Dubai has pressed pause. The glitzy, always-on emirate has gone quiet as flags drop to half-mast for 10 full days following the death of a man many outside the Gulf might not know, but inside the UAE helped build modern Dubai from the sand up.

As reported by cbinews.tv, Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum - the younger brother of Dubai's Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum - has died. He was 76.

He passed away on Monday morning, 21st September, with the Ruler's Court confirming the news and immediately declaring an official mourning period across Dubai.

This wasn't just a formal court announcement. It was deeply personal.

Sheikh Mohammed, who is also the UAE's Vice-President and Prime Minister, took to social media to mourn his youngest brother:

"May God have mercy on Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. May God have mercy on you, my brother. You are absent from our eyes but not from our prayers and hearts, O Ahmed. May God make you dwell in the vast expanses of His Paradise and inspire us and your loved ones with patience and solace."

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan also sent condolences to the Al Maktoum family, describing Sheikh Ahmed's contributions since the founding of the UAE in 1971 as "significant" and saying his legacy would continue to inspire the nation's progress.

For a ruling family often seen through the lens of skyscrapers and statecraft, it was a raw, brother-to-brother moment.

If you know Dubai, you know the Al Maktoum name. Sheikh Ahmed was the fourth and youngest son of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum - the visionary former Ruler of Dubai and one of the founding fathers of the modern UAE alongside Sheikh Zayed.

Born into that nation-building era, Sheikh Ahmed took a very different route from his more famous brother. After graduating from Britain's prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he carved out his own lane:

In short - he wasn't just "the ruler's brother." He was part of the engine room.

In the UAE, official mourning isn't just symbolic. When a member of a ruling family passes:

Flags across all government buildings and emirate entities fly at half-mast

Official entertainment and cultural events are often scaled back or postponed

It signals the passing of a generation - the sons of the founders who saw Dubai go from creek to city of the future

According to the Dubai Media Office, the mourning period is effective immediately, starting Monday, with flags at half-mast across the emirate for 10 days.

Funeral prayers and burial have taken place in line with Islamic tradition, with condolences expected to be received by the Al Maktoum family at Dubai's mourning majlis over the coming days. No extended federal mourning has been announced yet, but Dubai government entities will observe the period.

Dubai may be back to business quickly - it always is - but for the next 10 days, the city will carry a quieter tone.

Our thoughts are with the Al Maktoum family.

Source: cbinews.tv

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