputation of the Royal House of Dubai, which invests millions of dollars in its PR in the media and social networks. Judging by the number of responses on Rashid's Facebook page, many people, including from the poorest countries in the world, perceive the death of the eldest son of the Dubai emir as a personal tragedy.
In Arabic, the term sheikh means a well-born adult man who has enormous wealth and is highly respected in society among believers. Only the most revered and respected Muslims can earn this honorary title, and it is usually the case that the sheikh is a man over 40 years of age. However, daughters and wives of sheikhs may often also be called by this title. Muslims who earn the title of Sheikh are often diligent students of the religion of Islam, they are well versed in the teachings of the Qur'an, and they live according to the Sunnah, which is the way of life outlined to Muslims by the Prophet Muhammad himself. A person can also be appointed as a sheikh if he has completed his studies at a university of Islamic studies and can lecture to students. Due to the large oil reserves and the number of wealthy families in the Middle East, some sheikhs in the region are extremely wealthy - some sheikhs in the Middle East are estimated to be the world's richest billionaires. In most Arab countries, royal houses use the term sheikha to refer to wealthy members of the royal family. Usually in the Arab world the wealth of one or another sheikh is hidden, but we have compiled a list of the richest sheikhs based on known information on the Internet. Islam is the second largest religion in the world, second only to Christianity, and is the fastest growing religion in the world. Islam is most widely used in Asia. More than 1 billion people in Asia identify as Muslims, most of these people live in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia. There are more than 500 million Muslims in Africa and the Middle East.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, worth $2 billion. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is the current ruler of Qatar, he became the Emir of the State of Qatar after his father Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who abdicated the throne in 2013. This made Tamim bin Hamad the youngest reigning monarch in the world.
Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani, worth $2.2 billion. Sheikh Faisal bin Qasim al-Thani became successful almost in spite of his family name, not because of it. His title Sheikh has no relation to political position. He is a distant relative of the ruling Al Thani family in Qatar.
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, worth $2.4 billion. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani was the Emir of Qatar from 1995 to 2013. During his reign, the country produced approximately 85 million tons of natural gas, which made Qatar the richest country in the world per capita. He abdicated the throne last year to allow his son to succeed him. Sheikh Hamad himself came to power after a bloodless coup, taking the throne of his father.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, worth $4.5 billion. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the Vice President of the United Arab Emirates and is also the constitutional monarch of Dubai. As of 2010, his investment company Dubai Holding owed banks $12 billion. As Crown Prince of Dubai, he named his yacht - the third largest in the world - "Dubai". He is a horse racing enthusiast and is reputed to be the biggest spender on horse racing bets.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, worth $4.9 billion. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and the half-brother of the country's president. Sheikh Mansour is the chairman of Al Jazeera Sports Company, which owns football, handball, volleyball and basketball teams in Abu Dhabi. He also owns the English football club Manchester City. He is the Chairman of the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Investment Company.
Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Ali Al Amoudi, worth $14.3 billion. Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Ali Al Amoudi is the 63rd richest person in the world. He lives in two countries: Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia. He is also the second richest Saudi citizen and the richest black person. His title of Sheikh is given for his wealth and achievements, because he is not a member of any royal family. He is believed to be not only the largest foreign investor in Ethiopia, but also in Sweden. Mohammed Hussein earned his wealth through oil, mining and agricultural assets.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, worth $18 billion. According to experts, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan's personal capital is about $18 billion. However, the Al Nahyan family has a total net worth of about $150 billion. Sheikh Khalifa is the current Emir of Abu Dhabi and President of the United Arab Emirates. He officially took over the presidency in 2004. But he actually acted as president since 1990, due to his father’s poor health, while being crown prince. The tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa, is named after him.
The love story of a simple girl and a prince is a classic plot for fairy tales and has been popular since time immemorial, so not only little girls, but also well-established adult women dream of marrying a handsome, rich and intelligent “prince on a white horse.” And miracles happen, the main thing is to know where to look for him, this prince. We present to your attention the five most beautiful and richest heirs of the Muslim world.
