A little over thirty years ago, with the beginning of oil exports from Abu Dhabi, first from the offshore Umm Shaif field, and then from onshore at Bab, the states that now form the United Arab Emirates began a process of change that has led to the developed and modern society of today. For the first time since the collapse of the pearling industry in the 1930s, there was a steady flow of revenue into the state's coffers, a flow, moreover, which steadily increased as further oil fields came on stream. With increasing revenues, so too were there rising expectations among the people who sought the benefits that oil production promised. To ensure those expectations were met, the Al Nahyan family, the Sheikhs of Abu Dhabi for over 250 years, met and decided that a new leader was required to steer the ship of state into the uncharted waters of wealth and development.   

Sheikh Zayed inauguating Abu Dhabi Radio Station on 25 February 1969.

Their choice was a foregone conclusion - the man who for the previous 20 years had made such a success of the task of Ruler's Representative in Abu Dhabi's Eastern Region, His Highness Sheikh Zayed Ben Sultan Al Nahyan. On 6 August 1966, 30 years ago, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi entered the modern era, with Sheikh Zayed's accession as Ruler. For 25 years, since 2 December 1971, he has also been the President of the federation of seven states known as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of which he was a key architect.   

Sheikh Zayed is the grandson of Sheikh Zayed Ben Khalifa Al Nahyan, Ruler from 1855-1909, the longest reign in the Emirate's history. His father, Sheikh Sultan, was Ruler between 1922 and 1926, and then, after a brief reign by an uncle, Sheikh Zayed's brother, Sheikh Shakhbut, came to the throne at the beginning of 1928. At the time, Abu Dhabi, like the six other Trucial States on the southern shores of the Arabian Gulf that today make up the United Arab Emirates, was in treaty relations with Britain which had first established its presence in the region as early as 1820, signing a series of agreements on maritime truce with local rulers that gave the area its name.  

Abu Dhabi was poor and undeveloped, with an economy based upon fishing and pearl-diving along the coast, and on simple agriculture in scattered oases inland, like Liwa and Al-Ain. When the world market for Gulf pearls collapsed in the 1930s, the already poor emirate suffered a catastrophic blow. Sheikh Zayed's family, like their people, fell upon hard times. As the young Zayed was growing up, there was not a single school anywhere in the Trucial States. Like his fellows, he received only a basic instruction in the principles of Islam from the local preacher, although a thirst for knowledge took him out into the desert with bedouin tribesmen to absorb all he could about the way of life of the people. He recalls with pleasure all that his expeditions taught him about desert life, including falconry, which has remained a life-long passion, and about the companionship it created among the people.  

Zayed the falconer

In his book, Falconry: Our Arab Heritage, published in 1977, he noted that a falconry expedition brings together a group of men, never more than 60 and never less than ten ... each of them is animated by the prospect of an agreeable,and refreshing change, away from the clamour of the city and the monotony of daily life. The companionship of a hunting party, he adds, permits each and every member in the expedition to speak freely and express his ideas and viewpoints without inhibition or restraint, and allows the one responsible to acquaint himself with the wishes of his people, to know their problems and perceive their views accurately, and thus to be in a position to help and improve their situation. These early years taught Sheikh Zayed much about his country and his people. In the early 1930s, when the first oil company teams arrived to carry out a preliminary surface geological survey, it was Sheikh Zayed who was given the task of guiding them around the desert, giving him his first exposure to the industry that was later to have such a great effect upon his country. He performed well, and in 1946, he was the obvious choice to fill a vacancy as Ruler's Representative in the oasis of Al-Ain, then a cluster of small villages, though today a thriving city with a population of around 200,000.  
An early European visitor to Al-Ain, shortly after Sheikh Zayed took up his post, was Edward Henderson, an oil company representative. In his memoirs, he recounted the impression the young Zayed made upon him: He was then around thirty years old, Henderson recalls. He was handsome, with humorous and intelligent eyes, of presence and bearing, simply dressed and clearly a man of action and resolution ... Although he was young, and had only been formally in charge of the Abu Dhabi sector of the oasis and its surrounding deserts for some two years, he was experienced in the politics of the region, and was already by far the most prominent personality in the area. He had a sure touch with the bedouin.  

