Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani state. Sheikha Mozah: The Story of the Most Powerful and Stylish Woman in the Islamic World

The wife of the former emir of Qatar, the mother of the current emir Mozah bint Nasser al Misned (Sheikh Mozah) is capable of shattering all the prevailing ideas about the women of the East. The first lady of Qatar wears elegant dresses (by the way, she is a fan of the Russian designer Ulyana Sergienko), does not wear a burqa, and participates in social events and political meetings.

early years

How did this become possible in a country where women dress in black from head to toe, cannot participate in political and social life on an equal basis with men, and have only recently acquired the right to drive?

Perhaps Mose was lucky with her parents and husband. She was born into the family of a prominent Qatari businessman. The father did not mind that his daughter was educated as a sociologist at the National University of Qatar. And her husband, the crown prince, whom she married at the age of 18, allowed her to graduate from college. Moreover, Moza completed an internship at leading US universities.

Of course, her life was not like a fairy tale: Moza faced all the realities of life in the Arab East. The emirs of the Al Thani clan, from which her husband came, seized power in Qatar in the 18th century. Since then, no one, except for members of this family, has the right to rule the country. Qatar still has an absolute monarchy: the emir appoints the prime minister, members of the Council of Ministers and the Advisory Council. The power of the monarch is limited only by Sharia law.

Motherhood

Sheikha Moza is a mother of seven children. She had five sons and two daughters. In 1995, when Moza was 36, her husband Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (as they say, not without the support of other family members) staged a bloodless coup in the state. He overthrew his own father, who was on a business trip in Switzerland, and declared himself emir.

Upon learning of the coup, Khalifa bin Hamad publicly renounced his son, and six months later even attempted to regain power and title - albeit unsuccessfully. In response, his son and the newly-minted emir, with the help of American lawyers, froze all of his father's foreign accounts, so that new encroachments on the throne became impossible. As a result, Khalifa bin Hamad was able to return to his homeland only eight years later, when he finally made up with his son.

Sheikha Moza is not the only wife of her husband: the former emir has three official spouses, and she is the “middle” of them. However, it was Moza's children who inherited the title. Her eldest son Jasim was predicted to the throne, but in 2003 he announced that from his rights as the crown prince in favor of the brother of Sheikh Tamim.

“We tried to educate our children as ordinary people. When I returned home, we talked with them about everything: what I did, what I saw, what they think and how they would act. It is very helpful to listen to the opinion of young people. After all, everything we do is for them, ”says the sheikh.

Public activities of Sheikha Moza

Moza herself, when the children grew up, actively took up social life. She stated that she wants to make Qatar a secular state that respects human rights. By the way, it really is considered one of the most liberal countries in the region.

With her husband's rise to power, the position of women in Qatar has improved markedly. They gained the right to vote, the ability to drive, and the ability to choose clothes to their liking. True, not all conservative families agree to allow this. But Moza did a bold act: she set an example, appearing in public without a veil in 2002.

Sheikha Mozah has a number of government and international positions that are rare even for the wives of rulers in the Gulf States. She is the head of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, President of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs and Vice President of the Supreme Council for Education.

In 2003, UNESCO appointed her as Special Ambassador for Basic and Higher Education. Moza tries to popularize international projects to improve the quality and accessibility of education, and pays special attention to the rights of women and children.

In 2003, with the assistance of the sheikh, the "City of Education" was opened in Qatar - a university campus, which includes international-class universities, as well as branches of renowned US universities, where the best lecturers give lectures. Students from different countries of the world study in the "City of Education": half of the students are foreigners, which indicates a good level of teaching and prestige.

She also established the Arab Democratic Fund, to which her husband made a first contribution of $ 10 million. The mission of the foundation is to promote the development of free media and civil society.

In 2007, Forbes magazine named Moza one of the 100 most powerful women in the world, and the Times named her one of the 25 most influential business leaders in the Middle East.

Rumor has it that the sheikh has a difficult character, which is not surprising: it is not easy to win your place under the sun in a society whose laws are harsh and which has been ruled exclusively by men for many centuries. But the people love Moza. The women of Qatar are especially grateful to her.

“Her Highness is the best thing that happened to Qatar. She inspires us all. Since her coming to power, Qatar has changed 100 percent, ”they say.

The new head of the oil and gas monarchy who studied in Britain will continue the course of his father

One of the richest states in the world received a new ruler. Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who rules Qatar, announced that he was leaving his emir post and transferring power to the Crown Prince, Sheikh Tamim.

Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Russian President Vladimir Putin (left to right in the foreground) during an official meeting at the airport in the capital of Qatar, Doha.

