Taking the Reins: The Critical Years, 1971-1977

by Sultan bin Muhammad al-Qasimi

Just a few weeks after the foundation of the United Arab Emirates on 2 December 1971, Dr Sultan al-Qasimi was selected as the new ruler of Sharjah. With the addition of a further and final emirate in 1972, seven hitherto separate emirates had now become a single country under the leadership of Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the highly respected ruler of Abu Dhabi. Dr al-Qasimi, one of the new federation's most enthusiastic supporters, was frequently tasked with solving the challenges that it faced, including constitutional issues and territorial disputes. Dr al-Qasimi's personal touch, including his Saturday morning majlis where all comers, whether nationals or otherwise, could bring their problems, and his support for educational and cultural institutions, was a vital element in building a solid base for the young country.In the International arena, the author's former contacts in Iran and his formative years in Egypt provided him with valuable foreign policy skills during a period that saw the 1973 war with Israel, and the subsequent oil embargo, as well as the assassination of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia.Perhaps the most colourful of his activities on the global stage, however, was his visit to the Nation of Islam in 1976, when 100,000 members greeted him on his arrival at the airport in Chicago and where the road to the hotel was lined with crowds of Muslims, including boxer Muhammad Ali, running beside the author's car.

173 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 10, 2012

About the author

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi is a member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates, the Ruler of Sharjah, and President of American University of Sharjah.

His Highness became the Ruler of Sharjah and its dependencies and a member of the Supreme Council in 1972. He is the 15th Ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah in a chain of Al Qasimi rulers since the year 1630. He served as the UAE Minister of Education from 1971-72. As the Ruler of Sharjah, His Highness has led the social, economic and cultural development of the emirate. In addition, His Highness has devoted considerable effort and resources to promote intercultural interactions and dialogues among the peoples of the world. He is known throughout the region as a firm believer in the significance of the role arts and culture play in bridging the minds and souls of the people of the world. Toward this aim, he initiated the touring Sharjah Cultural Festivals, which bring aspects of Arab and Islamic arts and culture to the cities around the world.
His Highness has authored a number of important scholarly texts as well as plays, which have been translated in English, German, French, Spanish, Russian, Urdu, Persian among other languages. Some of these include Muscat and other Forts on the Shoreline of the Gulf of Oman; Sharjah Air Station between the East and West; The Genesis of the Scout Movement in Sharjah; Deep-Seated Malice; A Memorandum for Historians on the innocence of Ibn Majid; Power Struggles and Trade in the Gulf (1620-1820); The Gulf in Historic Maps (1478- 1861); The Rebel Prince; The Gulf in Historic Maps (1493-1931); The White Sheikh; The Journals of David Seton in the Gulf, 1800-1809; John Malcolm and the British Commercial Base in the Gulf 1800; British Occupation of Aden; Division of the Omani Empire (1856-1862); The Myth of Arab Piracy in the Gulf; Samson; Nimrod; Alexander the Great; The Reality, Identical Copy of the Original; The Case; and The Return of Holako; among many others.

Please visit his website.