1 roof, 4 wives, 144 descendants: How Saeed Musbah Al Ketbi built a family bound by tradition

Sharjah: In a majlis whose doors are always open, Saeed Musbah Al Ketbi, an Emirati storyteller and researcher of national heritage, sits surrounded by his vast family — 144 sons, daughters, and grandchildren — who gather daily under one roof in his countryside home in Sharjah, according to Emarat Al Youm.

The air is rich with the aroma of Arabic coffee, a prelude to every story. Every corner of his home reflects a lifetime devoted to preserving Emirati traditions and values for future generations.

From the open veranda of his majlis, warmth and generosity fill the air. His children and grandchildren gather daily to listen to their patriarch’s stories, learning what he calls “our Emirati way.”

“I taught my children the principles of our noble society, and today they teach their own children,” he says. “This is our constitution — the authentic Emirati Al San’a that must guide future generations.”

Al San’a embodies timeless Emirati values: respect for elders, generosity, humility, honesty, tolerance, and loyalty to family, community, and nation.

At 78, Al Ketbi speaks with calm pride about his unusual household. “I have four wives,” he says with a smile. “All live together under one roof in harmony. Justice brings peace, not harshness. Every wife has her place, and gentle authority keeps order at home.”

A former soldier, he credits his sense of discipline and patience to his military years. “Life was hard back then,” he recalls, “but I learned endurance and responsibility — lessons I brought into my family life.”

Over the years, Al Ketbi’s home in Um Fannin has become a small village of its own — a family tree with 12 sons, 13 daughters, and more than a hundred grandchildren spread across the UAE. Yet every week, they return to the family home, now both a meeting place and a living classroom.

Fridays are for women; the rest of the week, the majlis fills with men, grandchildren, and visitors. “Whoever enters greets, whoever sits listens, and even the youngest learns,” he says.

In an age of screens and artificial intelligence, Al Ketbi begins with what he calls “the first meanings” — the roots of Emirati manners and customs. He taught his sons hospitality and his daughters the art of running a home. “When they were young, I took them to the desert to teach patience and responsibility,” he says. “Now, my daughters teach their own children the same.”

Proudly, he adds: “My daughter Salma is a distinguished lawyer. My sons serve in the police, army, education, and government. Their success is the fruit of the upbringing I worked hard to give them.”

Beyond his home, Al Ketbi preserves heritage online — sharing tales of Emirati life, coffee rituals, and desert values with younger generations. His followers see him as a bridge between past and present.

His dedication was recognised in September when His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, honoured him during the Sharjah International Narrators Forum under the theme “Tales of Travellers.”

Numbers tell another story — one of devotion. Al Ketbi has performed Hajj 41 times and Umrah 129 times. “Each journey,” he says, “is for the heart before the body — a lesson in gratitude and contentment.”

His eldest son, Mohammed, says: “Despite our large family, our father never failed us. He taught us unity, respect, and love.”

Inside their home, unity is a rule. Family meals are shared, and any dispute is resolved openly so everyone can learn. “I taught my children Al San’a — the Emirati code of honour,” Al Ketbi says, smiling at his grandchildren. “That is my legacy, and it will live long after me.”