Dubai has declared a ten-day official mourning period after the death of Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the youngest brother of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Sheikh Ahmed, 76, passed away on Monday, September 21, with the mourning period set to run through Wednesday, September 30.
During the mourning period, flags at ministries, government departments and public institutions across the emirate are flying at half-mast. Radio stations have replaced regular programming with recitations of prayers and Quranic verses, and state television is following a similarly subdued schedule. Shopping malls have switched to quieter background music, and several live entertainment events have been postponed or cancelled for the duration.
Officials note that the length of mourning periods in the UAE typically ranges from three to forty days, depending on the standing of the deceased. The longest periods in recent history followed the deaths of the country's founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in 2004, and former President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed in 2022 — both of which saw forty days of mourning observed nationwide.
Despite the solemn atmosphere, officials have clarified that a mourning declaration does not automatically translate into a public holiday. Private businesses and schools in Dubai are expected to continue normal operations unless directed otherwise by the relevant authorities, and no blanket closures have been ordered so far.
Residents and visitors may notice some public and cultural events in the city being rescheduled or scaled back over the coming days as the emirate observes the period of mourning.