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‘They helped me like family’: UAE residents share touching stories of Emirati generosity
A viral story about an Emirati man quietly buying shoes for a child has prompted residents to recall their own memorable experiences of kindness and unexpected help
- PUBLISHED: Sun 23 Aug 2026, 6:00 AM UPDATED: Sun 23 Aug 2026, 11:15 AM
After a social media influencer shared how an Emirati man secretly paid for a pair of shoes that her son fell in love with, several UAE residents have shared how they have experienced the well-known Emirati generosity in different forms. For some, it came in the way of lending a helping hand while for others, it came as an unexpected gift.
Dubai resident Sheherbaan H. recalled an incident in the early 2000s in a mosque in Qusais. “I noticed an Emirati woman using a cushioned floor chair and it looked like something my mother would have loved,” she said. “This was before Google Lens and online shopping so I went and asked her about it. She said she had brought it back from Makkah.”
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By the time Sheherbaan H. finished praying, the woman had the cushioned floor chair folded and wrapped, ready to be gifted. “She insisted that I was like a sister to her and that I would make her happy if I took the chair. I tried saying no several times, but she wouldn’t budge. I finally accepted it because she was so sincere in her insistence.
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"I took it back to India and gifted it to my mother. She loved it and used it on her bed to sit and read the Quran. Having lived more than 30 years in the UAE, I have experienced Emirati hospitality several times, but this was the most memorable," she said.
A viral moment of kindness
Her story comes after another act of generosity captured the attention of social media users. Earlier this month, social media influencer Deema Al Alami shared how her son tried on a pair of limited-edition Nike Mind 001 slides. She said that although her son Hazaa loved it, she decided not to buy them as a matter of principle because they were very expensive.
The sneakers cost roughly about Dh550 but are only available in limited quantities at select retailers in the UAE. When she was about to leave the store with her son, the sales assistant handed over the bag of shoes saying it was a gift from an Emirati man who was shopping at the same store.
“You didn’t just buy him a pair of slides,” she wrote in her post. “In true Dubai fashion, you showed him what generosity looks like. I have no doubt Hazaa will remember this moment for the rest of his life, and one day, he will pay it forward to someone else.”
Her post went viral, with many UAE residents sharing how Emiratis had stepped in to help them on various occasions. One person recalled how an Emirati man offered to drive her family to Ras Al Khaimah after their car broke down on a highway in Ajman. Another shared how an Emirati woman bought her daughter a toy, while a British influencer recounted how an Emirati man he met at a checkout gave him a discount card that saved him more than Dh600 on his shopping.
For Indian expat Zahra, the gesture came during a family holiday in Bengaluru.
They were dining at a restaurant when she noticed an Emirati man and his daughter at the next table. “When I heard them talk, I could recognise the Emirati accent,” she said. “We chatted about the UAE. They were delighted to know that we lived in Dubai. He spoke about how he enjoyed visiting India. It was a lovely exchange and the family left soon after. When we went to pay for our meal, the staff informed us that the family had paid for our bill as well. I didn’t even ask his name, but I have always remembered it [the encounter].”
'Just sit back and wait for an Emirati'
For Pakistani expat Mohammed Siraj, the kindness came at a time when his family needed help. His car got stuck in the sand late at night while he was travelling with his wife and young children. After several unsuccessful attempts to get the vehicle out, he called friends for help.
"One of them said ‘just sit back and wait for an Emirati’. I was really confused and thought he was joking. [At the time], I had only been in the country for a year.”
He soon realised his friend was serious. Within five minutes, an Emirati man stopped to help. He appeared well-equipped for the job and quickly began working to free the vehicle.
While he helped Siraj, another Emirati family camping nearby also came over. "The women invited my wife and kids and gave them some juice and snacks. The man and his children helped me to get the car out."
“At one point, one Emirati man was digging out the wheel while one member of the family sat inside at the steering wheel while I sat on the side eating snacks,” he said. “They helped me like I was part of the family," he added.
For the residents who shared their stories, these moments of kindness were never forgotten and made them feel welcome in a land far away from their own. And as one influencer put it, they inspire a promise to pay it forward.
