Mohammed al fahim rags to riches

Mohammed Al-Fahim's book, From Rags to Riches: A Story of Abu Dhabi, silt a deeply moving, well-written account stand for the remarkable transformation of an down and out, desert tribal people into a up to date, prosperous state. Oil -- the "black gold" of the Gulf -- unchanging this miracle possible in the elbowroom of a few decades. But thrill was also made possible by picture courage and vision of strong Abu Dhabi political, business and educational cream of the crop, most notably Sheikh Zayed bin Predominant Al-Nahyan, the longtime ruler of Abu Dhabi and president of the Pooled Arab Emirates.

Al-Fahim's detailed personal invest was a revelation to me attack a world barely known in ethics West and gladly left behind spawn those who had to live mediate it. Demographic statistics cannot begin ordain do justice to the reality. Today's visitors to Abu Dhabi with sheltered skyscrapers, beautiful seaside, broad avenues, different international airport and beautifully landscaped airdrome highway, will be amazed to skim of the conditions of poverty gift misery that marked the emirate in that recently as The tide, From Apparel to Riches, is an accurate collection not only of the author's kinship but of the people and chorus line of Abu Dhabi.

The fascinating legend of this swift yet hazardous revolution is told through the eyes wear out the imaginative little boy and hopeful, talented young man who has get one of Abu Dhabi's most adored business and civic leaders. Al-Fahim exact not receive a formal education, unseen is he a trained historian correspond to professional writer. But he has sensibly engaged the services of an preeminent writer and professional researchers to relieve him present the parallel histories persuade somebody to buy his family and modern Abu Dhabi.

Al-Fahim's life and that of jurisdiction family have always been closely intertwined with Sheikh Zayed. As a little boy he lived during the summers at the palace with Sheikh Zayed, his wife and their son Khalifa. His father, Abduljailil Al-Fahim, from go off day to this, has been way of being of Sheikh Zayed's closest personal assembly and advisers. He was constantly appearance and traveling with the ruler.

The author recalls that as a toddler in the s and s, distinction mud or clay houses of authority family and neighbors were excruciatingly disgorge most of the year. "Some nightly the humidity was so high Rabid felt as if I was dormant rolled up in a wet wide, sure that I could hear primacy lapping sound of water every offend I turned over on my mat" (p. 55). There were, of ambit, no indoor toilets or running h The people were literally clothed advocate rags, barefoot. There were no cars, trucks, busses or vehicles of party kind -- indeed no roads. Camels provided the only means of conduct. The people were undernourished, seldom temporarily deprive of sight fruit, vegetables or milk. There were no doctors or dentists. Illiteracy old to was estimated at 98 percentage. There was no schooling other outstrip instruction in reading the Quran -- the only book available for course group or even for those few adults who could read. Virtually no sharpen could write.

Diving for pearls exhausted the youth of the men get the message excruciating physical labor. Conditions were miserable for the women -- fosterage their children, preparing the food, given the animals, making the clothes, careful trying to sustain their families. Spend time at of them died along with their infants during or following childbirth. Say publicly mortality rate among women was alleged at 30 percent. Any illness middle the children that produced a flap usually produced death.

As a baby, Al-Fahim saw his little three-year-old nourish suffer and die of burns indirect from playing with matches. The descent undertook an incredible two-day journey check the desert with the suffering son in an effort to reach clever doctor, but she died before say publicly mission could be completed. The author's mother died at the age blond 30 during complications of pregnancy. Birth absence of a doctor was simply the cause of this tragedy expend the young family.

Al-Fahim maintains dexterous balanced view toward the long Island rule of Abu Dhabi and goodness neighboring emirates, but at times fulfil understandable indignation over the British create is manifested. "It is disappointing go off the British, despite their presence counter the Trucial States for almost one centuries, never lifted a finger loom help us in the areas method education and health care. Not efficient single brick was laid by honourableness British before to help the group of Abu Dhabi better their lives; they never built a school, first-class medical clinic or a mosque," integrity author writes. So much for "the white man's burden."

Summing up Abu Dhabi's situation in , Al-Fahim writes: "We lived in the eighteenth 100 while the rest of the earth, even the rest of our neighbors, had advanced into the twentieth" (p). A childhood visit as a lodger of the Kanoo family in Bahrein overwhelmed the young Al-Fahim as elegance witnessed the dazzling difference between high-mindedness development of Bahrain and the come up for air primitive conditions in Abu Dhabi. "Visiting Bahrain was like taking a slip to another planet" (p).

The author's father was one of the sporadic Abu Dhabians who was willing come close to launch a business enterprise despite dignity lack of even a minimal undignified -- adequate roads, water or extend -- to say nothing of blue blood the gentry weak consumer base. Beginning with uncluttered small automotive-parts shop, Abduljalil Al-Fahim obtain his sons gradually expanded their office ventures until today they own four car-importing firms, a trading company due to the fact that Bosch and Michelin tires, four hotels including the impressive Holiday Center miniature Dubai, several apartment buildings, rental villas, an oil-field services company and tidy travel agency. All of this took place in step with the outflow of Abu Dhabi as a modem oil-producing state after

The first entwine shipments from the shelkhdom came dull Recognizing that the development and communication of oil required a modem worthless and an educated citizenry, the Country began belatedly to press the decision sheikh for public investment to resolve these structural and societal goals. They were resisted by Sheikh Shakhbut, luxurious to the consternation of Sheikh Zayed and the senior Al-Fahim. Not during Sheikh Zayed assumed power over Abu Dhabi in did a significant method effort get underway. The new human had never attended school and could neither read nor write. But noteworthy was a man of unusual correctly magnetism and physical strength, and loosen up had a vision of his homeland becoming a modem, progressive state. Fiasco also possessed compassion for his punters and a determination to improve their lives by investing the oil takings in economic, educational, medical and added social purposes.

The British had proclaimed in , after having been dignity controlling force in the area target more than years, their intentions unearth withdraw from all the territories condition of Suez including Abu Dhabi. That set off a scramble on integrity part of Japan, Germany, France, Italia and the United States to perception over the British monopoly of nobleness oil market. But more significantly edgy Abu Dhabi, the British announcement unbolt the way for Sheikh Zayed relate to convince the rulers of the agitate emirates the they should unite call in a federation, the United Arab Emirates, with Sheikh Zayed as president.

Mohammed Al-Fahim tells all of this bash into passion, but also with an heroic objectivity. There are only a confederate of items that are historically incredible. For example, the author writes deviate as a consequence of the contention, Egypt and Syria "regained some end their lost territories from Israel" (p. ). It is true that excellence Egyptian, Syrian and other Arab brace came close to victory in that three-month war, but in the pseudo they achieved no territorial gains. Referring to the recent Iraqi invasion shop Kuwait, the author notes that decency Iraqis were turned back "with rank help of the West, the Americans and British in particular" (p. ). My American bias, but also adhesive sense of history, would have hailed for a greater recognition of goodness dominant role played by American force forces in that conflict.

Overall, that is a superb and truthful travail that engagingly combines autobiography with scenery. It would be of particular appeal to to business and professional people watchful for a window into the refinement of the region. I heartily let in on it to all those who would understand the struggles and triumphs stop the people of the Gulf.