Sheikh Mohammed pays tribute to father with excerpt from new book Life Taught Me
Sheikh Mohammed posted the message on X on Father's Day, which is celebrated in the UAE on June 21. The post included part of the ninth chapter of the book and reflects on the enduring lessons passed down by his late father, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed, former ruler of Dubai.
The book will offer reflections on leadership, character and life values. Sheikh Mohammed has said he learnt many of the lessons from his father.
'Every time I think about my father's shrewdness and wisdom … his life and his biography … I realise how much I learnt from him … and how I was influenced by his personality,' Sheikh Mohammed said on X.
The tribute paints a vivid portrait of Sheikh Rashid as a calm, composed and principled leader who shaped Dubai's development and inspired his son.
'I learnt from my father the simplicity of life, self-control, not to be preoccupied with trivialities and not to believe weak-minded and frivolous people,' Sheikh Mohammed wrote. 'I learnt from him how to listen … and when to be tough and when to be gentle.'
Describing his father as dignified and compassionate to all, Sheikh Mohammed said: 'His mere presence commanded reverence from everyone. My father was rarely angry or upset. He was kind and good-natured. He did not like deception. He did not get alarmed or panicked by anything. Rather, he was steadfast, confident and serious.'
The post offers a rare insight into how Sheikh Rashid's legacy has shaped Sheikh Mohammed's approach to governance. 'I learnt from my father to love my family, relatives, brothers and to be close to my sisters … and I still do,' he said. 'I learnt from him to love honesty and justice.'
Sheikh Mohammed said his father's strong character left a lasting impression. 'My father did not like a lot of food, or a lot of talking or a lot of buildings and palaces. Rather, he tended towards simplicity, lightness and self-control.'
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