I greatly enjoyed reading the autobiographical narrative of Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi—a distinguished historian and man of letters. He earned his PhD in Modern History from the University of Exeter, UK, in 1985, and later obtained a second doctorate in the Political Geography of the Gulf from Durham University in 1999.
Dr. Al Qasimi is the author of numerous scholarly works, most notably his pioneering study that debunks the myth of Arab piracy in the Gulf. His contributions also include detailed studies on the British occupation of Aden, the partition of the Omani Empire, Omani French relations, and the contest for power and trade in the Gulf.
These and other meticulously documented academic works solidify his eminent status among historians, showcasing not only his intellectual rigor and scholarly precision but also his remarkable contributions to the understanding of Gulf history.
Therefore, His Highness occupies a distinguished place among historians. He also serves as the Honorary President of our Egyptian Society for Historical Studies, to which he generously donated its magnificent building in Nasr City—including the land, the structure, and all furnishings, fully completed and ready for immediate use. This gesture of generosity is but one among many that have enriched numerous institutions, reflecting his unwavering loyalty to a homeland he loves deeply and holds in his fondest memories.
In 2009, he graced us with a captivating autobiography titled “Sard Al-Dhat” (My Early Life), published by Al Qasimi Publications in Sharjah, followed by a new edition issued by Dar Al Shorouk in Cairo in 2010.
The work reveals the soul of a historian and writer who appreciates the value of political memoirs and autobiographies as essential sources of history. It also reflects the refined literary sensibility of an accomplished man of letters, whose oeuvre spans fiction, theatre, and poetry—creative endeavours that display a talent recognized and esteemed by both readers and critics alike.
A Distinguished Autobiography
It is not my intention here to delve into His Highness’s political and national endeavours, nor into the administrative and political positions that ultimately led him to become the Ruler of Sharjah and a member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates—these matters rightly belong to political analysts and specialized historians. Rather, I will focus on his remarkable autobiography, “Sard Al-Dhat”, highlighting in particular his deep conviction in and commitment to Arab nationalism, as reflected in his attitudes, conduct, and beliefs. I will also illuminate a formative stage of his academic life: his years of study in Cairo before ascending to the rulership of Sharjah in January 1972, specifically the period from 1965 to 1970, during which he developed a profound attachment to the city.
Dr. Sultan noted that he wrote this autobiography to document the history of his people and homeland over a span of twenty-nine years—from his birth in July 1939 until he assumed the rule of Sharjah in January 1972. He recalled that his awareness of the world began at the age of five, when he witnessed British forces and aircraft gathering for World War II in a British camp adjacent to the Sharjah air station in the spring of 1944. He recounted that a unit of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had arrived in Sharjah and established its own training centre east of the British camp.
At the time, his father, Sheikh Muhammad bin Saqr Al Qasimi, served as Deputy Ruler of the Emirate, while his uncle, Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr, was the Ruler. The young boy remembered that his father paid a courtesy visit to the American commander, bringing along his two sons, Khalid and Sultan, and that the commander took them on a tour of the camp in an open amphibious vehicle.
He also recalled how people would gather in front of Sharjah Fort to listen to World War II news bulletins, then nearing their conclusion in 1945. Half of the listeners supported the Allied Powers, while the other half sided with the Axis Powers.
Dr. Sultan further remembered that the British brought a mobile cinema once a week to the camel market area to screen films celebrating their victories in the war. He described the governance system of the time as simple: alongside his uncle, the Ruler Sheikh Sultan, his father Sheikh Mohammed served as Deputy Ruler, and another uncle, Majid bin Saqr, managed the affairs of the people at his office in the market, sometimes referring cases to the Sharia judge. He also noted that the British had established a residence for the British Political Agency in Sharjah, where the Political Officer resided.
He also noted that his father had opposed the establishment of the British air station in Sharjah in 1931, insisting that it should serve as a civilian rather than a military facility. His father secured from the British a letter of guarantee protecting the independence of Sharjah and ensuring non-interference in its internal affairs. (The author observed that he recorded these events in greater detail in his book “The Sharjah Air Station…”.)
