Sheikh Mohammed, Sheikh Hamdan celebrate Sheikha Hind's birthday with unseen videos

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has celebrated the birthday of his wife, Sheikha Hind Bint Maktoum bin Juma' Al Maktoum, with a touching video that included rare footage from her childhood.

The footage is from a 1970 documentary, 'Behind the Veil' by photographer Eve Arnold, who had filmed it in Dubai.

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The video captures some moments from the life of a young Sheikha Hind, as the narrator says, "In her eyes, the future did not seem distant, it was moving in small steps toward a great nation. She was not merely an image in an archive or a scene in a film, she was a woman whose presence was felt by the heart before the lens. In her presence, words fall silent and meaning begins."

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Sheikh Mohammed is heard reciting the verse:

"I hear the echo of your voice above the noise of people,

A feeling that flows through hearts and souls.

With you, I forget resolve, thought, and despair,

Your love is deeply rooted in my heart and conscience."

The narrator continues, saying that her name was immortalised in a poem of love and in every corner of Dubai. She was not only a mother to her children, but a mother to all.

“Mother of sheikhs and companion of the nation, you are Dubai's support and the joy of its people. Every year, you remain the light of Dubai and its gentle heartbeat," the narration continues, and concludes with a quote by Sheikh Mohammed, "You remain as you have always been, despite all that has passed."

Sharing the video, the Dubai Ruler wrote, "On your birthday… may you be the most beautiful of my days every year… may you be the pulse of my happiness and my peace every year… may you be my companion on the journey and the friend of my lifetime every year…"

"My prayers are that God protects you… that He keeps your eyes a homeland for innocence, dreams, and life… and that He keeps your heart a homeland for me — one I long for every day."

Take a look:

Sheikh Hamdan too paid a heartwarming video tribute to his mother, calling her a symbol of goodness and love. He wrote:

"To my mother… Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum,

On your birthday, we do not celebrate merely a new year of your life, but a legacy and a journey of generosity and giving… From you, we learned that goodness endures, that compassion is a blessing, and that kindness leaves a lasting mark upon people…

May God protect you and keep you forever a symbol of goodness and love."

[Reporting inputs: Waad Barakat]

• Dubai

Written by

Bahni Bandyopadhyay