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His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, took to Twitter to condole Oman ruler’s death.
HH Sheikh Mohammed
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@HHShkMohd
رحل سلطان الوفاء والمحبة والحكمة … رحل السلطان قابوس طيب الله ثراه … تعازينا لإخوتنا في عمان..تعازينا للأمة العربية والإسلامية … تعازينا لكل محب لعمان الثقافة والتاريخ والأصالة .. ونسأل الله أن يلهم الشعب الشقيق الصبر والسلوان ويجعل الفردوس الأعلى مثوى قائد النهضة العمانية
“The Sultan of loyalty, love, and wisdom is gone. May his soul rest in peace. Our condolences to our brothers in Oman and to all people connected with Oman’s culture and history, the resting place of the leader of the Omani Renaissance”, Sheikh Mohammed said in a tweet on his official twitter account.
Oman’s Sultan Qaboos bin Said died on Friday evening, state media said early on Saturday, and a three-day period of national mourning was declared.
Sultan Qaboos, the longest-reigning leader of the modern Arab world who died Friday at the age of 79, was unmarried and had no children.
SULTAN QABOOS PASSES AWAY
Sultan Qaboos, the longest-reigning leader of the modern Arab world, has died at the age of 79, the royal court said Saturday, January 11.
“With great sorrow and deep sadness… the royal court mourns His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who passed away on Friday,” the court said in a statement.
Qaboos, who has ruled Oman since 1970 had been ill for some time. He left no apparent heir. He was unmarried and had no children or brothers.
It is not clear who will succeed Qaboos, whose country has a distinct method of choosing the next ruler.
According to the Omani constitution, the royal family shall, within three days of the throne falling vacant, determine the successor.
If the family does not agree on a name, the person chosen by Qaboos in a letter addressed to the royal family will be the successor.
The sultan should be a member of the royal family, as well as “Muslim, mature, rational and the legitimate son of Omani Muslim parents”.
Local experts say that more than 80 men meet the criteria, but one name stands: Asad bin Tariq.
Tariq, 65, had been appointed deputy prime minister for international relations and cooperation affairs in 2017.
The move was seen as a clear message of support to the sultan’s cousin and “special representative” since 2002.
Qaboos transformed the country from a backwater into a modern state while pursuing a moderate but active foreign policy.
It remains to be seen whether the next ruler will take the same moderate approach in a region often in turmoil.