In a seven-minute speech broadcast on Qatari television, 61-year-old Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani said it was time to give way to the younger generation - and therefore, after several weeks of deliberation, he was transferring power into the hands of his 33-year-old son.

According to rumors, the real reason for the emir's departure from power may be hidden in his health problems.

Crown Prince Tamim was educated in Britain (however, his father also graduated from the Sandhurst Military Academy in Great Britain), but observers do not expect any major changes in state policy, despite the words of his father that a new page is opening in the country's history. ... The new monarch is known as a sports fan - not only is he a fan of Manchester United, he chairs the Qatar Olympic Committee and is a member of the International Olympic Committee. The prince chaired the organizing committee for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Doha (although Qatar was not lucky here). In many ways, through his efforts, the Qataris will become the hosts of the 2022 World Cup (however, evil tongues claim that the super-rich Qatar bought this right for itself).

- His vision of the world is quite similar to his father's, - quotes Reuters an anonymous diplomat. - He is always calm, with a sense of humor, courteous. And quite warm. However, he is very pragmatic. If there is a problem, then he tries to solve it.

By the way, when a trial was held in Qatar in the case of the Russians accused of the murder of Ichkeria President Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, Russian high-ranking officials who came to plead for them from Moscow met with Prince Tamim. The case, as we remember, ended with the deportation of convicted Russians to their homeland.

The young emir has two wives. In January 2005, he married his cousin Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim al-Thani. They had two sons and two daughters. And in 2009, the crown prince married the daughter of the Qatari ambassador to Jordan, Anud bint Mana al-Hajri. She gave birth to a daughter and a son (he is not even a year old).

In his speech about leaving power, the emir did not mention either the prime minister or the head of the Foreign Ministry of Qatar. But, as expected, they too should leave their posts after the departure of the monarch. The composition of the new government is to be determined by the young emir.

Such abdication of power is rare in the Arab monarchies of the Persian Gulf. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani himself became Emir of Qatar in June 1995 as a result of a bloodless coup - after the overthrow of his father Khalifa bin Hamad al-Thani, who was on vacation in Switzerland. The deposed monarch lived for several years in exile and only in 2004 was able to return to Qatar.

The Al Thani family has ruled Qatar, which gained independence in 1971 after years of British protectorate, for about 130 years. It is believed that the prosperity and modernization of the oil and gas monarchy was largely achieved through the efforts of Emir Hamad. For example, under him, the right to vote for women was introduced - for the first time in the region. The Al-Jazeera TV company, created during the reign of this emir, became known throughout the world. Forbes estimated the fortune of the emir himself some time ago at $ 2.4 billion.

In recent years, possessing considerable wealth thanks to its hydrocarbon reserves, little Qatar is trying to play a very active role in political processes in the Middle East and North Africa. It was Qatar that became one of the main "instigators" of foreign intervention in Libya during the civil war, it is Qatar that acts as one of the most ardent critics of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and calls for the intervention of Arab countries in the Syrian crisis, it was Qatar that provided its territory to the representation of the Afghan Taliban, who raised to the fury of Kabul over the office of the white flag of the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan". And Crown Prince Tamim showed considerable foreign policy activity - including making loud statements on the Libyan problem and meeting with the leader of the Tunisian Islamists Ghannushi after the overthrow of President Ben Ali.

With her son Tamim on the throne, the former first lady, Sheikha Mozah, can feel safe.

With her son on the throne, the former first lady, Sheikha Mozah, can feel safe.

Her name was not mentioned in the heartfelt dedication to the parent that the newly crowned son uttered to the nation. She also did not appear during the broadcast of the swearing-in of thousands of Qataris.
to the new emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad ha-Thani and the "emir-father".

But Moza bint Nasser al-Missned was at the heart of the Doha palace drama, a drama that peaked this week when her husband abdicated in favor of her son, an unprecedented moment in the modern history of the Gulf monarchies.

What happened was not just the transfer of the throne to her son - one of Sheikh Hamad's 24 children from three wives. It also became the culmination of her struggle against the Sheikh's worst enemy in the Byzantine world of Qatari politics, Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Yassim, who was ousted from power.

With her chiseled profile, her famous glamorous togas, and her unusual social role in the ultra-conservative Gulf, Sheikha Moza, 53, has secured her place in Qatar's history - no less, but as the matriarch of the emirate. One of her allies said of the coronation: "It was her finest hour."

Her husband's denial also means she will have to adjust to a more modest role - after several decades during which she was the most recognizable woman in the Gulf. Meanwhile, Sheikh Tamim has yet to name one of his two wives as the crowned consort.

