Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, led the funeral prayer for his brother Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at Zabeel Grand Mosque on Tuesday, 22 September 2026. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, prayed alongside him, Dubai Media Office said.

Sheikh Ahmed was laid to rest the same day at Umm Hurair Cemetery. He died on Monday aged 76. He had served as deputy chairman of Dubai Police and as group chairman of ARM Holding, and was a long-time figure in UAE sport, including founding Jebel Ali Racecourse and leading Al Wasl Sports Club for decades.

Dubai is observing a 10-day official mourning period, with flags flown at half-mast across the emirate. Condolences are being received at the Zabeel Majlis for three days. On Tuesday, the window ran from 4pm until maghrib. On Wednesday and Thursday, mourners are received from 10am until dhuhr, then again after asr until maghrib. Anyone planning to pay respects should treat those published windows as the practical guide, not informal social posts.

Leaders across the UAE and abroad offered tributes after the death was announced, including messages noting Sheikh Ahmed's role in the country's development since its founding. For residents, the useful takeaways are simpler than the diplomacy: the mourning period itself, half-mast flags on public buildings, and the Majlis schedule if you intend to attend.

During the mourning period, Dubai Fountain shows at The Dubai Mall have also been suspended, according to reporting on the official pause. Visitors who usually time an evening around the water show should check for updates before building a night out around a performance that may not run.

Official mourning in Dubai can also affect some entertainment and public schedules beyond the Fountain. If you have tickets for events over the next several days, it is worth confirming with the venue rather than assuming a normal week. The same applies to workplace expectations: follow your employer's guidance and any government notices, rather than guessing which offices or services might adjust hours.

Sheikh Ahmed's public roles spanned policing, investment, and sport. That mix is why the mourning period is being felt both as a state occasion and as a pause in ordinary leisure rhythms. Residents who only need the calendar facts can stop at the Majlis timings and the Fountain suspension; those following the royal schedule will see a denser sequence of prayers, burial, and condolence receptions over the same three-day window.

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