Emiratis, expats offer funeral prayers for Sheikh Hamdan

Thousands of UAE residents offered absentee funeral prayers for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance.

The prayers were hosted at mosques across the country after the Maghrib prayer on Wednesday, March 24.

The longest serving finance minister in the world died earlier today. Sheikh Hamdan was laid to rest at the Umm Hurair cemetery.

He was the longest serving UAE minister, having taken charge in 1971.

PHOTOS: Dubai bids tearful goodbye to Sheikh Hamdan

The actual funeral prayer over the late Deputy Ruler's body was limited to family members due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The prayer was led by his brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

After the prayer, Sheikh Hamdan's nephews, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, carried the body to the final resting place.

A 10-day mourning has been declared in Dubai, with flags flying at half mast.

Work at government departments and institutions in the Emirate will be suspended for three days, starting tomorrow, Thursday, March 24.