Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Father Emir of Qatar, Passes Away
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, regarded as Architect of Modern Qatar, died in Doha Sunday July 12, 2026 at the age of 74
Doha (Qatar): Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, regarded as Architect of Modern Qatar, died in Doha Sunday July 12, 2026 at the age of 74.
The passing away of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who ruled Qatar from 1995 till 2013 when he abdicated the throne for his son and Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, was confirmed by the Amiri Diwan.
“With hearts steadfast in faith in God’s decree and destiny, the Amiri Diwan mourns the great loss to the nation of the late – may God have mercy on him – His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who passed away this morning,” the Amiri Diwan said in a statement released today.
Qatar has announced four days of mourning for the Father Amir starting from Sunday July 12, 2026.
According to the Amiri Diwan, the funeral of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani will be held after Maghrib prayer today i.e. Sunday, July 12, 2026, at the Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Mosque in Doha.
Sheikh Hamad's Tenure
Hailed as the Architect of Modern Qatar, Sheikh Hamad was also known for out of the box thinking and decisions.
During his tenure, Al Jazeera news channel was established in 1996 which quickly became a household name in Arab and outside and played an instrumental role in ending the dominance of the western media and their propaganda machine.
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa has always been steadfast in his support for the Palestinians and the State of Palestine. He was the first head of state to visit Gaza since Hamas took control in 2007 and the subsequent Israeli-Egyptian blockade. It was also the first visit by an Arab leader in years.
During his tenure, Doha became the centre of diplomacy and world politics. He will also be remembered for allowing Taliban to open their office in Doha, which later opened the gate of diplomacy and finally the withdrawal of the US forces from Afghanistan and the formation of the new Taliban government.
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani’s decision to abdicate the throne and transfer the power to his son Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was something unique and never heard of the Arab world.
His tenure also saw the promulgation of Qatar’s first permanent constitution in 2004 and the introduction of municipal elections in which women were granted the right to vote and stand as candidates. Under his leadership, the Gulf nation secured the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the first time an Arab country had done so.
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