‘Yuba’ – My dear father
GCC News
“المقياس قطر (The measure is Qatar)”
There is no literal translation for this saying, but in essence it means that whatever is done is done for Qatar – not for personal gain, recognition, or ego, but for the benefit of the nation and its people. This single phrase is the compass that guides me in all I do. On my personal platform, it is my motto, learned from my Yuba, who lived it as his daily reality. He put his country and his people before himself. Whenever we were together, it was always about Qatar. There was no line between a
Under his guidance, ideas that once seemed like distant, unrealised dreams became powerful realities, ones that would inspire and incubate Arab talent from all over the world. Many of those talents told me that it was only in Qatar that they felt proud to be Arab.
Regional Impact
Yuba came to power, and gave up his power, in the most unusual way. His objective was always to transform our nation from poverty into a strong economy that prioritised the human soul above all else. He ascended to transform, and descended to empower his beloved son, intuitively trusting that he had fulfilled his commitment and could entrust my brother to carry the legacy forward. For him, “المقياس قطر” meant bringing youthful leadership to the helm of the throne. In my last moments with my Yuba
I was one of the young people he entrusted. But crucially, I was his daughter, whom he empowered just as fiercely as his sons. As a young girl, he never let me believe there were limits to what I could achieve. He taught me to swim, to dive, to drive, to play cards, to play tennis, to travel, to love, to laugh, to live – and, most importantly, to give. He encouraged me to study in America and later in Paris, always pushing me towards new horizons. During my summers, he arranged internships for m
The day after I graduated from university in 2005, I began working with him. Within days, we were travelling the globe – from Chicago to New York, Tokyo to Singapore. His energy was larger than life; his unrelenting drive kept us all moving forward. Every decision carried profound meaning. I was 23 when he asked me to take over the Museum of Islamic Art. I remember vividly the day after it opened – he looked at me and asked simply, “What is the next museum we are opening?” There was no time wast
Market & Policy
When he came to power, he abolished censorship and created Al Jazeera. I believe this was his proudest achievement, not just for Qatar, but for the Arab world as a whole. He wanted to elevate the lives of Arabs, to let them live with dignity, to empower their voices in media, education, culture, film, sport, and beyond. He believed in dialogue to resolve conflict and had the patience to hear out the opinions of others. He never treated disagreement as confrontation; instead, he encouraged us to
In the afternoons, my father would drive around looking at new developments and neighbourhoods, sometimes stopping by people’s homes to see how they were doing. He stayed close to his people, as if they were all his children – because, in a sense, they were. No child, no adult, no Qatari, no resident ever felt too distant from his presence, from his smile.
Behind the visionary leader was simply a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He deeply respected my mother and often praised her immense contribution to our upbringing and to society. The values he demanded at work were the same ones he demanded at home. Holidays were never for idleness; he woke us early to make the most of every day, ensuring we shared in his discipline. Lunches were animated by politicians, thinkers, writers, artists, and old friends. My Yuba was generous with his heart,
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