With words that come from the depths of the soul, befitting the most beautiful lady who inhabits and owns the heart even after her departure, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, recalls moments from the life of his mother, the late Sheikha Latifa bint Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, giving a special space to the one who “was all peace and tranquility” in his new book “My Story”, which will soon see the light of day. It includes 50 stories that summarise a biography and journey of giving that has spanned over half a century, and “Emarat Al Youm” is exclusively publishing two of them.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is not satisfied with just one moment with his mother, as if he finds it pleasant to talk about her, and does not believe that one story will tell everything about that mother whose heart overflows with so much when he remembers her: “I have never seen love like hers, nor a heart like hers, nor closeness like hers,” “And there are many moments with my mother that I will never forget… the moments of my mother’s beautiful conversation that I will never forget either.” Hence, “Latifa 1” and “Latifa 2” are present; and from the name and its connotations, the “son” begins his honest narration about the “mother,” as if he is confirming that Sheikha Latifa had a large share of the meanings of her name: “the gentle, the companion, the rare… the one who opens the chest.”
In a brief card, the author of “My Story” introduces the reader to Sheikha Latifa: her name, lineage, and job, in an early indication that behind every great man there is a woman who stands behind him and provides him with what always pushes him forward. Sheikha Latifa’s job – from the point of view of her closest relatives – was: “The companion of Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, for more than four decades.” So the moment of separation was difficult: “After her death, Rashid bin Saeed changed, and he was no longer the same until his death.”
In the story “Latifa 1”, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum narrates the moments of joy in the life of “Latifa and Rashid” when welcoming a newborn, and does not hide the daily sadness after the death of a son, until the mother dreams that she is giving birth to another and names him Mohammed, to comfort the mother’s heart. The creator of “My Story” also documents the entire story with overwhelming love and warm emotion, as he records the diary in bulk about the lady who was keen to wake up early and prepare breakfast herself, despite the presence of someone serving her at home, so that the unforgettable smell of her bread remains in the conscience of the author of the biography.
Away from the source of affection, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum does not forget his mother’s other qualities, such as strength, determination, skill and special knowledge: “My mother was able to shoot better than many men, and she could control a horse or a camel, as if she had been born on a saddle.”
With an unfeigned confession, the author of “My Story” recounts many of the situations with the late Sheikha Latifa, and does not hide the moments of joy when she told him about his first trip to London, and his happiness with “two new kandoras and an elegant travel jacket” that his mother bought for him: “I now have four kandoras. I suggested to my mother that we cut the two old kandoras to use when riding horses and camels. She cut them for me and she was happy. She was happy with everything that made me happy.”
Here are the full stories of a mother and son who shared joy.
A necessary introduction… and new “flashes”
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, revealed new pages of his book “My Story” on his Twitter account yesterday, including an “indispensable introduction”: “In the name of Allah and praise be to Allah.. Praise be to Allah for His many blessings upon me, my country and my people. Praise be to Allah who has empowered me to do a job I love, which is serving my people. Praise be to Allah for my love of the homeland. I love good for my people, and they love success for me. I love happiness, contentment and security for them, and I see them love for me and my children what they love for their families and children.” His Highness added in the introduction: “I love my people, and for them I write these stations. Stations of my life.. I write what the busy schedule of duties allows me to do, and what my memory allows me to remember of years and memories. I am writing an incomplete biography, perhaps it will be the beginning of writing a part of our country’s history, which we will immortalize for future generations.” His Highness continued: “They will say after a long time: Here they were, here they worked, here they accomplished, here they were born, and here they were raised.” Here they loved, and people loved them. Here they launched the project, and here they celebrated its completion. This is where they started, and there they arrived in a few years. We want the new generations to only say good things about us, for God in the highest knows our intention to do good for our people and our nation. And God knows that we worked and strove as much as we could.
“Nice 1”
Latifa in language means a soft, delicate, gentle, rare woman.
Latifa in terminology is the saying that opens the chest.
The most beautiful person in life is my mother, the heart in my chest, and the most beautiful, gentle, kind, and gentle person in my life.
Her name: Latifa bint Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Her lineage: Daughter of the ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1912 to 1922.
Her job: Companion of Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, for more than four decades. After her death, Rashid bin Saeed changed, and was never the same again.
Every son can speak of peace and tranquility in the face of his mother, but my mother was not like all mothers. She was all peace and tranquility.
A year after her marriage to Sheikh Rashid, she gave birth to her first daughter, Sheikha Maryam, and three years later, she gave birth to Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid, the heir to the throne, and the namesake of our great-grandfather who ruled Dubai at the beginning of the twentieth century. Sheikh Maktoum’s arrival was very well received. A few years later, the family had their second son, Hamdan bin Rashid, named after her father Hamdan bin Zayed, the former ruler of Abu Dhabi. My mother lived beautiful years. She also had another son, whom she named Marwan. Marwan died tragically at a young age. My mother’s heart, which was kind, gentle and gentle, could not bear the loss of Marwan. She remained very sad about his death for several years. It is said that she then dreamt that she was giving birth to a new son and named him Mohammed. My father was delighted by the dream and its interpretation, because it comforted the heart of his companion Latifa. The vision came true, and she gave birth to a boy whom she named Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Her love was great for all her children, but I was the closest to her. I have never seen a love like hers, nor a heart like hers, nor a closeness like hers. I lived my first years in her care and in the care of my father. My father would sit me in front of him on his horse when I was two or three years old, and take me with him wherever he went.
