City history
From an 18th-century coastal watchtower settlement named after the native gazelle to the modern capital of the United Arab Emirates observing Gulf Standard Time (UTC+4), Abu Dhabi's timekeeping history is rooted in tribal traditions, solar prayer times, and astronomical observation.
Chapter one
Earliest documented name
"Father of the Gazelle"
The earliest documented historical name Abu Dhabi translates to 'Father of the Gazelle' in Arabic, referring to the wild gazelles encountered on the island when Bani Yas hunters discovered fresh water around 1761. Older indigenous names for the specific island before this tribal migration remain unrecorded in surviving written sources.
Father of the Gazelle / Possessor of Gazelles
Named after the wild gazelles found on the coastal island when hunters from the Bani Yas tribe discovered fresh water around 1761, establishing a permanent settlement.
Region of Al Dhafrah / Trucial States shaykhdom
Historical regional designation under the ruling Al Nahyan family and Bani Yas confederation, later forming part of the British-protected Trucial States prior to full independence.
Chapter two
Before standard time adoption, Abu Dhabi observed local mean solar time based on its meridian longitude (UTC+3:37:33), determining daily routines and prayer times by local solar observations.
Regional authorities adopted Gulf Standard Time at UTC+4, providing a uniform standard time offset across the Trucial Coast without seasonal daylight saving transitions.
Following the unification of the seven emirates into an independent federation, Abu Dhabi retained Gulf Standard Time (UTC+4) as the official standard time of the UAE capital.
Chapter three
Bani Yas hunters tracked a gazelle to a freshwater spring on Abu Dhabi island, prompting Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa to construct a conical watchtower that evolved into Qasr Al Hosn.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab transferred the seat of government from Liwa Oasis to Abu Dhabi island, constructing the Inner Fort around the original watchtower to protect the settlement.
Abu Dhabi became the official capital of the United Arab Emirates upon federal unification, standardizing public administration, communications, and municipal services.
The Al Khatm Astronomical Observatory was established in the Abu Dhabi desert, becoming a primary facility for lunar calendar sighting, crescent imaging, and space observation in the UAE.