What is particularly noteworthy is that the young boy’s awareness of the world was shaped early by the reality of British presence and their military bases on land and at sea. Although this presence was officially justified by treaties or “undertakings” limited to Britain’s defence of the Emirates and management of their foreign affairs, British representatives—whether agents, political officers, or residents in the Gulf—exercised a de facto dominance, reinforced by their military presence, over both the internal and external affairs of the Emirates, including influence over those in power. Yet history attests that several rulers and sheikhs resisted this control, striving to free themselves from the grip of such hegemony.
The Development of Education in Sharjah
Regarding his early education, Dr. Sultan recalled that it began at the kuttab (Qur’an school), where he attended the home of Al-Mutawa Sheikh Faris to learn and memorize Juz’ Amma. At the age of nine, he enrolled in the first grade at Al-Islah Al-Qasimi School in 1948. The school was modestly built from palm fronds in the form of tents, with floors covered by mats where students sat, except for the fifth graders, who used benches. He and his classmates practiced writing on small black stone slates.
He continued his studies in the new school building during the 1949–1950 academic year, after advancing to the third grade. He maintained his Qur’an studies diligently, completing its recitation correctly, though he did not memorize it entirely.
Reflecting his lifelong interest in education, Dr. Sultan dedicated a chapter in his book to the development of education in Sharjah, detailing its five stages, beginning in 1951–1952 and concluding in 1955–1956.
He also remembered the scarcity of books at the time, which required two students to share a single copy. When Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the Ruler of Kuwait, visited the school, he resolved the shortage by sending the books directly from Kuwait, bypassing the slow shipments from Egypt via India that previously delayed their arrival by weeks.
He also noted that a section of Al-Qasimi School had been set aside for girls, separated by palm-frond screens. The school was later incorporated into Kuwait’s Department of Education, coming under its supervision and patronage. In the academic year 1955–1956, an Egyptian teaching mission arrived, bringing several educators to Sharjah. He also recorded that in 1954–1955, the school established the first Scout troop in the Emirates, and he was chosen as its first corporal. Kuwait provided the necessary support to establish the first Cubs team in the Emirates, which participated in the Tenth Scout Camp in Kuwait, with the young Sultan leading the team in March 1956.
Eager to master English, he enrolled in an evening school where he learned how to write business letters, draft reports, and operate typewriters. His interest in literature was profound: during a visit to Bahrain in June 1955, he sought out the Al-Muayyad Library, which supplied books to his uncle Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr’s library in Sharjah — a library he frequented often. Among the works he acquired and read were Al-Shawqiyyat by the Prince of Poets, Al-Hayawan by Al-Jahiz, the epic tales of Antarah ibn Shaddad and Abu Zayd al-Hilali, One Thousand and One Nights, and other literary treasures.
The Tripartite Aggression on Egypt
The author devoted significant chapters of his autobiography to the Tripartite Aggression launched by Britain, France, and Israel against Egypt in 1956. He recounted that on 29 October 1956, these powers attacked Egypt, striking the broadcasting station of the Voice of the Arabs in al-Muqattam, interrupting the transmission that reached Sharjah — though the broadcasts continued via Damascus Radio. People were riveted to the news; emotions ran high, curses were hurled at the aggressors, and cries of support for Egypt resounded across the city. He reflected on what small acts of resistance he might carry out against the British in Sharjah — “to make the aggressor lose even the size of a needle,” in his words.
Driven by this determination, on 1 November, he visited the British base in Sharjah. Being a player on the base’s football team, he was known to the officials there and often frequented the premises. He recalled carefully inspecting the tank compound, studying its layout, and verifying that the barbed wire surrounding the building was not electrified at night.
After confirming that the wires were not electrified, he drove to the British base on 2 November 1956, under the pretext of preparing for a match with the station’s football team. Upon reaching the ammunition depot, he deceived the guard and inspected the site, returning later that night, crawling on his stomach. However, he soon had to retreat when he discovered that security had been tightened. On 7 November, he and two friends — Muhammad bin Sultan and Hamad Al-Mannai — set fire to the back gate of the base, a blaze so fierce that it turned night into day, after which they fled. This marked their first act of resistance.
The author described three more operations in meticulous detail. On 8 November, he and his companions cut the iron water pipe supplying the base, leaving the water gushing uncontrollably. The second operation involved setting fire to the residence and car of the British commander of the Levies, the local recruited force.
