Sheikh Rashid, 33, dies, laid to rest at Umm Hurair Cemetery in Dubai

DUBAI: Sheikh Rashid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who died of a heart attack early Saturday morning, was laid to rest at Umm Hurair Cemetery in Al Fahidi, Bur Dubai, Dubai, on Saturday evening. The eldest son of Vice- President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Sheikh Rashid was 33. Thousands of Emiratis and expatriates attended the funeral and a grand procession.

The body was carried by his brothers Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Ruler of the emirate, who led the procession at Zabeel Mosque. Other siblings, Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed and Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed, and the Maktoum family were also present.

Work at Dubai government offices would continue as usual, according to the Dubai Media Office. Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority, which regulates the emirate’s private schools, said schools will remain open.

Prayers were held at Zabeel mosque on Saturday evening before he was buried in Umm Hurair cemetery in Bur Dubai.

President of the UAE Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan ordered a 3-day official mourning across the UAE. The schools will remain open, but three Arabian Gulf League matches were postponed until Sunday. All Abu Dhabi Media television and radio stations stopped all programmes for one day.

Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, expressed his condolences to Sheikh Mohammad and the Al Maktoum family.

Condolences poured in from UAE and world leaders. Among the world leaders who offered their condolences were Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El Sisi, King Salman of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah II of Jordan, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, Sultan Qaboos of Oman, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, emir of Qatar, and Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, emir of Kuwait.

Sheikh Rashid was born in Dubai and educated at the Rashid School for Boys. He attended Sandhurst Military Academy in the UK and graduated from there in 2002. He was an active member of the Dubai Cares philanthropic organisation and a well-known sports figure. Shaikh Rashid was a keen horse lover and was the owner of Zabeel Stables.

September 19, 2015