Another visitor, the explorer Sir Wilfred Thesiger, whose book Arabian Sands remains a classic of travel writing, wrote that he was like the head of a big family: He was always available to listen to the problems of people, and he tried the problems of those who came to him forjudgement so that they would leave quietly, content with his judgements which were distinguished by their astute insights, wisdom and fairness.  

The job of Ruler's Representative not only involved the task of administering Al-Ain itself, but also the whole region nearby, giving Zayed an opportunity to learn the techniques of government, and also, during the Buraimi dispute in the late 1940s and early 1950s, to gain experience of politics on a broader plane.   

During that affair, he dealt closely with the Trucial Oman Scouts, a British-officered peacekeeping force that had units based in Al-Ain. One of the TOS officers, Anthony Shepherd, later recalled: I used to visit him weekly in his fort, and he would always describe the local political situation to me in an excellent manner. I always came to him with great respect and I left him with even greater respect. He was one of the few great men I have met, and if we did not always agree, the reason for our disagreement was my ignorance.  

A key task was that of beginning the development of Al-Ain itself, where he ensured that the subterranean water channels, or falajes, were maintained, and a new one built, helping to stimulate agriculture in the area. In a foretaste of today's massive afforestation programme, Sheikh Zayed also began the planting of ornamental trees that now, grown to maturity, have made Al- Ain one of the greenest cities in Arabia.  

In 1953, accompanying his brother, Sheikh Zayed paid his first visit to Britain and France, recalling years later how he had been impressed by the schools and the hospitals. In the future, he decided, his own people must have the benefit of similar facilities. He recalled later: There were a lot of dreams. I was dreaming about our land catching up with the modern world, but I was not able to do anything because I didn't have the wherewithal in my hands to achieve these dreams. I was sure, however, that one day they would become true.  
Yet, even lacking sufficient resources, during the 20 years he was in Al-Ain, Sheikh Zayed succeeded in moving ahead with development of the area faster than anyone, except perhaps himself, would have expected. One British Political Agent, Sir Hugh Boustead, recorded his astonishment that everything he managed to accomplish in Al-Ain and the surrounding areas were all for the benefit of the people.   

When revenues from oil exports offered the opportunity to develop the emirate as a whole, Sheikh Zayed was the obvious choice to tackle the challenges ahead. He was a man in a hurry. With revenues growing, he was determined to use them in the service of the people, and a massive modernisation programme was initiated, involving construction of roads, schools, houses and hospitals.  

Upon acceding to power in 1966, he called openly for the seven emirates comprising the Trucial Sates to come closer together: Federation is the way to power, the way to strength, the way to well-being, a high reputation ... Lesser entities have no standing in the world today, and so it has ever been in history. As always, Sheikh Zayed followed up his words with concrete action, donating substantial funds to the Trucial States Development Council which had been established a decade or so before to promote development projects. By 1968, Abu Dhabi was the Fund's largest donor.   When in 1968 Britain announced its intention of leaving the Gulf by the end of 1971, he was ready to act. Together with the late Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid Ben Saeed Al Maktoum, later UAE Vice President and Prime Minister, he took the lead in calling for a federation among the emirates and in July 1971 it was agreed to form the United Arab Emirates. Initially, the seven Trucial States were joined by Qatar and Bahrain, who eventually chose to seek their own separate paths. Holding out the hand of co-operation to Ras al-Khaimah, which initially declined to join, but did so in early 1972, and to Qatar and Bahrain, Sheikh Zayed commented: I am not imposing unity on anyone. That is tyranny. All of us have our opinions and these opinions can change. Sometimes we put all opinions together and then extract from them a single common point of view. This is our democracy.  

Sheikh Zayed was elected the first President of the Federation, a post to which he has been successively re-elected at five yearly intervals, while Sheikh Rashid Al Maktoum was elected Vice President, a post he held until his death in 1990. The UAE formally came into existence on 2 December 1971, and in a statement issued that day by the first meeting of the new state's Supreme Council of Rulers it was declared:  

The United Arab Emirates has been established as independent state, possessing sovereignty. It is part of the greater Arab nation. Its aim is to maintain its independence, its sovereignty, its security and its stability in defence against any attack on its entity or on the entity of any of its member emirates. It also seeks to protect the freedoms and rights of its people and to achieve trustworthy co-operation between the emirates for the com)non good. Among its aims, in addition to the purposes above described, is to work for the sake of the progress of the country in all fields, for the sake of providing a better life for its citizens, to give assistance and support to Arab causes and interests, and to support the Charter of the United Nations and international morals.    