Salman Sheikh of Brookings Doha Center comments: "I am confident that Sheikha Mozah will now go into the shadows. But like her husband, she will continue to have a stabilizing influence on what is happening around."

The elegant Sheikh was behind the purchase by a Qatari investment fund of Italian fashion label Valentino last year. She also attracted the attention of fashion journalists - along with other first ladies - Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni.

In her homeland, she attracts attention, and at the same time, is a source of irritation. In the Gulf, where the first ladies are not seen, her appearance - she wears a hijab, but refuses to wear a veil, and her economic and social activity is shocking.

Sheikha has managed to build herself a base of support - through the Qatar Foundation, an organization dedicated to education and research. About 15 years ago, she founded Education City, with branches in prestigious institutions such as Georgetown and Weill Cornell.

This drive for enlightenment and development is in stark contrast to her expressed commitment to Qatari autocratic traditions. In 2008, Sheikha Moza was behind the establishment of a free press center in Qatar. It is chaired by the former head of Reporters Without Borders Robert Menard. Less than a year later, Menard left, cursing "some Qatari officials' rejection of the free press center."

The Sheikh is considered to be extremely hard-working, loyal, tough and physically strong. She is said to enjoy spinning. Those people who have encountered the Qatar Foundation she leads characterize the organization as nothing more than a "snake pit".

Sheikh was born in Qatar in 1959, the son of a wealthy merchant. Her father fell out with the emir and went into exile - to Egypt and Kuwait. Rumor has it that she met Hamad, whom she married at 18, when he was trying to negotiate the terms of her clan's return to Qatar. And for her, the coup of 1995, when Hamad removed her father from power, became nothing more than a personal revenge for the hardships experienced by her family.

Despite the fact that she is only the second wife of the emir, and the third wife was married specifically in order to limit Moza's influence, no one doubts that she is the first lady.

According to her fans, the Sheikh, like the emir, is distinguished by an independent mindset. After the wedding, she returned to Qatar University and completed her education with an academic degree in sociology.

They say that the partnership between Sheikha and Hamad is very strong: when meeting with foreign guests, one often ends a phrase started by another.

It was Sheikha Moza who convinced her husband to intervene in Libya on the side of the rebels in 2011, when Muammar Gaddafi could take Benghazi. This became a defining moment in the new history of Qatar, the beginning of its advancement to the fore. Moza's connection with Libya dates back to long before the war - her father was a trading partner of an important clan in Benghazi.

Despite this, analysts predict that her son will change his position regarding the raging fire in the region, and, first of all, the Syrian war. The reason for this is a chorus of accusations of interference in the internal affairs of other states, interference that will help jeopardize the future of the Gulf monarchies.

The sheikh's greatest influence will be in her homeland, where she, together with her husband, leads the elite carrying out political, cultural and educational reforms, the purpose of which is to adapt the nation to the changes it is experiencing. Some decisions taken by the emir were reversed - for example, an attempt to make English the main language in educational institutions. They say that Prince Tamim insisted on the cancellation.

Many expect the new ruler to focus on preserving the national identity and traditions of the country, 85% of whose population is migrant. After her victory is assured, Sheikha Mozah must adjust to new realities. Mr. Sheikh from Brookings Doha Center says: "She will need to be careful how she projects her influence now. And she will show that accuracy."

Sheikha Moza, matriarch of the modern Gulf. Simeon Kerr and Roula Khalaf, Financial Times. June 28, 2013

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It is generally accepted that in Arab countries women always remain in the shadows. Sheikha Moza, the second of the 3 wives of the third emir of Qatar, defies all stereotypes about Eastern women by her appearance. Always in unique flawless outfits, with a royal bearing, she has become not only a style icon in the Arab world, but also the brightest public figure.

We are in site We are sincerely delighted with the sheikh's story and we think that everyone should know it, and at the same time admire the exotic beauty of this stunning woman.

Sheikha Moza's story

Sheikha Moza bint Nasser al-Misned was born into a wealthy family. Her father was a famous Qatari businessman. Moza's childhood and adolescence resembled an oriental fairy tale, and at the age of 18 she met the future emir of Qatar - then Prince Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.

Contrary to the established order in the East, the girl was in no hurry to become a housewife. She received her psychological education at the University of Qatar, then left for an internship in the United States. Returning to her homeland, Moza, being the second wife of the sheikh, gave birth to a child. The first years in the new status, the woman devoted to taking care of children. In total, the sheikh gave her husband seven children. It was her son who became the heir to the throne and the 4th emir of Qatar, although the sheikh had 25 children from three wives.

