Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Father Amir, reflecting on his leadership, humility, vision for Qatar and decision to hand power to Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Former Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani reflected on the life and legacy of the late Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in a televised interview on Qatar TV on Thursday, describing him as a leader who combined political vision with deep humanity and explaining why he ultimately chose to hand power to Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim offered his condolences to Qatar, saying the Father Amir always regarded the country as his “larger family” and that this was one of the principles that guided his leadership.
He described Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani as “a leader and a human being at the same time”, saying he showed firmness whenever leadership was required while remaining at the forefront of humanitarian and social causes.
“He was a leader of many talents, who truly devoted himself to serving this nation,” Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said.
Among the defining aspects of the Father Amir’s legacy, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim pointed to both the way he assumed power and the way he later transferred it, saying the decision reflected a leader who always planned for his country rather than for himself.
“When he saw that he needed to assume power at a particular moment in order to realise a vision and bring about a comprehensive renaissance for Qatar politically, economically, socially, culturally, educationally and in healthcare, that is exactly what he did,” he said.
Reflecting on the transfer of power, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said the Father Amir stepped down after recognising the abilities of Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
“When he stepped down, he was not ill. Rather, he felt he was tired,” he said, adding that seeing Sheikh Tamim take on major responsibilities and resolve important matters gave him “great peace of mind”.
He said the Father Amir also saw “the capability of the team”, which further reassured him before stepping down.
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim described the decision to voluntarily leave office at the height of his achievements as rare, particularly in the region.
“It is difficult to find someone who, at the height of his productivity and the peak of his contribution, especially in our region and the wider environment, would voluntarily step down in this way,” he said.
Turning to the Father Amir’s character, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said he was exceptional in the way he dealt with people, recalling his sensitivity, kindness and humility.
“He always used to say: ‘A strong person humbles himself before people. He should not be strong over people’,” Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said.
He said the Father Amir encouraged those around him to remain humble, serve the public and understand people’s struggles.
“Once you are confident in yourselves, humble yourselves before the people. Serve the people. Help the people. Try to see their problems and feel their struggles,” he recalled him saying. “What may seem like a small issue to an official can be a major one for the citizen.”
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim also said the Father Amir trusted those around him, delegated responsibilities and accepted responsibility when mistakes were made, never seeking to blame others or make them scapegoats.
“He always took responsibility for mistakes himself. He never placed the blame on someone else or made anyone a scapegoat. That was a truly important quality of Sheikh Hamad,” he said.
Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani died on Sunday at the age of 74.
Qatar observed four days of national mourning, while heads of state, monarchs and senior officials from across the world travelled to Doha to pay their respects during three days of official condolences at Lusail Palace.