Sheikh Zayed has always had a strong intrest in fresh water resources.

These chances extend to both sexes. Women have the right to work everywhere, Sheikh Zayed believes. Islam, he adds, gives women their rightful status, and encourages them to work in all sectors as long as they are afforded the appropriate respect. The basic role of women is the upbringing of children, but, over and above that, we have to support a woman who chooses to perform other functions.  

What women have accomplished in the Emirates in only a short space of time makes me both happy and content, he says. We sowed our seeds yesterday, and today the fruit has already begun to appear. We praise God for the role that women play in our society, and it is clear that this role is beneficial both for present and future generations. In commerce and banking, in education and health, UAE's women are now playing an increasingly important role in the society in which they are, after all, equal partners. In a move without parallel anywhere else in the Gulf states, Sheikh Zayed, with the active encouragement of the First Lady, Her Highness Sheikha Fatima hint Mubarak, approved volunteer military training for women during the Kuwait crisis. A number now form the nucleus of the country's first women's military unit.  

Elsewhere, Sheikh Zayed and Sheikha Fatima, through the UAE Women's Federation, headed by the First Lady, have sought to promote adult literacy among women, health education and the preservation and stimulation ot traditional crafts, all designed to help women play their due role in the development of the state.  

Sheikh Zayed reviews the corniche development in Abu Dhabi.

Development has touched all aspects of life in the Emirates, from roads to schools, from social services to housing. One key area has been'in agriculture and afforestation, with over 100,000 hectares brought under the plough, and with nearly 100 million trees planted to hold back the desert sands. Since his days in Al-Ain, Sheikh Zayed has dreamed of making a green and pleasant land in his desert country. That dream is now coming true.  

In a broader reflection of his own interest in the environment, Sheikh Zayed has long displayed a concern to ensure that the country's wildlife is protected and preserved. As far back as the 1960s, he ordered the establishment of a zoo in Al-Ain that is now the largest in the whole of the Middle East. A decade later, recognizing the threat that uncontrolled hunting posed to the survival of the country's wildlife, he promoted federal legislation that effectively outlawed hunting throughout the country, following this up with the establishment of a Higher Environmental Council which, now transformed into the Federal Environmental Agency, is charged with ensuring that man's construction does not have a damaging effect upon the land; and also with preserving the country's flora and fauna.  

At a personal level, on his island reserve of Sir Bani Yas, Sheikh Zayed has created a protected area free of predators, so that endangered species like the Arabian oryx and the sand gazelle may breed freely. Sheikh Zayed believes that care for the environment is important, not simply because it is held in trust for future generations, but also because an understanding of it is an essential part of comprehending the heritage and history of the people of the UAE. Only through recognition of the structure of the local environment and its fragility was it possible for man to survive in the harsh climate of the Emirates, but, by doing so, the ancestors of today's UAE citizens were able to create a society that did not simply survive; it also flourished over thousands of Vears, establishing trading links that stretched as far away as China.  

The preservation of the national heritage, Sheikh Zayed believes, is important in helping today's generation to prepare for tomorrow, and within that context he has displayed an active interest in the country's past, supporting the establishment of research institutes and ordering the creation of the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey which is charged with investigating the evidence of past civilizations. The country's young people must enquire about our history, and go back to study it again and again, he stresses, whether it be our recent history, or that of the far distant past, until they understand what has taken place in this country, and how past generations were able to cope with life here. They should do this because he who does not know his past will certainly not understand the present. If man knows the past, he will, too, understand the present, and will from that understand what lies ahead in the future.  

Sheikh Zayed reviews a model of Zayed Sports City, prior to its construction.