Sheikha Mozah with her husband and son Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the 4th Emir of Qatar.

Sheikha Moza style

Sheikha Mozah has always been a woman of character. Even being not the first wife of the emir, she was able to achieve participation in state affairs, which could not but cause amazement in Qatari society. Her outfits were even more striking: the sheikh allowed her wife not to wear a veil - only elegant turbans cover her head.

Left - journalist Nora Al-Hakbani (Saudi Arabia), right - Sheikha Moz.

Her bold image gave impetus to change. The society began to discuss new, brighter and more modern outfits for respectable Muslim women. Since then, Moza has become a style icon, constantly demonstrating that an oriental woman can look decent yet stunning. The sheikh wears dresses, skirts, and (horror!) Trousers. All this was considered unacceptable in the Arab world before her.

Sheikh with Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.

At Harvard University (Massachusetts, USA).

The Sheikh can never be seen in a boring outfit. Her looks combine elegance, flamboyance and femininity of a strong, self-confident woman. At the same time, Moza does not use the services of stylists - she selects all the images herself, considering this to be something like psychotherapy.

We would like to look into the sheikh's dressing room! She is the owner of countless haute couture outfits. A special place in the wardrobe of the royal person is occupied by images from Valentino (a controlling stake in the fashion house belongs to her family).

Humanitarian mission

In a lesson at a school in the city of El Obeid (Sudan).

Among the Arab rulers, the third emir of Qatar has always been considered a progressive leader, largely due to the humanitarian and charitable programs of his wife. Sheikh is an active public figure. She is the special ambassador of UNESCO for basic and higher education.

This is not just an honorary position, as one might think. The Sheikh has spent years fighting for equal access for children to education. She toured the planet with this important mission, met with leaders of states and patrons of art, drawing attention to the problem. Her Educate a Child Foundation helps children in the poorest parts of the world who have been victims of war and conflict to get a chance for a better life by going to school.

Sheikha Moza has invested $ 7.9 billion in the construction of a hospital for women. Thanks to the Sheikha Moza Foundation, 10 million children have started attending school in 6 years.

A thick curtain again threatens to fall between West and East. One of the most powerful women on the planet Moze bint Naseral al Misned once it was already possible to prove: this is not forever. Is repetition possible when the love of high fashion brings worlds closer together?

To select the next sovereign for the country, remind my husband to buy the Valentino House, to make the Arab world a new face - Sheikha Moza's family concerns have long been concerned not only with the small, but also fabulously rich peninsula in the Persian Gulf. The second wife of the third, now former emir of Qatar, turned her style into a mission, becoming the most famous Muslim woman and trendsetter on a global scale. The style revolution, according to Her Highness, was to unite women in different parts of the world.

Sheikha Moza's style revolution

Most of the indigenous inhabitants of Qatar today prefer to dress like their Arabian great-grandmothers: a spacious abaya hides the body from chin to feet, a niqab, a wide bandage on the forehead with two scarves, leaves only the eyes in sight. Sharia regulations allow for the display of the face and hands in public, but many ignore even this assumption. Qatari women are in no hurry to use the Sheikh's opportunity not to wear traditional clothes, as well as the right not to work and vote on an equal basis with men. The country's constitution still calls the observance of national traditions and customs the duty of every citizen. The husband must approve of his wife's manner of dressing; political parties in the emirate are out of the question.

With much more enthusiasm, Moza's compatriots responded to permission to drive. Almost every Arab family can afford a staff of servants, but driving alone for another Prada purse through Doha, melting from the heat, means freedom not burdened with a sense of guilt.

First outrageous public appearance

Moza, who first appeared in public without a hijab in 2002, made a lot of noise. The al-Thani dynasty has ruled the territory of modern Qatar since the eighteenth century, since then Sharia law is the only thing that can limit the power of the emir. And now the Sheikh, the main status element of the monarch's public life, shows the whole honest world the awrat - the body parts that the Shariah prescribes to cover. And if a naked neck, doubly luxurious framed by a platinum necklace from Cartier, is no longer a cause for controversy, then what to do with the silhouette? All curves of the body, brought into full compliance with Western beauty standards, are carefully contoured; the waist and chest are accentuated. The face with fashionable makeup is open, only the hair is tucked away with a cloth. Was this woman covering herself up as she should, or was she literally naked?

The image of Her Highness without a hijab, only a dotted line pointing to Muslim traditions, for all its European elegance does not give any doubt that we are facing the second of the three wives of Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.

