•Late Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
Qatar’s former ruler Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who oversaw the country’s transformation through its gas wealth, has died at the age of 74.
The Amiri Diwan, Qatar’s top government body, announced his death yesterday.
The royal court declared a four-day period of national mourning and suspended work in ministries, other government agencies and public institutions, reports The National News.
Sheikh Hamad served from 1995 until his abdication in 2013, when he handed the throne to his fourth son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the current Emir. The transfer of power was a rare abdication by a hereditary Gulf ruler and was aimed at ensuring a smooth succession.
He played a major role in Qatar’s transformation into an energy powerhouse by investing in the expansion of its gas industry. The country sharply raised its political and diplomatic profile under his rule, becoming an interlocutor in international disputes and supporting Palestinian rights.
Sheikh Hamad also boosted the country’s global influence through the expansion of broadcaster Al Jazeera and Qatar’s successful bid to host the 2022 Fifa World Cup.
Qatar said his funeral would be held later yesterday after the late afternoon prayer.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed was among the first leaders in the Middle East to offer his condolences following the death of Sheikh Hamad.
“I extend my sincere condolences and sympathy to my brother Sheikh Tamim and his family on the passing of his father, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani,” he wrote on X.
“May God grant him mercy, rest his soul in eternal peace, and bring comfort to his family during this difficult time.”
The Presidential Court announced four days of official mourning over Sheikh Hamad’s death, with flags to be flown at half-mast at all official institutions across the UAE, as well as at its embassies and diplomatic missions abroad.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, also offered condolences on X.
“Sincere condolences to my brother, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and to the fraternal Qatari people on the passing of their dear departed and our collective loss, the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani,” said Sheikh Mohammed.
“May God have mercy on him, grant him wide expanses of His Paradise, inspire the people of Qatar and all his loved ones with patience and solace, and indeed to God we belong and to Him we shall return.”
Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, sent a message of condolence to Sheikh Tamim on the death of Sheikh Hamad, reported the emirate’s media office.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, also paid tribute to Sheikh Hamad.
“Our condolences to our brothers in Qatar, to my brother His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and to the honourable Al Thani family, on the passing of the late, God willing, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani…” he wrote on X.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, also posted on social media to pay his respects to Sheikh Hamad.
“We ask God to envelop him in His vast mercy, to admit him to the expanses of His gardens, and to inspire his noble family and loved ones with patience and solace,” said Sheikh Hamdan.
Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed, added his voice to those paying their respects.
“Our deepest condolences and sincere sympathies to the sisterly State of Qatar, its leadership and people, on the passing of the late Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani,” he said on X.
“The deceased played a historic and exceptional role in Qatar’s renewed renaissance and in consolidating its position and status.”
During Sheikh Hamad’s time as head of state, Qatar witnessed a boom in liquefied natural gas production and exports, bringing the Gulf state huge income and growing power on the world stage. The country became the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas and a major global investor. It is often described as the richest country in the world by per capita income.
Sheikh Hamad cultivated links with the Palestine Liberation Organisation and visited Yasser Arafat in Gaza in 1999, when the Palestinian administration was nascent. Qatar also had channels with Hamas, which ousted the PLO in Gaza in 2007. In 2012, Sheikh Hamad visited Gaza, where Qatar was a major donor.
Sheikh Hamad further oversaw the successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup, which was awarded in 2010. The tournament became a defining moment in Qatar’s global ambitions, kicking off a vast infrastructure and spending boom that created today’s Doha skyline.
Further tributes
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi offered deepest condolences and sympathies to “the sisterly state of Qatar” on X.
Sheikh Hamad was described as a great leader and statesman by Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan, while a message of condolence was sent by Haitham bin Tariq, the Sultan of Oman.
Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara also sent his condolences and deepest sympathies, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.
“May God have mercy on the deceased with vast mercy, and inspire his family and the Qatari people with beautiful patience and solace,” said Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, Prime Minister of Libya’s Government of National Unity, on X.
Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, praised Sheikh Hamad for “his commendable efforts in supporting the causes of the Arab and Islamic nations, and aiding humanitarian and developmental initiatives, as well as laying the foundations for the modern renaissance of the state of Qatar”.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam praised Sheikh Hamad for “the political and humanitarian support he provided to Lebanon in the most difficult circumstances, and for the efforts he exerted in serving the stability of the country”.
Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein also offered his condolences on X following the death of Sheikh Hamad.