The third operation was an attempt to burn three British warplanes stationed at the base. He remarked, “Perhaps they were the very planes that were killing women and children in Port Said.” The plan was discovered before it could be carried out. He and his companions fled into the desert, and he arrived home just before dawn. His father asked, “Are you the one behind these acts?” When he affirmed, his father embraced and kissed him, telling his mother, “This son has done what I could not do myself.”
The young man harboured a deep resentment toward the British for their interference in local affairs. They had meddled in the administration of Al-Qasimi School, pressuring the Kuwaiti Education Office — which supervised and funded the school — to dismiss teachers. He noted that the British had removed the school principal when they saw him enhancing the educational process, encouraging students to engage in extracurricular activities and sports festivals attended by the rulers of the Emirates and large crowds of residents.
He also recounted that in early September 1959, the Iranian government announced the opening of an Israeli office in Tehran, an act that sparked mass protests in Bahrain. Outraged by this development, he, together with Taryam bin Imran, led a demonstration in Sharjah on the morning of 5 September, marching to Sharjah Airport to protest the Shah’s government’s stance.
He noted that prior to traveling to Kuwait, he had consistently ranked first in his classes, served as chief scout of the school troop, and captained the football team. Demonstrating his initiative and creativity, he also published a wall magazine titled Al-Taqaddum (“Progress”) in Arabic and another in English, for which he personally authored all articles and drew all visual illustrations, providing resources for students across every class.
The Cultural Club in Sharjah
Dr. Sultan recounted in his autobiography the history of the Cultural Club in Sharjah, founded in 1966 by a group of young men from the emirate. Initially, its activities were purely cultural, but the club was later closed for four years. He then personally reopened the club, reviving its cultural mission and simultaneously establishing it as the headquarters of the football team affiliated with the British Ministry of Works, over which he also presided.
He narrated that one of the club’s visitors once gifted him a book titled Fi Sabeel al-Ba‘th (“In the Cause of the Resurrection”) by Michel Aflaq, inviting him to join the Ba‘ath Party. After completing the second year at Al-Qasimi School, it was decided that he and his classmates would continue their third and fourth secondary years at Al-Shuwaikh Secondary School in Kuwait.
At the start of the 1960–1961 academic year, he travelled to Kuwait accompanied by the “Ba‘athist cell” he led, along with Taryam bin Imran and Abdullah bin Salem Al-Omrani. There, they encountered another Ba‘athist cell and spent several weeks in a state of caution, secrecy, and vigilance. During one discussion, President Gamal Abdel Nasser was insulted, provoking Taryam to become enraged and nearly walk out. This incident sparked debates that culminated in their decision to withdraw from the Ba‘ath Party, as they regarded Nasser as a national hero and a champion of anti-colonial liberation movements.
Sultan recalled telling the Ba‘athist officials in Kuwait: "I refuse to remain in an organization that mocks the unity which brought us to the Ba‘ath, and insults Abdel Nasser, who is the symbol of that unity. We will not remain silent about such offenses."
When they threatened him, he replied that he would report all Ba‘ath members in Kuwait, Qatar, and Sharjah to the authorities. This bold stance led to an assassination attempt, carried out by a speeding, unmarked car — though, as he wrote, “Allah protected me.”
On 25 December 1960, he returned to Sharjah, where he was offered several positions but declined them all, except for teaching at the Industrial School, where he taught English and mathematics from February 1961 until September 1963. In April 1963, when a declaration announced a proposed tripartite union between Egypt, Syria, and Iraq, celebrations erupted in Sharjah, and the flag of unity, bearing three stars, was raised high.
Amid his fervent enthusiasm for the union, Sultan personally led a large demonstration, during which portraits of Gamal Abdel Nasser were prominently displayed. This act drew the ire of the British authorities in Sharjah, who issued a warning forbidding any further demonstrations. The Trucial Oman Scouts were deployed throughout the area, instructed to confront any protest and, if necessary, use force—compelling Sultan to halt preparations for the demonstrators.
