Watch: Mourners attend funeral prayers of former Qatar leader Sheikh Hamad
Mourners gathered in Doha on Sunday, July 12, to pay their final respects to Qatar’s former leader, Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, following his death at the age of 74.
Funeral prayers were held after Maghrib at the Immam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab Mosque before the late Qatari leader was laid to rest at Lusail Cemetery. Video footage shared by AFP showed large crowds of Qatari citizens and residents attending the prayers to honour the late leader.
Earlier, the Amiri Diwan announced that the Emir passed away on the morning of July 12, corresponding to 27 Muharram 1448 AH. Qatar declared four days of national mourning starting Sunday, with flags to be flown at half-mast across the country. The UAE, Kuwait, and Jordan expressing solidarity to Qatar, also announced a four-day mourning period.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Work will be suspended across all ministries, government agencies, and public institutions starting Monday, July 13, with employees resuming work on Sunday, July 19.
Check out the video of mourners paying respects to the late leader below, as shared by AFP:
Who was Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani?
The late leader — known for transforming Qatar into a regional powerhouse from its Bedouin background — had served from 1995 until his abdication in 2013, when he handed the throne to his fourth son, the current Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Sheikh Hamad had elevated Qatar’s global profile through the development of the Al Jazeera television network, as well as its bid to host the 2022 soccer World Cup tournament.
During his 18-year rule, several major events including the 2006 Asian Games, 2012 UN Climate Change Conference, Doha Agreement and Fatah–Hamas Doha Agreement, took place in the country.
How did Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani rise to power?
Sheikh Hamad inherited a small, largely marginal emirate with nearly empty coffers and transformed it into a major player on the regional and international stage.
Within a few years, he laid the foundations for Qatar’s rapid development. Although the country is only about one-third the size of Belgium, it possesses one of the world’s largest natural gas reserves.
Thanks to investments and international partnerships, the emirate became a leading producer and exporter of liquefied natural gas.
It also rose to become one of the wealthiest countries on the planet in terms of GDP per capita. Qatar’s population under Sheikh Hamad’s rule numbered barely two million, the majority of them foreign nationals.
The Qatar Investment Authority was established with the aim of investing billions of dollars, particularly abroad, in companies including German automaker Volkswagen, London’s luxury department store Harrods, and French football club Paris Saint-Germain.
Under his reign, Qatar began paying hundreds of millions of dollars to the Gaza Strip, notably funding road projects along the coast. A hospital in Gaza City bears his name.
Qatar is one of the smallest Arab states with a population of around 3 million. The country was a British protectorate for 55 years until 1971.
It has been ruled by a monarchy, the Al Thani family, since the mid-19th century.
(With inputs from Laraib Anwer)