The whole process of development has benefited substantially from the energy and devoted leadership offered by Sheikh Zayed, now involved for 50 years in the governance of his people. He is, with due cause, satisfied with the results of the federal experiment: Our experiment in federation, in thefirst instance, rosefrom a desire to increase the ties that Bend us, as well as from the conviction of all that they were part of one family, and that they must gather together under one leadership. We had never (previously) had an experiment in federation, but our proximity to each other and the ties of blood relationships between us arefactors which led us to believe that we must establish a federation that should compensate for the disunity and fragmentation that earlier prevailed. Our security, from the first, was important, and the federation has been a success.  

We now feel that our hopes have been realized, and that the federation has become a recognized entity with an excellent reputation both internally and abroad, and that it now occupies a significant and worthy place in the world ... That which has been accomplished has exceeded all our expectations, and that, with the help of God, and with a sincere will, confirms that there is nothing that cannot be achieved in the service of the people if determination is firm and intentions sincere.... With the help of God, we have arrived at a stage where our feet are firmly planted on the way to building a nation, and we have achieved goals that once appeared to be far away.   

Much of what has been achieved can be ascribed to Sheikh Zayed's own style of government, which has always been one of direct involvement, rather than of giving orders from afar. Back in the 1940s and 1950s, when he was Ruler's Representative in Al-Ain, one of the most important tasks he undertook was the cleaning out of the falaj irrigation system, so as to improve the amount of water available for the date groves and gardens of the oasis, thus helping to stimulate the local agricultural economy. When the cleaning and digging was under way, he was frequently to be seen lending a hand, down in the channels with the labourers.  

In 1972, meeting citizens.

The same process of active participation has been a characteristic of his style of government ever since he became Ruler of Abu Dhabi and then President of the United Arab Emirates. As the process of development got under way, he embarked upon a regular programme of visits to construction sites, often appearing unannounced and unaccompanied to see for himself how work was progressing. Urged by other senior officials to leave the task of following up on projects to others, he rejected the suggestion, always preferring a hands-on approach: I am the number one responsible official in the state. How can my conscience be clear if I do not look around and follow up the progress of work on development projects? How can I know whether or not there is serious progress in the work, if it is being neglected? I prefer to know that projects are being carried in the best possible way.   

Over the years, a number of senior Government officials have come to rue Sheikh Zayed's practice of personal inspection of projects, finding that they are called to account unexpectedly when he visits a project for which they are responsible, and finds evidence of shoddy construction or of inefficient management. If the officials may on occasion have been discomfited, sometimes losing their jobs on the spot, those for whom the projects are intended, the country's people, are well aware that there is supervision from the highest level within the state of the projects being built to serve them.  

The traditional form of government among the people of the United Arab Emirates has, since time immemorial, been one where the sheikh of a tribe has led his people on the basis of consultation and consensus.  

In the modern society that the United Arab Emirates has now become, Sheikh Zayed has been at pains both to ensure that the channels of communication remain open, and that he and his fellow members of the Supreme Council continue to rule in the same manner. Speaking at a recent meeting of the Supreme Council of the Federation, he told his colleagues: The most important Of our duties as Rulers is to raise the standard of living of the people. I bear the prime responsibility for looking after the country and its citizens. To carry out one's duty is a responsibility given by God, and to follow up on work is the responsibility of everyone, both the old and the young. In such a way, we can do all that is within our power because the people always focus their attention on the leadership, and what that leadership is doing on their behalf... Many things may remain concealed from a man, and there are many things that I may not know even though I am the first among the state's officials. Sheikh Zayed added: You must tell me if there are any shortcomings. You are my aides in performing my duty, and I cannot blame anyone other than you as Rulers and as my partners who are responsible to me in dealing with shortcomings. I will accept every comment with an open mind and a capacious heart.     It is easy, he continued, for a man to look after his family and his relatives, but to bear the responsibility for looking after a whole people is a difficult matter. Since God has preferred man over all his other creatures, it is incumbent upon us to work in the service of man, in an effort to make him con ten t. If God has favoured some of us over others, and has blessed us with wealth, then we should remember that this wealth is not our property, but has been given bil God with the intention that it should be used in the service of those who worship him.  

While showing clearly through his own actions that he is prepared to take an active lead in the building of a better society for his people, Sheikh Zayed has also made it plain that he expects others, too, to take on some of the responsibilities. At the same time, however, he has recognized that, in order for this to happen, it is essential that , the citizens of the UAE are equipped to deal with the task they have been set, and that this can be done only through provision of the appropriate access to education.  

