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Daughter recalls her father’s quiet role in shaping UAE before the Union
Ayesha spoke about her father’s character, values, and quiet diplomatic role during a pivotal period in the country’s history, as well as his role as a father
- PUBLISHED: Thu 22 Jan 2026, 2:17 PM
- By:
- Waad Barakat
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“I lived alongside many men who witnessed the Union."
This is how Ayesha Mohammed Saeed Al Mulla, daughter of Mohammed Saeed Al Mulla, a prominent Emirati businessman and former minister, opened her session, sharing snippets of her life under the roof of a man who acted as a messenger between the late Sheikh Zayed and the late Sheikh Rashid prior to the Union of the UAE, making him one of the men who played a key role during the pre-Union period.
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At a session at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature on Thursday, January 22, Ayesha shed light on the life of one of the UAE’s early nation builders, told through family memory rather than official record. The session centred on the book A Radiant Biography by researcher Muayyad Al-Shaibani, which documents the life and legacy of Mohammed Saeed Al Mulla, a figure involved in the formative years leading up to the Union.
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Reflecting on her father’s public life, Al Mulla said she grew up surrounded by men who witnessed the Union firsthand, though she only grasped the significance later. “Some were envoys between the late Sheikh Zayed and the late Sheikh Rashid, and my father was among those trusted during those consultations. These facts were always around me, but I only understood their importance as I grew older,” she said.
Beyond what history books and news records captured, Ayesha spoke about her father’s character, values, and quiet diplomatic role during a pivotal period in the country’s history, as well as his role as a father.
Speaking to the audience, Ayesha Al Mulla described her father as a figure who shaped her life both personally and morally. “My father was not only someone who shaped me, but he was the person I always looked up to,” she said. “He was my first role model in life.”
Born in Dubai’s Shindagha district in 1926, Mohammed Saeed Al Mulla was part of a generation that helped shape the foundations of the modern UAE. He passed away in 2023, with tributes paid by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, reflecting his standing and contribution.
She said she often introduces him by saying, “Between my name and my grandfather’s name stands a man who served his country with sincerity.”
Al Mulla recalled growing up closely alongside her father, noting that she was the youngest daughter for 17 years, which only strengthened their bond. “I was raised in the same home he was raised in, by the same values and principles,” she said.
She described a household rooted in authenticity, poetry, and history, shaped by family origins in Liwa. “I grew up in a house filled with deep rooted values,” she said, adding that she learned appreciation, wisdom, and careful decision making by observing her father. “He listened to me, and I felt valued.”
She also highlighted how daughters were raised within the family. “We were raised as daughters with many rights, sometimes even more than the sons,” she said.
She described him as a skilled diplomat, known for his ability to calm situations. “Recently, Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, told me, ‘The only person who could calm matters down was your father,’” she said.
Al Mulla said the book reveals different sides of her father’s thinking. “When you read the testimonies, you will discover many angles in his mindset,” she said. “He was a merchant first, then a minister, not just a minister.”
She also spoke about his strict sense of integrity and discipline, recalling that he did not allow any of his children to work in government until after he retired. “He was extremely precise,” she said.
Among the lessons he passed on, she highlighted two that stayed with her throughout her life. “The first advice was that if a Sheikh says something, you must convey it exactly as it was said, without changing a single word,” she said, noting that this was guidance he himself had received from the late Sheikh Zayed.
“The second advice was to protect the reputation he left us,” she added. “Money comes and goes, but reputation can never be replaced.”
Closing her remarks, Ayesha Al Mulla summed up her pride simply. “He was a man of the Union,” she said. “And I am proud to be the daughter of one of the men who helped shape it.”
Waad Barakat is a Special Correspondent covering security topics, from law enforcement to local courts. With a keen eye for human interest stories, she hopes to blend it all with unique Gen Z-inspired content.