Royal and Religious Mourning
Dubai and Makkah Mourn the Loss of Prominent Royal and Religious Figures
Anonymous
Key Points
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Sheikh Ahmed received his military education at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom before returning to Dubai and joining the Central Military Command.
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He was born in Bur Dubai on July 12, 1950, and was the fourth and youngest son of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Dubai’s former ruler.
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In June 2021, Sheikh Ahmed supported the establishment of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital through Dubai Police and Public Security and the Al Jalila Foundation.
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During his tenure as chairman, Al Wasl won the 2006/07 UAE League championship, and Sheikh Ahmed later celebrated the victory with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Dubai and Saudi Arabia are mourning two prominent figures whose deaths on Monday mark significant losses for the Muslim world. Pakistan Times reported that Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the 76-year-old younger brother of UAE Vice President and Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, died on Monday. Simultaneously, Ibrahim Adel Al-Madani, a 51-year-old principal muezzin at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, passed away hours after delivering his final dawn call to prayer. Dubai declared 10 days of official mourning with flags at half-mast, while the Islamic world reflected on both men's lifelong service.
Sheikh Ahmed held senior positions across Dubai's security, military, and sporting sectors. According to Khaleej Times, he served as deputy chairman of Dubai Police and Public Security, second deputy ruler of Dubai, and chairman of Al Wasl Sports Club. Lokmatt Times reported that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar expressed deep grief over Sheikh Ahmed's passing, underscoring the significance of his role within the Gulf region.
From Sandhurst to Dubai's Central Military Command
Sheikh Ahmed was born July 12, 1950, in Bur Dubai as the fourth and youngest son of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Dubai's founding ruler. Khaleej Times reported that he attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom before returning to Dubai to command the Central Military Zone. This education and experience shaped decades of military institutional development for the young emirate.
Beyond defense, Sheikh Ahmed championed public health and humanitarian causes. In June 2021, Khaleej Times noted that he supported the founding of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital through Dubai Police and Public Security and the Al Jalila Foundation. His leadership at Al Wasl Sports Club also achieved major sporting success—Tuko Kenya reported the club won the 2006/07 UAE League championship under his tenure.
A Final Dawn Prayer in Makkah's Grand Mosque
Ibrahim Adel Al-Madani served as one of the Grand Mosque's 24 principal muezzins, rotating with five other muezzins to deliver the adhan—the Islamic call to prayer—throughout each day. Saudi Gazette reported that Al-Madani, born in Madinah in 1975, studied Quranic studies and devoted his life to leading the faithful in prayer at Islam's holiest site. His final Fajr adhan on Monday morning became the last of his decades-long spiritual service.
The timing of his death was marked by spiritual significance. Khaleej Times noted that funeral prayers were conducted at the Grand Mosque following Asr prayer, with burial at Al Mualla Cemetery in Makkah. His passing hours after delivering the dawn call to prayer resonated across the Islamic world, where muezzins hold revered positions as guardians of the faith's most sacred ritual.
Condolences Pour In From Global Leaders
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum posted on X: "May God have mercy on you, my brother... You are absent from our eyes but not from our prayers and hearts, O Ahmed." Khaleej Times reported that UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan also expressed condolences, emphasizing Sheikh Ahmed's "longstanding contributions to the development of the UAE since its founding." Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum added: "Today, we lose a dear one from our family... Sheikh Ahmed will remain in our hearts."
International leaders joined the mourning. Pakistan Times reported that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow, while Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also offered formal condolences. The breadth of global recognition underscored Sheikh Ahmed's influence across the Middle East and beyond during his 76 years.
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