We were confident from the beginning that it is the individual human being who is the basis of all civilized life, for it is on him that progress depends, he has noted. Within this context, we must foster the right individual, by being generous in the allocation of effort and financial resources, to create an educated human being who will be the basic support upon whom the state will depend in its march towards progress.  

The real wealth of the country, he notes, lies not in its financial resources, but in its people. Wealth is not money. Wealth lies in men. That is where true power lies, the power that we value. They are the shield behind which we seek protection. This is what has convinced us to direct all our resources to building the individual and to using the wealth with which God has provided us in the service of the nation, so that it may grow and prosper, and so that (the new generation) will be able able to take upon their shoulders the responsibilities, at the appropriate time, when their roles will be of a help to us and to our brothers. In the process, he has encouraged his people to strive for development, meeting them in cities and villages throughout the land to ensure that he keeps his finger firmly on the pulse of public opinion.   

Sheikh Zayed studying a model of the new mosqe to be built in Abu-Dhabi

The tragedy being perpetrated against the rights of the Bosnian people, and all similar tragedies, Sheikh Zayed stated, are first and foremost the responsibilities of the great powers, who always brag about their concern for human rights and justic e. These countries are capable of moving with force to stop this injustice and put an end to this tragedy.  

Power must always be used on the side of the weak and it must support the injured party so as to uproot injustice, Sheikh Zayed believes: Power must not be used for amusement, oppression and tyranny. Rather it must stand for right and justice, and act as a deterrent against iniquity.  

Peoples throughout the developing world have benefited from a steady flow of development assistance. Well over $5 billion has been provided in aid to over 40 countries on three continents, while in a further expression of his commitment to help the needy, Sheikh Zayed has created a special humanitarian fund that is offering assistance overseas. Among its earliest donations were several million dollars to help in the restoration of Muslim and Christian holy places in the city of Jerusalem.   Sheikh Zayed has long supported the cause of the Palestinian people, visiting Palestinian fighters on the front line in the Jordan valley as early as 1969. The UAE, reflecting his views, supports the Palestinian struggle for a just and lasting peace based upon United Nations Security Council resolutions and on the principle of 'land for peace'. At the same time, preservation of the special status of the Holy City of Jerusalem is also a cause close to his heart. In comments in late 1995 on the occasion of a special conference on Jerusalem held in Abu Dhabi, he stressed: We have supported the Palestinian people, and we will continue to support them until they fulfil their ambition of achieving an independent state, as all of their brothers in the Arab nation have done.  

... All help that is required by the city of Jerusalem shall be offered to it, for it is the most deserving of support and assistance. Underlying that commitment is the President's recognition that the very essence of the city, its Arab nature and its status as a holy place for both Muslims and Christians, is under threat.  

Naturally, however, his main pre-occupation, as Sheikh, as Ruler and as President, has always been with his own people. One such concern has been the impact of the wealth now available in UAE society upon traditional values, and, in particular, the way in which those who are less wealthy are spending far beyond their means. He has been particularly critical of the growing habit of extravagant weddings and of the reluctance of some young people to contribute in a positive way towards society. The phenomenon of expensive weddings, he notes, make it increasingly difficult for local young men to marry fellow citizens. If they did, he added, they would be burdened by debt, with the result that many now preferred to marry young women from abroad, leaving young UAE ladies unmarried, and affecting the country's culture and heritage. Extremely high dowries, extravagance at wedding parties and everything else which burdens young people with debt when they are on the threshold of their lives as a family are matters for which there can be no justification, he said. Such are in contradiction with the principles of Islamic Sharia law, and, furthermore, they are in contradiction with the customs of our ancestors.    

.

To counteract this trend, Sheikh Zayed ordered the creation of a special Marriage Fund with a capital of Dh8O million to offer grants of up to Dh70,000 to young men wishing to marry, and also urged the country's tribes to take action to discourage expensive parties and large dowries. The response was immediate, both from tribal elders throughout the UAE, and from young nationals, who flocked to apply for help from the Marriage Fund. Unique in Arabia, the Fund seems set to make a major contribution to the preservation of local culture. Nearly 5000 young couples have now benefited from it.  