The author also recounted a celebration at the Boys’ School in Dubai on 23 April 1963, marking the announcement of the union. Political speeches were delivered, and when the participants took to the streets, the police confronted them and dispersed the crowd with batons. He emphasized that the enthusiasm for the tripartite union was extraordinary. Support for Gamal Abdel Nasser extended well beyond students and citizens: flags of the Republic were raised on taxis, buildings, and moored boats along Dubai Creek, while the crowds chanted, “Nasser! Nasser!” — a vivid demonstration to the British that Nasser enjoyed widespread popular support.
Visit to Cairo
In the summer of 1963, the young Sultan travelled to Cairo, and from there to Alexandria to treat a fractured leg he had sustained during a sports match. He then returned to Cairo for surgery to remove his inflamed appendix. While there, he met his classmates who were completing their first year at Cairo University. They urged him to stay in Egypt and continue his studies at the Police Academy under the Eastern Students system, which admitted students holding only a middle school certificate. Sultan, however, promised to join them only after completing his high school education.
Upon his return to Sharjah, he resigned from his position at the Industrial School and submitted his documents to the Kuwait office in Dubai to enrol in the third year of the scientific track at Dubai Secondary School. When Michael Burton, the British Assistant Political Agent in Dubai, learned of his plans, he invited Sultan to meet him, urging him to reconsider his resignation and tempting him with the prospect of a scholarship to study in Britain. Sultan politely declined, saying, “How many promises have vanished into thin air!” Burton responded, “Are we liars?” Sultan calmly replied, “Interpret it as you wish.” Burton then remarked, “Before your trip to Egypt, your morals were noble… but after your exposure to the Egyptians, they have been corrupted.” Sultan answered resolutely, “If honesty is corruption of character, then may Allah increase it in me.”
When Burton threatened to prevent his resignation, Sultan firmly replied, “You cannot stop me from leaving your office.” Meanwhile, the wave of Arab nationalism was sweeping across all segments of society—ordinary citizens, students, and notables alike in Sharjah and Dubai—as well as within the Sharjah government under Sheikh Saqr.
The Play “Agents of Zion”
Sultan recounted that while he was a student at Dubai Secondary School, he managed Al Shaab Club, a cultural and sports hub in Sharjah. During this period, he wrote a play titled “Agents of Zion,” which he directed and in which he performed two leading roles. The play was staged at the end of 1963. Among the audience, sitting in the front row, was Michael Burton, the British Assistant Political Agent in Dubai, whom Sultan had personally invited to witness the performance.
In the play, Sultan portrayed Moshe Dayan, who, during a telephone scene, exclaimed: "You, the British Foreign Office, created us and made us your pawns. You gathered us from every country to turn us into instruments of your aggression!"
These words were directly addressed to Burton, who visibly bristled. The following day, Burton pressed the Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Saqr, to halt the performance and close the club—an order that was duly executed.
In the spring of 1964, the Arab press launched a campaign against the rising Iranian migration to the Gulf Emirates, a trend perceived as threatening the Arab identity of the region and disrupting its demographic composition. During the summer of that year, Badr Al-Khalid, a diplomat from the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visited the region and compiled a report providing an accurate assessment of the situation, emphasizing the urgent need for support and assistance.
By October 1964, the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Abdel Khaleq Hassouna, announced that he would lead a mission to establish formal relations between the Gulf Emirates and the League, tasked with studying measures necessary to safeguard the Arab identity. The visit was scheduled to commence on 28 October 1964.
A Historical Testimony
In a significant historical account, Dr. Sultan chronicled the arrival of the Arab League mission through an almost daily record of its activities. He vividly described the streets teeming with cars carrying Yemeni and Adeni workers, alongside school students from Sharjah, all “cheering for the victory of Gamal Abdel Nasser and the downfall of imperialism.”
He personally welcomed the mission on the outskirts of Sharjah, addressing the crowds through a loudspeaker mounted on a vehicle, until the delegation reached the residence of Sheikh Saqr, the Ruler, who convened a closed meeting to discuss the nature and scope of the assistance required.
Dr. Sultan also recounted the Arab League delegation’s subsequent visits to the other Gulf Emirates, during which an agreement was reached between the mission and the rulers to dispatch a technical team to assess the region’s developmental needs and plan essential projects.