I loved waking up early. I would wake up before everyone else in the house to find Sheikha Latifa awake before me, preparing breakfast for us, even though there was someone to serve her at home. I still remember the smell of my mother’s baking, and her conversations with me in the early mornings. I enjoyed talking to her about herbal medicine. She was known for her medical skills. People would travel long distances with their children or relatives to have her prescribe medicines and ointments made from herbal mixtures.
My mother could shoot better than many men, and she could control a horse or a camel as if she had been born on a saddle. She had her own company with the women, and she did not hesitate to convey all their concerns to Sheikh Rashid. She had a strong and lovable personality at the same time. Everyone who knew her loved her.
She used to make my breakfast every day before I went to school. On the way I would divide it in half; one half for me and the other half for a mare I loved. I was young and thought that bread made of flour and eggs was good for horses. My mother noticed that my lunch after I came home from school was not enough because I was so hungry. She knew that my breakfast was divided in half, so she doubled it for me the next day. I thought this was a happy coincidence, until I realized when I grew up that she was watching me and knew that breakfast was not enough for me.
This is how a mother is; she is never satisfied until she sees us eating, she does not rest until we sleep, and she does not rejoice until our sorrows are gone.
No matter how many nights pass
Your love is in our hearts
You are the full moon
All my love and feelings to you
He follows…
“Latifa 2”
Nizar Qabbani says in his eulogy for his life partner, Balqis:
Bilqis..
She was the most beautiful queen in the history of Babylon.
Bilqis..
It was the tallest palm tree in the land of Iraq
If she walks..
Accompanying her are peacocks.
And deer follow her
These verses remind me of my mother, Sheikha Latifa. I used to see her when I was young. I remember her walking with a group of gazelles behind her that she took care of since she was young, accompanying her and following her wherever she went. My mother was a princess and beautiful. My mother was the most beautiful of queens. My mother was the tallest of palm trees. Whenever she walked, a gazelle would accompany her, and the care of the Most Gracious would follow her.
The first gift I gave my mother was when I was about seven. I was on a trip with Hamid, my cousin, who was teaching me the art of hunting and desert survival skills. One time, I saw a baby gazelle whose mother had just given birth to it and had separated from it. Usually, a female gazelle separates from the herd to give birth to her child. But sometimes she panics when she wants to return to the herd, leaving it orphaned. Hamid’s wife and I were watching it. I went to it and hugged it, and we waited for its mother to return to it. The mother did not return. We waited until sunset. The mother did not return. I kept hugging the gazelle, and I knew who would compensate it for the loss of its mother: my mother. My mother loves gazelles. My mother gave me life, and she will give it life.
My father came with a group of men, and after giving Hamid the gifts my mother had prepared for his family, he took me and the gazelle in my arms. I told the men his story, and told them that he was a gift.
I arrived home after a long absence from my mother. After greeting and hugging her, I gave her the gazelle. She was very happy with it. My happiness was greater. When you give an unexpected gift to someone you love and they are happy with it, your happiness is greater. Her smile was life; it was the most beautiful thing in life.
Who is like you, mom? Who is like my mom?
There are many situations I will never forget with my mother.
I still remember sitting on her lap, she was talking to me about my first trip to London; she was talking to me about a strange country and an adventure that awaited me to travel there, in the belly of a large bird that would cross an ocean that extended as far as the eye could see. I was looking at her in amazement as she told me that we would sleep in a high-rise building, because the weather in that country was suitable for sleeping indoors, unlike what we do in Dubai, when we sleep on the roof in the summer.
The first surprise you can never forget. The first piece of information you can never forget. The moments of learning new things you can never forget. The moments of my mother’s beautiful talk I can never forget either.
I will never forget that I did not sleep the night my mother told me I was going to London. That was in 1959, about a year after my father had taken power.
My mother bought me two new kandoras and a nice jacket for travel. I was happy. I now had four kandoras. I suggested to my mother that we cut the two old kandoras to use when riding horses and camels. She cut them for me and was happy. She was happy with everything that made me happy.
Who is like you, mom? Who is like you, mom?
“The most beautiful thing in life is my mother, the heart in my chest, and the most beautiful, delicate, and kind person in my life.”
“When you give an unexpected gift to someone you love and they are happy with it, your happiness is greater. My mother Latifa’s smile was life; it was the most beautiful thing in life.”
“I used to wake up before everyone else in the house to find Sheikha Latifa awake before me, preparing breakfast for us, even though there were people serving her in the house. I still remember the smell of my mother’s bread.”
50
The story included in the new book summarizes the biography and journey of giving that has spanned more than half a century.