1. Crown Prince of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum
Son of the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum and his wife sheikhs Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma al-Maktoum. Sheikh Hamdan- a very popular person in the United Arab Emirates. He received an excellent education in the UK, graduating from the Sandhurst Army School, as well as the London College of Economics and the Dubai College of Administration. The sheikh gained popularity due to his charitable activities: the prince directly supervises a number of foundations that organize fundraising for the treatment of seriously ill children.
Sheikh Hamdan belongs to the al-Maktoum dynasty and officially holds the position of head of the Dubai Executive Council, that is, he heads the government of the emirate of Dubai, but he has time for numerous hobbies. Born on Valentine's Day, the prince is fond of romantic poetry, has the creative pseudonym Fazza, and even publishes collections of poetry. Sheikh Hamdan also loves horse riding, has a large collection of Arabian horses and regularly takes part in numerous equestrian competitions.
The Crown Prince is not married, but, alas, even before his birth he was engaged to a maternal relative. However, don’t be upset - no one can forbid a sheikh to have as many wives as he wants!
2. Crown Prince of Jordan Hussein bin Abdullah
Crown Prince of Jordan Hussein bin Abdullah
The king's eldest child Abdullah II and queens Rania, 20-year-old crown prince Hussein bin Abdullah since 2009 he has been heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Jordan. Belongs to the Hashemite dynasty.
In 2007, the prince entered the Royal Academy in Madaba, then, as usual, went to study in the West, and he is currently studying political science in Washington, at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. In addition to his native Arabic, the Prince of Jordan is fluent in three foreign languages: English, French and Hebrew.
Hussein bin Abdullah is involved in charity work, runs a foundation to support the development of science among youth, and also has a number of hobbies, including football and collecting motorcycles.
Despite the fact that Jordan is a country characterized by a higher level of transparency and more “Western” values than neighboring UAE and Saudi Arabia, no information about the personal life of the heir to the throne is publicly available, only that he is not yet married.
3. Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnun al-Nahyan
Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan
Son of the President of the United Arab Emirates Caliphs bin Zayed al-Nahyan, sheikh Sultan bin Tahnun al-Nahyan is a member of the oldest ruling dynasty of Abu Dhabi - al-Nahyan. He received a bachelor's degree from UAE University in engineering and architecture, then studied international relations at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Massachusetts, USA.
Sheikh Sultan oversees many issues of national importance. He is involved in investments in the development of sports, architecture, and also serves as the head of the Committee for the Development of the Eastern Region. In addition, he controls the work of state charitable foundations, as well as a large number of organizations dealing with cultural heritage issues.
Among the sheikh's many hobbies are many sports, collecting art and traveling.
There is no information about the personal life of Sheikh Sultan either on the Internet or in the media.
4. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani
Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
Sixth son of the former ruling Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa and the fifth son of his second wife - sheikhs Mozy bint Nasser al-Misned, sheikh Mohammed is a representative of another major dynasty of the Arab world, the ruling family of Qatar - al-Thani.
He studied at the Qatar Academy, received a bachelor's degree from the Diplomatic School of Georgetown University in Qatar, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard University. Sheikh Mohammed is fluent in Arabic, English and French.
According to the laws of Arab monarchies, the eldest son of the ruler of the state is considered the crown prince, so Mohammed, being the sixth son of the emir, will most likely never become the head of Qatar. But this does not mean that the younger children of rulers do not take part in managing the affairs of the state. Typically, the children of emirs occupy positions in the cabinet or head numerous committees overseeing issues of national importance. This happened with Sheikh Mohammed. A former captain of the Qatar equestrian team, he is very passionate about sports, and is therefore directly involved in the leadership of the Committee for the preparation of the FIFA World Cup, which is to be held in Qatar in 2022.
According to unconfirmed reports, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani is not married.
5. Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani
Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
Sheikh's brother Mohammed al-Thani(not only by father, but also by mother), sheikh Jasim is definitely on the list of the most handsome Arab men. By the way, the appearance of two brothers in our rating today al-Thani not surprising. The fact is that their mother is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful women in the Muslim world. Sheikha Moza bint Nasser al-Misned- the second wife of the former emir of Qatar is known not only as a beauty and a style icon, but also as a very gifted politician, who takes a hidden, but quite significant part in many state issues. And therefore, it is not at all surprising that such a woman gave birth to such attractive and gifted children.
Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani was Crown Prince of Qatar from 1996 to 2003, but subsequently, realizing that he was unfit to fulfill this role, renounced the status of heir apparent in favor of his younger brother, the current Emir of Qatar Tamima al-Thani.
He was educated at the British Royal Academy at Sandhurst, then returned to his homeland and became involved in charity work. He is now the honorary president of the Qatar National Cancer Society (QNCS) and is also involved in environmental issues.
Unfortunately, Sheikh Jasim has already chosen his first wife. She became a representative of the same dynasty, Sheikh Buthaina bint Ahmad al-Thani, daughter of the sheikh Hamada bin Ali al-Thani. The couple already have three children. But, as we know,
Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the 35-year-old heir to the throne of the Emirate of Dubai. Sheikh Hamdan is a true eastern prince: he is fabulously handsome, owns a huge fortune and enjoys such typical royal things as falconry, equestrianism and Formula 1 racing. His fortune is estimated at over $18 billion.
Let's tell you about the life of a young billionaire.
1. Arab Sheikh Hamdan has lived in incredible luxury since birth. He was born into the family of the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum. He also has 6 brothers and 9 sisters. In the United Arab Emirates, Hamdan is a very popular person due to his versatile image and apparent “closeness to the people.”
2. In fact, Hamdan spent most of his life not in his native United Arab Emirates, but in Great Britain, where he received an excellent education. First, he studied at the elite military school of the ground forces at Sandhurst, which is often chosen by English aristocrats for their beloved children. Then the sheikh moved to London, where he studied economics. After several years spent in Foggy Albion, Hamdan still had to return to his homeland - matters of national importance were already awaiting him there.
4. In ordinary life, Sheikh Hamdan looks a little different - he loves baseball caps with Formula 1 symbols, sports T-shirts and shorts. And the prince is to some extent far from politics - he is quite romantic in nature, loves travel, falconry and horse riding.
5. The prince is an excellent rider, he is very interested in equestrian sports, has his own stable and once won the Arab Olympic Games thanks to his skill in the saddle.
6. The Sheikh of the United Arab Emirates is not at all like the British princes Harry or William, although he lived in England for several years. Very little is known about Hamdan’s personal life, unlike his famous “colleagues,” and what is known is only rumors and guesses. One thing we know for sure is that the image makers of the royal court are constantly working to ensure that the image of the sheikh is impeccable.
7. Judge for yourself - Sheikh Hamdan is constantly photographed with children, his many nephews and nieces and at the same time looks like an absolutely charming and kind uncle. At the same time, the sheikh does not let anyone forget that he lives in luxury - on the Internet you can find a lot of photographs of Hamdan with tiger cubs (he can afford to have a pet tiger instead of a modest cat!), falcons, Arabian horses, luxury cars, in interiors a magnificent palace... In a word, the sheikh is constantly in an aura of power and wealth.
8. Of course, one of the richest people in the world cannot help but engage in charity work - Hamdan oversees several foundations, and sometimes he himself comes to visit people in need of help.
9. His personal life and relationships with women in the UAE are talked about only in whispers. Answering a question about his possible marriage, the prince said that he had been engaged to a maternal relative since birth, so there were no problems with choosing a bride - everything was decided long before he even entered conscious age. Several times his photo with an unknown woman appeared in the media, but we will never see her face - Hamdan's alleged bride (or wife?) wears a black burqa, showing the world only her eyes. Everything else is for the husband.
10. However, the sheikh has the right to have as many wives as he wants, so it is quite difficult to talk about the prince’s romantic attachments. By comparison, Hamdan's father, Sheikh Mohammed, is rumored to have around five wives. We say “about” because the exact number is truly unknown - there are only eyewitness accounts and guesses.
In a word, even girls from aristocratic families have no opportunity to get closer to the mysterious eastern prince, since everything connected with his personality is confidential information, and the influential Hamdan clan is unlikely to leave the choice of wives to his own discretion. This does not prevent the sheikh from having a lot of fans of his attractive appearance and various talents - after all, no one forbade him to watch and believe!
11. Nowadays, the 32-year-old sheikh works as chairman of the Dubai City Council and president of the Dubai Sports Committee.
12. Like his father, Sheikh Hamdan writes poetry. The main motives of poetry are family, homeland, romantic relationships.
