Sheikh Mohammed narrates story of 'Ration Card Years' and how Dubai learnt from hardships

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, conveyed a message to the young men and women of Dubai, sharing the narrative of the "Ration Card Years."

Through his X account, he reflects on how Dubai emerged stronger from a challenging era defined by scarcity and hunger.

This message is part of his book "The Letters" the part Ⅱ of his book "Lessons From Life", which features 26 letters directed to his children, family, team, fellow citizens, and the broader world. These letters encapsulate the wisdom gained from six decades of public service, offering a valuable intellectual resource for both current and future generations.

In his message titled "A Letter to the Youth of Dubai...The Ration Card Years"Sheikh Mohammed addresses the young people of Dubai, sharing a poignant chapter from their families' past, the "Ration Card Years." This era, experienced by your families, was marked by widespread poverty, hunger, and disease, with many losing their livelihoods.

During these times, people survived on sparse meals, such as barley mixed with bread, commonly known as "Shambrish." Many families endured months subsisting only on dates and water. In periods of extreme desperation, locusts became a source of food during their swarming seasons.

Living in palm-frond shelters, they faced the harsh realities of intense heat, scarce water supplies, and food shortages. Diseases like cholera, smallpox, fevers, eye infections, malnutrition, and illnesses caused by contaminated water ravaged the land. Inadequate medical care and poor nutrition meant that something as minor as a fever could lead to entire families being wiped out.

These were truly the years of hunger. They earned the name "Ration Card Years" because Sheikh Rashid, following the guidance of the late Sheikh Saeed, issued ration cards to families. These cards allowed them to receive limited but essential food supplies, aiming to prevent starvation among the most vulnerable.

The situation was compounded by minimal imports and infrequent shipments due to the ongoing World War, which severely disrupted supply lines.

Dubai faced two significant challenges in succession: the collapse of its economy due to the crash of the pearl industry and the outbreak of a world war that disrupted supply lines and halted trade routes. Imagine an entire city where most people relied on the pearl trade; suddenly, the ocean's wealth vanished, leaving pearls worthless. Poverty spread rapidly, and destitution took hold, prompting people to emigrate to nearby countries in search of work or even just basic sustenance.

Fathers began converting their diving dhows into merchant vessels to transport goods between Iraq, Iran, Oman, India, and beyond. Then the Second World War struck, further damaging what was left of the economy and disrupting shipping and trade. Britain imposed strict controls on the movement of goods and limited the types of food that could enter, prioritizing military needs above all else.

The situation became dire when Britain completely banned food imports into the region. Public outcry intensified as hunger grew rampant. Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed tirelessly worked to persuade the British to allow food imports again, establishing a distribution system based on specific rations and family-issued cards.

Sheikh Rashid was known for his compassion and empathy toward his people, sharing in their hardship and despair. It's said that during a public gathering, a man requested a ration card, listing ten family members. Sheikh Rashid promptly ordered a card for ten people. After the man left, someone present told him that the man's family actually consisted of only four members. Rashid responded sharply, asking, "Who asked for your opinion?"

He was fully aware of the situation and the severe hardships his people faced, conditions hovering perilously close to famine. He deeply sympathized with their suffering and grasped the seriousness of their predicament.

The people of Dubai had weathered those challenging times and experienced genuine hunger, those familiar with hunger appreciate the value of stability and the importance of prosperity.

Rashid and Dubai's inhabitants observed the vulnerability of economies relying on a single resource, recognizing the potential for collapse. Rashid saw firsthand the impact of poverty and was determined to prevent it from happening again.

He understood that trade could be a crucial safeguard against the return of hunger to Dubai; as a result, he opened ports, expanded the Creek, and poured all available resources into developing infrastructure. He often needed to borrow funds, so much so that the British regarded his projects then as "dangerous gambles", yet he persevered. Having endured hardship and witnessed others' suffering, he vowed to ensure it would never return.

My dear children and loved ones, remember that Dubai was not built on luxury, but rose from pain, hunger, and hardship. It faced illness, lived through fear, and saw its people leave in search of sustenance.

Dubai stands today on a foundation of resilience, with a deep understanding of reality and a strong grasp of trade and economy, never relying on a single source of income. These hard lessons from the past taught us that for cities shaped by struggle, success is not merely a luxury, it's essential for survival.

As you admire Dubai's towering skyscrapers, stunning architecture, world-class airports, and vast ports, remember that this city once endured poverty and scarcity. Yet it was steered by men and women who refused to be constrained by circumstances.

You are now the leaders of tomorrow, the offspring of those visionaries who refused to let Dubai be shackled by adversity. Cities that have faced hardship must remain humble, committed to growth, wary of regression, and quick to learn and adapt.

Beware, as the most perilous time is not during failure but when one believes they cannot fail. I share this history so that we never forget; forgetting leads to arrogance, which can lead to decline.

Every generation has its battles. Yours is to ensure that excellence persists, the drive for big dreams stays alive, ambition continues to grow, education and development do not falter, and regression is vigilantly avoided. This story shows that one can rise from nothing to build everything; yet the reverse can also happen.

Guard against complacency and resting on past achievements. Nations that avoid hard work are doomed. Those that stop advancing are overtaken and left behind.

Our forefathers did not just leave you a beautiful city called Dubai; they gifted you a powerful idea: that nothing is impossible with determination. Those who endured hardship are destined to create prosperity and happiness.

Regards,

Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum