Zayed- leader who will forever remain a role model
His unwavering support for human causes was an epilogue of a story yet to be written.
His humanitarian and heroic stands will remain immortal and indelible in the annals of history. The magnanimity and helping hands of Sheikh Zayed are the talk of the world. The God-fearing man that he was and his total submission to Allah in his lifetime exalted him as a unique figure.
Seldom the likes of him can be found in today's world.
An article in the City Times section of the Khaleej Times today details an interview with the judicial and religious advisor of the former president, who revealed the little known side of Sheikh Zayed, the one without a peer in this age and time.
His advisors were eye-witnesses to the untold stories of Shaikh Zayed that the media was unaware of. The miracles achieved by Shaikh Zayed in rolling back the desert, overcoming difficulties, his counting on God, deserved the title of a saint, said Al Sayyid Al Hashimi.
A mausoleum would be built on the grave of Shaikh Zayed as a monument or 'Mazzaar' for Muslims to visit, he said, adding that the building of a dome on Shaikh Zayed's grave was legal in the eyes of Shariah.
Dr Al Sayyid Ali Al Hashimi, the late President's advisor on judicial and religious affairs, remained very close to Shaikh Zayed for 33 years, and a judge at the Shariah Court. It was by accident that he was closely related and had strong relations with the late Shaikh Zayed. He said Shaikh Zayed had always been cementing ties with those around him. Shaikh Zayed was always optimistic, and visited others, he noted. He encouraged people to work hard and carry out the assignments assigned to them.
Shaikh Zayed liked to assign work to competent, honest and loyal persons, and would get upset and become angry at persons who breached trust and showed irresponsible attitude in their duties, he recalled.
Shaikh Zayed's greatest achievement, he said, was the inception of a federal state, and an industrial and agricultural renaissance. Shaikh Zayed was fond of agriculture, and dedicated his time and effort in rolling back the desert, turning the emirate of Abu Dhabi into a lush green island.
Prestigious medals and certificates were granted and dedicated to Shaikh Zayed for his great and marvellous achievements in the field of agriculture.
It was Shaikh Zayed who won international accolades for his efforts in the protection of environment and care for human beings.
Shaikh Zayed's big heart had always had a vast place for children, who he had always said were the citizens of the future. Children should be well looked-after, he said, adding that all leaders and men who assumed responsible posts today have figured prominently and succeeded in their job, thanks to the sagacious directives of Shaikh Zayed.
On the achievements of Shaikh Zayed in the judiciary, Dr Al Hashimi said Shaikh Zayed had laid the foundations of justice based on the Islamic Shariah.
It had always been the endeavour of Shaikh Zayed to see justice done.
He, therefore, ordered the forming of a higher committee for Islamic legislations.
The committee, which comprised a number of advisors and scholars from Egypt, Levant and other countries, completed in two years' time the chalking out of 26 draft laws which were being consecutively ratified by the consecutive ministers of justice.
The statutes include the commercial, civil, penal and maritime laws.
These laws, he said, were very important as many countries that did not hear about it adopted such laws, while neighbouring countries followed the UAE example in this regard. The UAE had enacted these laws to which the civilised states are committed to, and which concerned locals and expatriates, he recalled. Judicial experiences were exchanged with many Arab and Muslim countries during Shaikh Zayed's rule, he said .
The unique achievement Shaikh Zayed had made in this regard was the preparation of a memorandum clarifying each and every article of the law. Shaikh Zayed was keen on educating UAE citizens in particular, and the Muslims in general, with Islamic teachings. In order to achieve that objective, Shaikh Zayed had ordered the printing of many books, which still serve as reference for judges, scholars, lawyers and litigants.
It was Shaikh Zayed who ordered the printing of books on 'Hadith' and the interpretation of the Holy Quran. The first book, which was printed in 1972 in the name of late Shaikh Zayed, was 'Al Sharah Al Saqeer' by Al Imam Al Dirdiri. This book is now part of the Al Azhar University syllabus, and has had several prints. The last book printed on Shaikh Zayed's directives was 'Modwanat Al Imam Malik', the main book of the Maliki school of thought on Islamic jurisprudence, in 12 volumes. Shaikh Zayed had also ordered printing many books on sufism, literature and history.
Shaikh Zayed had also shown a special interest, and attention to the building of mosques, institutes, colleges, hospitals, schools and orphanages.
Shaikh Zayed had ordered the building of a mosque at the University of Oxford.
