Abu Dhabi: UAE leaders honoured the families of the country’s martyrs with awards and medals wrapped in the UAE flag to mark the country’s first Commemoration Day.
The ceremony was held on Monday adjacent to the Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque. His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, shook hands with the martyrs’ family members and offered words of comfort as they handed out the awards.
Messages expressing gratitude and appreciation poured in from the families of the martyred soldiers, all of whom voiced their pride in calling their family member a UAE martyr.
Wafaa Ali Al Shehi, daughter of UAE martyr Ali Al Shehi, said she can never forget seeing her father draped in the UAE flag before he was laid to rest.
“On that day, several people came to our mourning tent to offer their condolences. Many of them recited verses from the Quran to comfort [Ali’s] mother.”
“They told her that martyrdom equates to gaining immediate access to heaven and that bidding farewell to life as a martyr is the greatest reward possible,” she added.
Several family members of UAE martyr Mohammad Ali Al Hosani said marking the country’s first Commemoration Day reminds them of the soldiers’ sacrifices.
Ali Hassan Ahmad Al Hosani, the martyr’s father, said: “These are our heroes, our brave soldiers, who laid down their lives to raise the victory of Islam. We are proud of our sons, who martyred themselves while performing their national duty.”
“I would also like to thank our leaders, on behalf of the families of UAE martyrs, for their endless support and for being with us every step of the way,” he added.
Echoing similar sentiments, Hassan Ali Al Hosani, the martyr’s older brother, said that even though it was hard for his family members to grasp the idea of his brother’s martyrdom at first, their pride in Hassan’s sacrifice outweighed their grief.
“Today is a very special day for all of us. We commemorate the deeds of UAE martyrs who stood in solidarity with their brothers and sisters in need. Their names will eternally be a shining light in UAE’s history,” he said. “We will never forget my brother and the rest of the martyrs. They will always remain in our hearts and prayers.”
Meanwhile, Ahmad Al Daheri, brother of UAE martyr Hamad Al Daheri, said that it is the duty of every UAE national to protect their homeland and present their country, even outside of the UAE, in the best way they can.
The martyr’s uncle, Obaid Al Yabhooni, said that it is everyone’s responsibility to stand in solidarity with those in need, particularly at a time when the region is in turmoil.
“For our leaders, who have done so much for this country and its people, the least we can do in return is to obey their orders.”
