Sheikh Sheikh ( , , , , ''shuyūkh'' ) is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder (administrative title), elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim ulama, scholar. Though this title generally refers to me ...

Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi (; born 2 July 1939) is an Emirati

royal Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family or Royalty (disambiguation), royalty Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Ill ...

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

author In legal discourse, an author is the creator of an original work that has been published, whether that work exists in written, graphic, visual, or recorded form. The act of creating such a work is referred to as authorship. Therefore, a sculpt ...

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...

, and the current and 11th ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah and a member of the Federal Supreme Council of the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...

since January 1972. He is best known for his historical publications, support for education, and preservation of cultural landmarks. He restored the Al Hisn Fort in Sharjah in 1970 and served as the United Arab Emirates first Minister of Education in 1971. As an academic, he has authored multiple historical documents as well as memoirs, studies, novels, poetry and plays regarding the

Middle East and North Africa The Middle East and North Africa (MENA), also referred to as West Asia and North Africa (WANA) or South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA), is a geographic region which comprises the Middle East (also called West Asia) and North Africa together ...

Early life and education

Sultan's mother was Maryam bint Sheikh Ghanem Al Shamsi (1915–2010). He has four brothers and two sisters: Khalid, Sheikh Saqr, Abdul Aziz, Abdullah, Sheikha and Naema. In 1948, at the age of nine years, he enrolled in Eslah As Qasimia School. After completing his elementary and secondary education between

Sharjah Sharjah (; ', Gulf Arabic: ''aš-Šārja'') is the List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It is the capital of the Emirate of Sharjah and forms part of the D ...

Kuwait City Kuwait City (; ) is the capital and largest city of Kuwait. Located at the heart of the country on the south shore of Kuwait Bay on the Persian Gulf, it is the political, cultural and economic center of the emirate, containing Kuwait's Seif Pal ...

and

Dubai Dubai (Help:IPA/English, /duːˈbaɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''doo-BYE''; Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic: ; Emirati Arabic, Emirati Arabic: , Romanization of Arabic, romanized: Help:IPA/English, /diˈbej/) is the Lis ...

, Al-Qasimi went on to study a

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, B.S., B.Sc., SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree that is awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Scienc ...

in Agricultural Engineering at

Cairo University Cairo University () is Egypt's premier public university. Its main campus is in Giza, immediately across the Nile from Cairo. It was founded on 21 December 1908;"Brief history and development of Cairo University." Cairo University Faculty of En ...

, graduating in 1971. He completed a PhD in history at the

University of Exeter The University of Exeter is a research university in the West Country of England, with its main campus in Exeter, Devon. Its predecessor institutions, St Luke's College, Exeter School of Science, Exeter School of Art, and the Camborne School of ...

in 1985, and another in the political geography of the Gulf at

Durham University Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament (UK), Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by r ...

in 1999.

Career

Minister of Education

In December 1971, Sultan was appointed the first Minister of Education for the Emirates. Al Qasimi became president of both the

American University of Sharjah The American University of Sharjah (AUS; Arabic: الجامعة الأميركية في الشارقة) is a private university in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. It was founded in 1997 by Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, Supreme Council Member a ...

and the University of Sharjah in 1997 and was named a visiting professor at the

, his alma mater, in 1998. He became a professor of modern history of the Gulf at the University of Sharjah in 1999. In 2008, he became a visiting professor at

Ruler of Sharjah

Al Qasimi succeeded his brother, Khalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, as emir after his assassination on January 25, 1972. Al Qasimi has ruled

continuously since coming to power in the wake of the 1972 Sharjawi coup where the former Sheikh, Khalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi was killed by forces loyal to Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi, apart from a seven-day period in June 1987, during the 1987 Sharjawi coup led by his elder brother Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi. In May 2018, Al Qasimi established the "Irada" drug addiction treatment and rehabilitation centre in Sharjah. Sultan celebrated the 50th anniversary as the Ruler of Sharjah on 25 January 2022.

Writing career

Al Qasimi has authored at least 82 books by 2023 which include historical, literary, and theatrical books. In 2020, a historical film titled '' Khorfakkan'' based on the book ''Khorfakkan’s Resistance Against the Portuguese Invasion of September 1507'' written by Al Qasimi was released. The movie tells the story of the resistance of Khorfakkan city against the Portuguese invasion in the 16th century.

Honours and awards

Honours

National honour

* : Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Zayed

Foreign honours

* : Grand Cross of the Order of Honour * : Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold * : Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Republic * : **Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters **Commander of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

* : Great Cross with Star of the

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (, or , BVO) is the highest state decoration, federal decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It may be awarded for any field of endeavor. It was created by the first List of president ...

* : Grand Cross of the

Order of Merit The Order of Merit () is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by Edward VII, admission into the order r ...

* : Sash of Honour

Honorary degrees

Al Qasimi has been awarded multiple

honorary degrees An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...

from various institutions for his work in promoting education in social studies, law, science, and arts.

Personal life

Al Qasimi has had at least two wives. With his first wife, Al Qasimi had two children: *Azza bint Sultan al Qasimi *Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi (1974–1999). He was the crown prince. He died after a

heroin overdose An opioid overdose is toxicity due to excessive consumption of opioids, such as morphine, codeine, heroin, fentanyl, tramadol, and methadone. This preventable pathology can be fatal if it leads to Hypoventilation, respiratory depression, a let ...

at the Emir's residence in Wych Cross Place, near Forest Row,

East Grinstead East Grinstead () is a town in West Sussex, England, near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders, south of London, northeast of Brighton, and northeast of the county town of Chichester. Situated in the northeast corner of the county, bord ...

, UK, on 3 April 1999 at the age of 24 years. With his second wife, Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, he had four children: * Bodour bint Sultan (b. 1978). She is married to Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi and has three children: ** Maryam bint Sultan Al Qasimi ** Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi ** Alya bint Sultan Al Qasimi * Noor bint Sultan (b. 1979) * Hoor bint Sultan (b. 1980) * Khalid bin Sultan (1980–2019). He was the owner of British clothing chain Qasimi. He died in London aged 39. His death was, according to the coroner, 'drug related' as 'toxicology tests revealed Khalid had high levels of GHB and "recreational" amounts of

cocaine Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...

in his system'.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Qasimi, Sultan Raul Bin Mohamed al- 1939 births Living people Sultan bin Mohamed Alumni of Durham University Alumni of the University of Exeter Emirati autobiographers Sultan bin Mohamed Cairo University alumni Academic staff of the American University of Sharjah Academic staff of the University of Sharjah Agricultural engineers Commandeurs of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Commanders of the Legion of Honour Knights Commander of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Recipients of the Bronze Wolf Award Academic staff of Al Qasimia University Recipients of orders, decorations, and medals of Sudan