13. The prince is a skilled horseman. He received a gold medal in horse riding at the Asian Games.
14. His Highness is also interested in breeding camels, which requires considerable expenses.
15. The prince is on a private jet.
16. Scuba dive with the world's only swimming elephant.
17. Hamdan works on charitable projects, such as advocating for people with disabilities.
18. Hamdan's pet.
19. The prince’s hobbies include cars...
20. ...jumping from heights...
22. ...mountain climbing...
23. ...falconry.
January 2, 2011, 20:20I became interested in this princess thanks to BusbyBabes' post about the Crown Prince of Dubai. We wondered who this attractive woman in the photo was, presented as the second wife of the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed.
It turned out that she is actually an extremely contradictory, but very extraordinary person. Princess Haya bint Al Hussein was born on May 3, 1974, to King Hussein I of Jordan. Her mother, Queen Alia, tragically died in a helicopter crash in February 1977, leaving three young children orphaned. Haya received an excellent European education: she studied in England, where she attended Badminton School for Girls in Bristol, Bryanston School in Dorset, and then St Hilda's College at the University of Oxford, from which she graduated with an honors degree in philosophy, politics and economics. Perhaps she would have remained one of the daughters of the late King of Jordan, if not for a happy marriage: on April 10, 2004, Princess Haya married Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the UAE, ruler of Dubai, whose fortune is estimated at 20 billion dollars.
Haya becomes his younger wife, because the older wife was and remains Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum (the marriage with this wife has lasted since 1979). At the time of his marriage, Sheikh Mohammed also had four wives, whose descendants are recognized, but who do not have official titles. And his total number of wives has not been published anywhere, but, as is known, he also has childless wives. On December 2, 2007, Princess Haya gave birth to her first child, Sheikha Al Jalila bint Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum. The birth of her daughter coincided with the thirty-sixth anniversary of the unification of the UAE. If the first wife of the Sheikh of Dubai is not a public person at all, then Princess Haya is her complete opposite. We can say that she is the “face” of Dubai.
The princess is involved in humanitarian work: she founded Tikyet Um Ali, the first Arab organization fighting to overcome hunger in her native Jordan. She also heads Dubai's International Humanitarian City (as I understand, this is a foundation that helps overcome humanitarian problems in the Arab world). She was an Ambassador for the World Food Program in 2005-2007, and then, in July 2007, she was appointed Envoy She is one of the founders of the Global Humanitarian Forum based in Geneva and is a member of the boards of many other non-profit public organizations.
However, her image is not so sinless. There are many scandals associated with Princess Haya. Thus, the Princess took part in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, and represented Jordan in show jumping (one of the equestrian sports). (At the same games, by the way, she carried the flag of her country). And everything would be fine, but her appointment to the Olympic team was very controversial, since another athlete qualified and earned Jordan the right to participate in the Olympics in this sport, but was deprived of a place in favor of Haya. Which, by the way, took 70th place. Also, Princess Haya was elected president of the International Equestrian Federation. But even here it is publicly and harshly criticized: members of this organization claim that it behaves dictatorially and violates the democratic principles of the organization and procedures in order to pursue its own interests. ("as a member of the ruling royal family, she is accustomed to unquestioning obedience, but here she is the elected president of a democratic institution"). Well, it should also be mentioned that in Jordan she is the president of the anti-smoking society, but during her stay in Europe, the princess was photographed smoking. Which, of course, made it possible to say that she was behaving inappropriately for a sheikh of a Muslim country. But the most common accusations are related to her marriage: on the one hand, Haya is a member of organizations that fight for the equality of women and against their humiliation. On the other hand, she is “participating” in a polygamous marriage in a country where women are in no way equal to men. And, as it turned out, few people believe that the princess married for love; she is even called “Gold Digger”. (conspiratorially: they even say that before the marriage, the princess very favorably accepted the advances of European admirers, which is something else for an Arab princess). But for the first and last time in a post, I will allow myself to express my personal opinion: I don’t know how the princess is doing, but the formidable Sheikh of Dubai next to her looks happy and even, dare I say it, soft. P.S. since you can’t copy a single letter from the princess’s official website, let alone a photo, I’m giving a link to a photo from her wedding with the sheikh - everything, it turns out, took place quietly and with few people present. Photo