Shaikh Zayed had, by all accounts, been a great man and his footprints are seen in many Muslim, Arab, Western countries and the two Americas.
Al Hashimi said Shaikh Zayed reacted swiftly to charitable and philanthropic deeds. Dr Hashimi quoted Shaikh Zayed verbatim, saying that he also used to mention the saying of Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) "all creations are the children of God, and the most beloved to him are the most useful." Shaikh Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz Al Mubarak, the then chief of judiciary asked Shaikh Zayed the possibility of the establishment of centres for memorising the Holy Quran, to which Shaikh Zayed had immediately insisted on the building of the facilities. Thus, he was a forerunner in building the first centres of their kind in the Arab and Muslim states. Neighbouring countries had emulated the example of the UAE in regard, he said.
"When we requested Shaikh Zayed to invite Muslim scholars to preach to the Muslims in mosques and clubs during the holy month of Ramadan, he immediately agreed to the advice and since the invitation has become an annual tradition. Shaikh Zayed had been inviting scholars for 25 years.
He used to meet them at the end of the holy fasting month at his Majlis and talk to them." He used to ask Dr Al Hashimi, whenever the latter returned from Egypt, about the scholars, and about Al Azhar. He was very respectful to Muslim scholars and appreciated their great deeds in inculcating intrinsic values in the hearts and minds of Muslims. Dr Al Hashimi remembered the first meeting between Shaikh Zayed and the great Egyptian and Muslim scholar the late Shaikh Mohammed Moitwali Al Sharawi.
"After the meeting," Hashimi said, "Shaikh Sharawqi told me that you always invited me during the holy month of Ramadan, but always certain circumstances happened and I couldn't make it." "When I met Shaikh Zayed, I really enjoyed meeting him, and later I realised that I had missed much of my time because I couldn't respond to the invitation and meet Shaikh Zayed," Dr Al Hashimi quoted Shaikh Sharawi as saying.
Shaikh Zayed's fondness for agriculture was also based on religious teachings.
Al Sayyid Al Hashimi recalled the past and said "we had lived the good old days in Abu Dhabi where no green leaf was seen. Now, when one travels to the Northern Emirates, Al Ain, or the Western Region, one would think one is in Malaysia." This is exactly what was said by a visiting Tunisian delegation. Greenery is linked to Shaikh Zayed, whose tremendous efforts in converting the barren land into a green paradise could not be overemphasised, Al Hashimi said.
A man once told Shaikh Zayed: "You planted thousands of date palm trees and all yielded fruit and were intact, but when we plant 100 or 200 date palm trees, it was rare that the whole number yielded fruit and remained intact - could be half, but not all." To this, Shaikh Zayed answered, "You planted for yourself and own interest, and I plant for the people." Without the grace and success of Allah, we would not have done anything, Al Hashimi said quoting Shaikh Zayed. Dr Al Hashimi, however, said Shaikh Zayed remained all his lifetime true to the Almighty Allah in all matters.
He had always repeated the word 'Allah Sobhanaho Wa Talla'. This appeared when he invited organisations and experts to plant the land. They told Shaikh Zayed that the land was not arable and suitable for agriculture.
His answer was "let us count on Allah and plant as per the knowledge He (Allah) bestowed on us". The eventual result was lush greenery.
Dr Al Hashimi said since miracles are only attached to prophets, "I would say it was a miracle, but a charismatic honour God gave to His holy men.
The story of agriculture was certainly a charismatic deed God bestowed on Shaikh Zayed.
Al Hashimi paid rich tributes to Shaikh Zayed saying he was not only a leader but also a pious man. His charisma appeared in his life and good morals. Shaikh Zayed's qualities lay in his vision, wisdom, generosity and valour. The latter quality could be noticed in his behaviour and attitude as a leader, and as the president of an Arab nation. There was a consensus among all presidents, leaders and peoples in the world that this man (Shaikh Zayed) was not an ordinary man, but a person protected and guided by Providence.
At the end of the interview, Al Sayyid Al Hashimi said: "When I stood by the body of Shaikh Zayed - May Allah rest his soul in paradise - before being laid to rest, I felt that the man did not die and he was still alive." Al Hashimi said he had that feeling because pious and God-fearing people who had been doing good work in their lifetime would be rewarded by being given another life or what is known in Islam as 'A Hayat Al Barzakhiyya' or an eternal life which is between death and elevation to get closer to God. He said Shaikh Zayed was physically absent, but his values and soul would l CCCCQQE