At the same time, Sheikh Zayed has urged young people to be realistic, and to live within their means: Why should our young men buy cars that are inappropriate to their level of income? he asks. Why should a family have a large number of housemaids, cooks, drivers and so on? Why does a housewife prefer to go to expensive tailors when she can have a sewing machine in her house?  

He urges parents to take more care to ensure that their children are properly raised, noting that a number of young people have been sent to rehabilitation centres after falling into bad ways.. But more than 80 per cent of those who have passed through this government programme of correction and rehabilitation have returned to normal life, and are now taking up their national obligations with a sense of responsibility, he notes. Regardless of an individual's wealth, or that of his family, it is important that young people should work, thereby contributing to society, Sheikh Zayed believes: Work is of great importance, and of great value in building both individuals and societies, both of which are dependent on the strong arms of a country's young people. The size of a salary is not a measure of the worth of an individual. What is important is an individual's sense of dignity and self respect.  

It is my duty as the leader of the young people of this country ... to encourage them to work and to exert themselves in order to raise their own standards and to be of service to the country. They must be encouraged to exert all possible efforts in order to take up responsibilities and to share in the building of the country ... The individual who is healthy and of a sound mind and body but who does not work commits a crime against himself, and against society. He who is not prepared to work will find problems in his path, and this will lead to disaster.  

Sheikh Zayed presents a prize at a recent equestrian event.

Sheikh Zayed is also keen to promote a proper understanding of Islam amongst his people. In so doing he stands uncompromisingly against the extremist tendencies now affecting the Muslim world. Extremism, as shown for example, by the killing of foreigners, has no place in Islam, Sheikh Zayed believes. Instead, he stresses: Islam is a civilizing religion that gives mankind dignity ... (and) is not basically inconsistent with progress. He notes that: Islamic principles call for building progress, prosperity and raising the standard of living of society, We in our country are bound by those principles. We do not deviate by one iota from them, and nor do we abandon our heritage, customs of traditions.  

All men are equal, and social justice cannot play its (proper) role without this concept, he adds. It is Islamic social justice which has asked every Muslim to respect others. To treat every person, no matter what his creed or race, as a special soul is a mark of Islam. It is just that point, embodied in the humanitarian tenets of Islam, that makes us so proud of it. With such a clear view of the essential tolerance of Islam, Sheikh Zayed has spelt out very plainly his rejection of those who would follow an extremist path. Addressing a group of newly arrived ambassadors in late 1995, he commented: In these times, we see around us violent men who claim to talk on behalf of Islam. Islam is far removed from their pronouncements. If such people really wish for recognition from Muslims and the world, they should themselves first heed the words of God and His Prophet. Regrettably, however, these people have nothing whatsoever that connects them to Islam. They are apostates and criminals. We see them slaughtering children and the innocent. They kill people, spill their blood and destroy their property, and then claim to be Muslims. We would like you to know Isla m in its true meaning, Sheikh Zayed told the ambassadors, a Muslim is he who does not inflict evil upon others. Islam is the religion of tolerance and forgiveness, of advice and not of war, of dialogue and understanding.  
Sheikh Zayed went on to call for a better understanding between people of the world's faiths: A Muslim should be familiar with the true teachings of Christianity, and a Christian with the true teachings of Islam. Sincere people from both sides should enter into dialogue, and should not leave thefloor to the extremists who are there amongst both Christians and Muslims. A true dialogue between religions is the real deterrent and a strong defence against fundamentalism and extremism.  

The faith and tolerance implicit in Sheikh Zayed's stand against extremism is well summed up in a statement explaining the essential basis of his own belief. My religion is based neither on hope nor on fear, he says, I worship my God because I love him. In 31 years as a Ruler, and 25 years as a President, Sheikh Zayed has shown statesmanship, vision, wisdom and understanding that has not only served him and his country well abroad, but has also deservedly won him the loyalty and affection of his people.  

From the book "The United Arab Emirates 1996"   
published by Trident Press Ltd   
Text copyright © 1996 by Trident Press Ltd   
Additional text copyright © 1996 by Contributing authors   
Pictures copyright © 1996 by Mediatec LLC. & Ministry of Information & Culture, UAE   
Additional pictures copyright © 1996 by individual photographers