SHARJAH, 28th September, 2026 (WAM) -- H.H. Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, said holding on to heritage and staging heritage events is among the most important ways to reform society, keep it together and rally it around its homeland.
H.H. Sheikh Dr Sultan pointed to the success of the Kalba Jashe and Sahnah Festival and explained what "jashe" means and how it and "sahnah" are made. He urged his sons and daughters to hold fast to religious teachings, heritage and good manners. "If you love Sultan, then do as he does," he told them. "I race the imam to get into the mosque."
The Sharjah Ruler was speaking in a phone-in on the "Direct Line" programme, broadcast on Sharjah Radio and Television, with Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority.
"The word 'jashe' means 'qashe', and 'qashe' is what people call dry skins. The fish is named jashe because its skin is dry. In our dialect we say jashe with a 'j', but it is really 'qashe' with a 'q'. The people of the eastern region pronounce it with the 'q'.
"Some people think jashe is made from the Ouma. That is a mistake. We use Ouma as l feed. It goes into a clay pot with dates and is fermented in a particular way, then fed to cows because it nourishes them and helps the females give more milk. The jashe fish, which is also called 'Barriya', comes from the ocean, from the Arabian Sea, then along the Persian coast. It turns and enters the Gulf in quantities through the Strait of Hormuz.
"Sahnah is made from jashe. The head, tail and belly are removed, and the body of the fish is rubbed well to strip off the silvery skin. The fish turns a reddish brown, the colour of wood, which we call 'hintiy', so the fish in this state is called 'hinta'. It is the best kind of sahnah. This is a kind of heritage, and we revive every kind of it, whether it is food or anything else. We work to root heritage in the life of every member of our society. We love our country and bring all our sons and daughters together in love of the homeland. We beautify it, build gardens and other fine projects, and preserve their heritage for them. We all belong to this homeland and love it, and we are keen to protect our religion and to stand together always behind the truthful word."
"We want people to be happy, because with that happiness they will bring up their children on good values, feeling at ease and free of pressure from problems. A person surrounded by problems such as debt cannot concentrate on raising his children calmly and patiently, sitting with them, talking with them and telling them stories that teach them values and heritage. So we care about people's comfort and happiness, and we give them every means of learning about their heritage.
"When I launched Al Wusta channel, the aim was to spread Bedouin heritage. I left the running of its content to them, because they are the best placed to present the details of Bedouin life and heritage. It runs in their veins. I told them, as I always say, that the Bedouin way refuses to leave its people. I told them: you hold a precious store, so draw on it and show it on this channel.
"Thank God, people in the eastern region now compete to hold heritage events. Al Dhaid is the city in the emirate with the most poetry councils, and I follow all these fine gatherings. I often suggest which poets they should host."
"Thank God, our people compete to put on distinctive events. When we attend an event in Kalba or Khor Fakkan, the people of Al Dhaid tell me: 'Sheikh, you passed through Al Dhaid and didn't stop by' I tell them I will come to them. All of this is because we have taken care to raise people to love their country.
"When people say they love me and say they love Sheikh Sultan, I tell them: 'If you love Sultan, then do as he does. I race the imam to get into the mosque.' If the imam is late, I am the one who gets to call the prayer and lead it. Islam is deeds, good character and kind hearts.
"When they asked me to speak at an opening ceremony in Khor Fakkan, I told them: 'People of Khor Fakkan, make your hearts as wide as this sea of yours, and nothing negative will affect you.' A Muslim is not a Muslim in name alone. The people of Khor Fakkan always live up to expectations. They are known for their kindness, their pure hearts and an atmosphere free of ill feeling and trouble. I tell people: hold on to your religion and its good manners, and I will see to your food, drink and housing."
"Yesterday we announced a large number of homes. The figure we gave, 6,700 homes, counts only those recorded on paper. There is a lot that hasn't been put on paper. We have achieved a great deal and addressed the needs of many people. We wrote off many large fines imposed on those, and we spent millions of dirhams settling citizens' disputes with contractors.
"I do this because I read every report. I noticed that the marriage rate has risen very sharply. That is a good sign, and it calls for more homes. We keep working and striving so that our society is and stays sound and something we can always be proud of.
"As we have seen, thank God, Sharjah has won many honourable titles: Arab Culture Capital, Islamic Culture Capital, Arab Press Capital, World Book Capital, Arab Tourism Capital, Arab Sports Culture Capital. It is a child-friendly city, a city friendly to older people and to people with mobility disabilities, a healthy city, and a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. These titles were earned through action, not simply written on paper. They are the result of plans, programmes, hard work and sustained effort.
"Take the home care programme, the home nursing service. The salaries of the staff who carry out this duty in people's homes come to AED 37 million. We value their work, because they cheer up older people and take them to gardens and other pleasant places. I am responsible for the citizen who is confined to bed, and I will not accept that he lives in a hospital. His place is in his home, among his grandchildren. If there is no room for him in the house, I will build him one and give him the means to fill it with sweets, so that his grandchildren come to him as soon as they are back from school and he can enjoy their company."
"Everything we do is aimed at reforming society. Thank God, our society is in excellent condition. There are no drugs, and we have managed to resolve the problems of everyone facing financial difficulties. Even the heritage events we hold are meant to reform society. So is the three-day weekend we introduced, which is meant to steady family life and give people longer at home.
"A mother carries many responsibilities at home. She helps her children with their studies and looks after the household on top of her job, if she works. We want the man to share that responsibility, and to take his wife and children to the park so that they can enjoy themselves and play. Thank God, things have changed for the better since the weekend was extended to three days. We tell people we are always with you, and we wish everyone success and happiness."