On December 31, New Year's Eve celebrations will begin from 8pm with entertainment and dazzling shows for all ages, across these locations
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The lines on Syed Murad's hands tell a tale of decades spent hammering, melting, and shaping iron and steel into functional tools. Today, standing strong at 85, Murad continues to work as a blacksmith, preserving a craft that has been his lifelong passion and that he inherited from his father.
“All my friends have addressed me as ‘iron man’ since my childhood. And later I was known by that name,” said Murad, seated proudly at his shop, Al Haddad Syed (Blacksmith Syed), located in the Heritage Village at the Global Village.
Since 1997, when Global Village first began at Dubai Creek, Murad and his son, Syed Hassan, have been bringing their traditional techniques to life for visitors from across the globe.
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“It was a small place back then,” Murad recalled. “We would bring everything from our workshop in Ajman and sell it here. Now, at its current location, we even have the tools to mould metal and shape it right on-site.”
When Murad was five years old, he didn’t play with toys but with raw metals. His journey as a blacksmith began early, when he would accompany his father to his workplace in Ajman.
At just seven, he joined the trade, learning to craft hinges, fasteners, shackles, and anchors for traditional boats. “Back in the day, parts for boats were in huge demand,” said Murad. “I felt proud working on them. It was considered the topmost job for a blacksmith.”
“I remember telling my father — one day, I will run a business myself,” Murad said with a smile. And by 18, Murad had saved enough money to marry and start his own life. “It was a simple life,” he added, reflecting on his early years.
After gaining experience, Murad honed his craft, mastering the art of making farming tools like hoes, rake hand trowels, and weeding knives over the years. He also became an expert in crafting the ‘das,’ a traditional sickle with a curved, serrated blade. “There are two types of das, one for harvesting and another for cutting down palm tree harvests,” said Murad.
Murad’s process for making a tool is rooted in tradition, requiring great patience and skill. “To produce a knife or a ‘tawa’ (a coffee roaster), we start by melting iron over a charcoal fire,” he said. “Once it’s malleable, we place it on a 'sinda’ (a metal block) and hammer it into shape.” The meticulous process takes over five days to complete for just one product.
Murad also specialises in crafting traditional knives. “Making knives the old-fashioned way is an art form,” he said. “We start with a coal-fired forge, heating the metal until it glows red-hot, and then hammer it into its desired shape.”
The knife is then cooled in water and hardened in oil before being filed and sharpened using traditional tools. “This process takes over three days, but the result is worth it,” he said, highlighting the care that goes into each blade.
Making the wooden handle for a knife is no less intricate. Murad selects strong woods like walnut or rosewood, cuts them into scales that fit perfectly with the tang, drills holes, and secures them with pins and nails.
He shapes the handle with files and sandpaper until it feels just right. “This process can take from a few hours to a couple of days, depending on the design,” said Murad.
Despite his dedication, Murad admitted that sales have slowed down at both Global Village and his Ajman workshop. “Now, people buy from markets, where products are made by machines,” he said. “But we cannot compare the products made by hand to those. Each piece we make tells a story — it’s not just a tool, but a work of art.”
Murad’s passion for his craft remains firm, even as the market changes. “I have been doing this all my life, and I will keep working as long as I can,” he said, his eyes lighting up with pride.
His son, Syed Hassan, who accompanies his father to Global Village every day, expressed his admiration for his father’s commitment. “He’s my role model,” Hassan said. “Even at 84, he works harder than anyone I know. He always says, 'If your hands stop working, your heart stops living.'”
“This isn’t just a job for me, it’s who I am,” Murad said. He doesn’t just shape metal, he is shaping a legacy. Hassan also feels the value of this legacy. “I want to keep his work alive, to pass it down to the next generation,” said Hassan, standing next to his father, proud to continue the family tradition.
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