Giant custom-made platinum necklaces (the most famous of which cost the Emir almost a million dollars), sparkling belt diamonds playing with emeralds and sapphires, chandeliers, precious brooches - jewelry masterpieces, along with the invariable turban, remained an integral part of her costume. For business receptions, Moza usually chooses a string of pearls, which Dior would probably find large.

In the part of the world, where the demonstration of luxury has long gone out of fashion, they openly admired the style of the first lady of Qatar. Let the Sheikh wear the fortune on her wrists and neck, it is obvious that her true passion is the precious collections of Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and Chanel. For the first time since the reign of Farah Pahlavi, who was proclaimed empress of Iran by her husband, a female voice from the East sounded loudly at the receptions of world royal dynasties, and the protocol boredom of official visits was dispelled by the alluring spirit of haute couture with a sultry character.

Influence on the fashion industry

Sheikha Moza's current role in the fashion industry is largely driven by expensive purchases - outside of the house. Valentino the al-Thani family owns the brand M Missoni, brand QELA(Moza's design), promotions LVMH, Harrods and Tiffany & co... However, she will go down in fashion history for a unique style formed over the years, based on the experience of the most sophisticated first ladies in the world.

In wedding photographs, Moza bint Nasser, an eighteen-year-old student at Qatar University, looks bewildered, covered in a handkerchief. The daughter of an influential father, whose oppositional and largely pro-Western activities for many years provided a headache for the emirate, returned to her homeland as a dove of peace. The subsequent palace coup made Hamad al-Thani the new emir and allowed his wife Moza to take on the issues of family and education (and not only of Qatar, but of the entire Arab world - since 2003 she is a special envoy of UNESCO), as well as wear what you like.

sources of inspiration

Initially experimenting with the style of the new First Lady is a direct adaptation of the latest haute couture collections to the demands of her religion.

A special attitude towards Italians, in particular to Valentino, makes Moza akin to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis much more than dressing in general. Despite the label “ arabic jackie o”, Even the desire to always emphasize the waist and make dark glasses part of the image has different origins for both first ladies. Moza's silhouettes have little in common with Cassini during his collaboration with Jacqueline; she is closest to his work during his union with Grace Kelly. The image of the princess of Monaco most often flashes in Moza's outfits. With the same obvious affection, she treats those adored "Bettina" blouses and successfully quotes Grace's everyday style - shirt, wide trousers, straw hat, as during her trip to the Caucasus in the company of Ulyana Sergeenko last summer. And the famous Sheikha's turban itself is also supposedly removed from Kelly's head, she once again introduced it into fashion in the footsteps of the Hollywood divas Gretta Garbo and Ava Gardiner.

Sheikha Moza wins

The loss of the throne by Hamad al-Thani in 2013 upset women of fashion all over the world - it is not so easy to give up the habit of following the stylish fights of Moza and the first ladies of the West.

The Sheikh has many well-deserved victories on her account. Thinking over the outfits, she clearly studied the features of the partner's wardrobe, with whom she would share the attention of reporters. In an embrace with Princess Maxima of the Netherlands, the contrast of white and black helped her to catch her eyes. The democratic simplicity of Michelle Obama's outfits has lost its charm against the backdrop of theatrical luxury. Unaccustomed to being in the shadow of Karl Bruni, clearly stung by the comparison in favor of Moza, she tried to act as a strategist herself during the second visit of the al-Thani couple to Elysee Palace in 2009... Relying on her own grace, she chose a white, flying dress with bare shoulders - an impossible luxury for the Sheikh, but the pulsating hue of Moza's outfit literally made Karla disappear. The choice of the Sheikh was risky, as soon as the wife of the President of France noticed the rival's tendency to monochrome and preferred a combination of colors, and Moza's figure would really look too cumbersome against her background with an overabundance of purple.

By 2011, the turbans from Her Highness's head had moved straight to the catwalks, her favorite icicle heels in the form of a piece of people were firmly established in the wardrobes of the followers. To the last official visit to London Sheikha Moza, a recognized trendsetter, prepared with the utmost care, showing the best outfits for the entire period of the evolution of her style. To date, the only woman who has never been lost against the background of her brilliance is 89-year-old Elizabeth II. Next to the Queen of Great Britain, who has stood too firmly on the ground for a very long time, Moza, Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, looks tastefully dressed, but an ordinary woman.

A year after ascending the throne, Moza's son, Prince Tamim, who was educated in the UK, approved the launch of the Show Respect campaign, which instructs women to dress appropriately when visiting Qatar.

On the other side of the world, at the same time, a Belgian official ripped off a niqab from one of the Qatari princesses. And girls around the world are still keeping a close eye on Moza and her outfits.