Women pay tribute to mothers of UAE martyrs

“Everyone loved him," said the mother of First Cpl Fahim Al Habsi, who died at the start of August.

A woman comforts the mother of First Cpl Khalid Al Shehhi, who was killed earlier this month while on duty in Yemen. Razan Alzayani for The National

RAS AL KHAIMAH // Umm Tariq is filled with bittersweet memories, hoping every day to see her son walk through the front door.

First Lt Tariq Al Shehi, an Emirati policeman, died on March 2 last year after an improvised bomb exploded in Bahrain, where he had been deployed, killing him and two others.

“Thank God he has raised the head of his country and I am proud of him,” said his mother, Hessa Al Qadhi. “It is difficult for each mother to lose her son and I always wish to see him entering the house, but his death for the country and Islam makes me patient and proud.”

Umm Tariq, as she is fondly known, was on Saturday honoured with the mothers of two other fallen Emirati soldiers in the lead-up to the first Martyr’s Day.

The day of remembrance for fallen heroes will be observed on November 30 under the directives of the President, Sheikh Khalifa, and will honour Emiratis who have lost their lives performing their civil, military and humanitarian duty in the UAE and abroad.

On Friday, in further recognition, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, penned a poem for the UAE’s military assistance in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

In the poem, The Island’s Lions, he also praised the soldiers fighting for those who are oppressed.

For Umm Tariq, the pain of losing her eldest son has been soothed by his martyrdom.

It is a sentiment shared by Umm Khalid, whose son, First Cpl Khalid Al Shehhi, died in Yemen at the start of the month.

He and First Cpl Fahim Al Habsi and Juma Al Hammadi died serving in Operation Restoring Hope, the Saudi Arabian-led coalition battling Houthi rebels.

Cpl Al Habsi’s mother spoke of her pride in her son, who leaves behind five children. “He was an affectionate and compassionate father and son,” she said.

“Everyone loved him. I proudly say he is a martyr and did his duty towards the country. I am sad for losing him, but I pray for him to be in Heaven.”

About 200 women from across the country gathered in RAK for Martyrs Mothers’ and Children are Ours.

“In keeping with President Sheikh Khalifa’s vision to mark November 30 each year Martyr’s Day, and the initiative of Sheikha Fatima, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, to honour the mothers of martyrs, we have decided to have a small role in supporting these mothers and let them feel that they have other children,” said Nada Al Shaibani, one of the organisers.

“It is a social and national initiative and we will continue this support because we are all their children. We started in RAK, and then we will do a visit each month to the other emirates.”

Zainab Iskander, an Emirati jewellery designer, paid her condolences to the mothers, handing them each a set of prayer beads as a gift with which they could pray for their martyrs.

“We are here to support and comfort the mothers of martyrs on their calamity and we hope this will be their last grief,” Ms Iskander said.

“I wrote on each one the word ‘My Mother’. I didn’t want to write ‘Martyr’s Mother’ because I want them to forget their calamity.”

Nadia Al Nuaimi, a coordinator of the parents’ council for the RAK Education Zone, attended with a group Emirati volunteers who helped to organise the event.

“We have a group of volunteers and we always participate in all events in the emirate,” Ms Al Nuaimi said. “We have come here to organise the event of our great mothers, who we are proud of, and to support them to feel that we give them something, even if it is small.”

The mothers of all UAE servicemen who died during military operations were also honoured last Friday as part of the country’s first Emirati Women’s Day.