Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid death: the UAE's period of mourning explained

The death of a member of the UAE's royal families is marked with a mourning period.

The country announces this period as a mark of respect, and life across the Emirates takes on a more sombre tone.

During official mourning, flags fly at half-staff and radio stations play classical music for the duration. State-owned TV stations usually follow suit.

Most live entertainment, including radio broadcasts, are cancelled.

A 10-day mourning period was declared on Wednesday in Dubai after the death of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance.

Flags will be flown at half-staff during this period. Work has been suspended in government departments and institutions for three days starting from Thursday.

President Sheikh Khalifa on Wednesday announced a three-day mourning period for the country and ordered that the UAE national flag be lowered to half-staff until Saturday.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid died during the coronavirus pandemic and the mourning period reflects precautionary measures.

Funeral prayers were limited to family members only, while absentee prayers were held after maghrib in mosques across the UAE.

In the past during official periods of mourning, federal ministries and government departments were closed, although this practice has declined in recent years and schools typically stay open.

After the death of the Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed in November 2004, the official mourning period was set at 40 days.

Government departments and schools closed for eight days and the private sector shut for three.

_____________

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid's life through the years - in pictures

The language of diplomacy in 1853

Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)

We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.

Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale