In his words: great quotes from HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Be inspired by Sheikh Mohammed’s words of wisdom
HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is celebrating his 76th birthday on Tuesday, July 15.
Besides leading the city, the Ruler of Dubai is a poet and has a way with words, which clearly shows in his speeches, and every so often, we also get to see it in his words on his official social media posts.
To celebrate, we are sharing some of the greatest quotes by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
On Sheikh Zayed
Sheikh Zayed | Photo credit: Zayed National Museum
“Sheikh Zayed was not one to believe in limitations; this is one of the traits of a true leader.”
“Generous by nature and compassionate at heart, such is Sheikh Khalifa.”
“Sheikh Zayed was generous with his time and love, and, in return, people loved him irrespective of their differences.”
*Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi to open in December 2025*
On Arab history
“Arab civilization once played a great role in contributing to human knowledge, and will play that role again.”
On ‘luck’
(PS. There is no such thing as luck in Sheikh Mohammed’s vocabulary…)
“The closest thing to luck we have ever had is the fighting spirit and love of a challenge that runs in our blood.”
“They say that luck smiled at Dubai; I say that they want to undermine and devalue your efforts, they attribute your success to luck.”
“Positive people know that luck does not make them, they make their luck.”
On leadership
HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai
“A great leader creates more great leaders and does not reduce the institution to a single person.”
“The fastest way to happiness is by instilling happiness in the hearts of others.”
“There is no true leader who does not thank the people, and any leader who does not thank their team is not worthy of his or her position.”
“The positive leader is the one who can tame the lion inside him or herself, be humble before people, and always attribute success to their team.”
“The greatest accomplishment of leadership is not measured in monetary targets, but in the positive impact the lader has on his or her people.”
On tolerance
“Tolerance increases strength and resilience and helps establish a global cohesive society.”
“Tolerance is no catchphrase, but a quality we must cherish and practice. It must be woven into the fabric of our society to safeguard our future and maintain the progress we have made.”
“What makes us proud of our United Arab Emirates is not the height of our buildings, the breadth of our streets, or the magnitude of our shopping malls, but rather the openness and tolerance of our nation.”
On technology and Artificial Intelligence
“Technology is the rapid gateway to the future.”
Speaking on the introduction of AI as a subject in school, “Our responsibility is to equip our children for a time unlike ours, with conditions different from ours, and with new skills and capabilities that ensure the continued momentum of development and progress in our nation for decades to come.”
On the future of Dubai
“Over the past 50 years, we started from the desert of our land to the desert of Mars. Our dreams will be even bigger for the next 50 years.”
“Our vision is clear, our road is paved, and the clock is ticking. There is no time for hesitation or half-baked goals or solutions. Development is an ongoing process, and the race for excellence has no finish line.”
“An Arab official once asked me about the target the UAE wanted to achieve from launching the first Arab probe to Mars. I told him: we want to send a message of hope to 350 million Arabs that we are capable of reclaiming our future.”
“We may not live for hundreds of years, but the products of our creativity can leave a legacy long after we are gone.”
“We will continue without halt or rest, for halting is a waste of time.”
On dreaming big
“Impossible is a word used by some people who fear to dream big.”
“They say the sky is the limit for ambition. We say: the sky is only the beginning.”
“Does running water stop when it reaches a rock? Of course not. It turns either left or right and continues on its way. Likewise, a positive person is confident that no challenge will stand in the way of achieving his or her goal.”
“We are no less than number one. Whoever convinces himself that he is not worthy of first position has doomed himself to failure from the very beginning.”
“We do not want an airport for Dubai; we want Dubai to be an airport for the world.”
Happy Birthday, Sheikh Mohammed!
– For many more thoughts and ideas from HH Sheikh Mohammed, pick up Flashes of Wisdom, which is in both Arabic and English. Available in most major bookshops now and on BooksArabia.com for Dhs65.
