Strengthening bonds

Following the British withdrawal, on December 2, 1971, from what was formerly known as the Trucial States, Dubai and six of its neighbouring Emirates came together to announce the formation of the United Arab Emirates. A united sovereign state, the UAE took its first steps on a soon-to-be formidable growth journey.

In Dubai, the Al Ghurairs played a key role in driving the emirate's rapid development by investing in ambitious infrastructure and projects, establishing several business firsts for the emirate. They started with the National Cement Company, followed by the National Flour Mills, Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing, and Masafi Water, a factory to bottle spring water. Abdulla Al Ghurair's son, Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, watched on as a teenager and couldn't help but be inspired by his father's business acumen. “Whether it was the flour mill, the printing press or the cement factory that he established,” he explained, “his businesses were both relevant to the times they were established and sustainable”. But before long, it would be Abdulla's charitable endeavours that would leave the greatest impression on his children, and the region.

Those who interacted and worked with Abdulla during this time remember that despite his success and lofty ambitions, he remained extremely humble, displaying strong moral values that he also sought to instil in his children. Friends recall how he went out of his way to keep them grounded - when he took them on holiday, they would fly economy rather than business class - and he went to great efforts to ensure they were always hospitable, whoever they were receiving. During this period, Abdulla's children would witness him inviting his colleagues and their families to his Majlis for dinner, knowing everybody's name and making people feel special.

But, above all, Abdulla was generous to those who needed it most. "Abdulla Al Ghurair used to care for poor families who live here, such as widows, impoverished households with many children,” recalls Awatif Khamis El Mehrizi, an administrator at the water factory in Masafi, which the family opened in 1977. “He would provide the families with all their needs. He would do this discreetly to preserve their dignity,” she notes, adding: “He used to visit the company [often]. I remember that he would speak to me the way someone speaks to his daughter, he never made me feel that I am an employee at his company. He never asked me about work. Instead, he would make me feel that he cares. He would ask about my health and whether I feel comfortable. He was very kind to us. I remember that he would bring us eggs and barley, and other nutritious food.”

Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, his eldest son, also has vivid memories of his father's deep generosity. "I remember when I was as young as eight, I used to accompany my father to give away Zakat,” he recalls. “We used to go from one house to another [and] meet needy families, those eligible to receive Zakat. As early as this age I started my philanthropic journey. I was very young then, I did not know [what I was exactly doing], but the idea of philanthropy started to take shape within me."

Yet for all Abdulla's giving, there was little fanfare and the businessman shunned any limelight for his philanthropic actions. Just as his faith inspired him to give, it had also taught him that his left hand should not know what his right hand was giving. Abdul Aziz recalls how he and his siblings only found out many years later just how many schools their father had funded and that this discretion was a core tenet of his philanthropy.

Despite the discrete nature of Abdulla's giving, the impact he has had on the UAE has been significant. “He's like a father to me, and to many people,” explains Humaid Al Qutami, former Minister of Education and Chairman of the Commercial Bank of Dubai. “He has high principles and does all this for the good, not just of the UAE, but the entire Arab world. There are many high-profile public figures that have benefited from Mr Abdulla's funding.”