He provided detailed accounts of the technical mission’s activities in November 1964, as well as of Sheikh Saqr bin Sultan’s visit to Saudi Arabia, where he conferred with King Faisal regarding the construction of a road project to be undertaken by the Kingdom.
Additionally, Dr. Sultan documented Sheikh Saqr’s meeting with the British Political Agent in Dubai, Balfour-Paul, during which they discussed the assistance that King Faisal would provide and the contributions of the Arab League toward financing development projects across the Coast Emirates.
The Arab League Technical Mission
Dr. Sultan also recounted the arrival of the Arab League technical mission in Sharjah on 17 December 1964, providing detailed information about its members and their respective roles. He noted that Balfour-Paul met with the delegation and requested that its head, Dr. Muhammad Salem, channel the Arab League’s financial contribution through the Central Development Fund managed by the Council of the Emirates, cautioning that “otherwise there would be a risk of overlap between the Council’s plans and our plans,” which would naturally place the fund under British oversight. Dr. Muhammad Salem, however, appeared to recognize the implications and informed Balfour-Paul that the Arab League intended to manage its contribution through an agency modelled on the United Nations Technical Assistance Fund.
He added that Abdel Khaleq Hassouna assured him that six million British pounds would be requested at the Arab League meeting of Arab Prime Ministers, scheduled for 9 January 1965.
Dr. Sultan further recorded that Sheikh Saqr, the Ruler of Sharjah, met with the British Political Agent in Dubai, Balfour-Paul, on 27 January 1965. Acting under instructions from the British Political Resident in the Gulf, William Luce, Balfour-Paul attempted to exert political pressure on the Ruler, even threatening him by questioning his loyalty to the treaty he had signed with the British government upon assuming power. Sheikh Saqr firmly responded that his country lacked the necessary funds for development and that he would accept assistance from any available source.
In early February 1965, the Arab League Council issued a series of decisions, including the establishment of a League fund financed by voluntary contributions from Arab states and the Gulf Emirates, intended to support the Coast Emirates and provide essential services. The British authorities in the Gulf, however, quickly moved to oppose this initiative. During a meeting of the Council of the Emirates on 1 March 1965, the rulers resolved to establish the “Emirates Development Office” along with an affiliated fund to receive contributions from all donors.
When Said Nofal, Assistant Secretary of the Arab League, visited Sheikh Saqr on 10 May 1965, he delivered a message to the Secretary-General, in which Sheikh Saqr expressed his gratitude to the League for its development plans and welcomed their immediate implementation, including the arrangements to establish an office in the Emirate of Sharjah.
A Historic Stance
Dr. Sultan documented a historic moment in which Sheikh Saqr bin Sultan, the Ruler of Sharjah, confronted the British Minister of State, George Thomson, alongside the British Political Resident in the Gulf, William Luce, and the British Political Agent in Dubai, Balfour-Paul, on 13 May 1965. The minister warned the Ruler against engaging with or cooperating with the Arab League, insisting that the treaty between Sharjah and Britain prohibited any contact with foreigners on foreign affairs matters except through the British Political Resident.
When the minister claimed, “We are concerned with your interests,” Sheikh Saqr responded sharply, “Your interests, or our interests?” He accused Britain of acting solely in its own interest and criticized the treaty as unjust, having been signed between a weak party and a strong one, and called for its reconsideration. “What matters to me now,” he stressed, “is the development of my country.”
When the minister noted that Britain spent millions annually on the hundred thousand inhabitants of the Emirates, Sheikh Saqr retorted, “Do you mean what you spend on the army or the Trucial Oman Scouts?” The minister explained that the Scouts were established to protect the ruler and the oil pipelines. The Ruler replied firmly, “There is nothing for which I can thank the British government over all these years.”
When asked to withdraw his approval for opening an Arab League office in Sharjah, Sheikh Saqr responded resolutely, “I cannot do that, and you may act by force if you wish. Britain’s so-called friendship has become a stab in the back and an obstacle to our progress. The Arabs are our brothers, and we will not refuse their aid.”
Through this firm stance, Sheikh Saqr resisted British intimidation and threats, marking a courageous and historically significant moment.
Source: Al-Ahram Newspaper, Egypt – Dr. Ahmed Zakaria Al-Shalq (published in four parts)