Trending stories on social media this week ranged from the return to Oman of its ruler, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, to stories about what people have learnt from the UAE and what makes for the most beautiful mother.
Sultan Qaboos
Many people were happy about the safe return of Sultan Qaboos after eight months of medical treatment in Germany.
Two hashtags sprung up: one in Oman, “Return of Sultan Qaboos”, and one here, “UAE Celebrates the return of Qaboos”.
@MEalhammadi, the editor in chief of Al Ittihad shared the front page of his newspaper and wrote: "We celebrate with our Omani brothers the return of Qaboos."
@abdullaesmaeel tweeted: “We thank God for what brought happiness to our friends in Oman, with the return of Sultan Qaboos safe to the people who love him. We wish Oman days full of happiness and prosperity.”
@mohamedbinsaif wrote: “With all our hearts we congratulate our Omani brothers on the return of Sultan Qaboos to Oman, may God keep him safe and sound.”
@SBAlketbi: “The UAE always celebrates the safe return of any leader.”
@MMAlardhi: “On this blissful day, I thank God for the return of Sultan Qaboos to the country safe and sound.”
@BaqerLawati: “It doesn’t matter if you are inside or outside Oman, there are no limits to loving your country and your leader.”
Learnt from the UAE
Citizens and residents also took to Twitter to show how glad they were to live in the UAE, and share what the country had taught them over the years.
@Um_Hza3 said: “I learnt from the UAE that nothing is impossible.”
@AlMaskary: “I learnt from the UAE that its citizens always come first.”
@A1_7amad_ad_UAE: “Breaking the barriers of the impossible is one of the qualities that our leaders possess.”
@AE__A: “Working hard to become number one.”
@albustani_m: “Ambition is infinite and perseverance generates a positive energy that will conquer any obstacles you may face.”
@uae_sama: “We’re one united house led by Khalifa and his brothers.”
@HebaAlSamt simply wrote: “To respect everyone.”
Most beautiful mother
In celebration of Mothers’ Day, Lebanese tweeters gave their thoughts about what makes the most beautiful mother.
@Ibdrsattam argued about the validity of the hashtag, saying: “There’s no classification for most beautiful mother, the mother herself is a beauty that cannot be described. May God protect our mothers and have mercy on the souls of the ones we’ve lost.”
@KhashabHassan added: “Our prayers and thoughts are with the ones who have lost their mothers.”
In a funny tweet, @mos3lolo wrote: “The most beautiful mother is the one who throws her shoes at you but misses and ends up hitting your brother.”
@Aabee212 noted that the most beautiful mother was “the one who sacrificed and didn’t regret it. She left her dreams and ambitions, closed her eyes and moved forward.”
@alnnayfah pointed out how important it is for a mother to live the highs and lows of life with her children; one who “shares her fears and interests with her children, and balances between her love and affection, and living with their happiness and pains. May God protect my mother.”
@Ghady_AlHashemi left no room for differentiation, noting: “All mothers are pretty.”
Sarah Khamis is The National’s social media editor salalawi@thenational.ae
On Twitter: @SarahKhamisUAE