There are some images that often strike a chord with people during times of crisis, eventually rising to become a face of the struggle itself.

There is such an example to be told about right here in Qatar — Tamim Al Majd. The illustration, a brainchild of Qatari artist Ahmed Al Maadheed, quickly went viral and today, is the glowing symbol of Qatari nationalism. 

The sketch he made of HH The Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani can now be seen everywhere in the country, on bumpers, shop windows, concrete walls and mobile phone cases.

While Qatari telecom giants Ooredoo and Vodafone Qatar changed their network names to Tamim Al Majd, almost 2,000 people came together at the Al Sadd Stadium to create a giant mural of HH The Emir.

Qatar Museums brought out special ‘Tamim Al Majd’ branded culture pass for its members and Fauj Cafe’s Grand Hamad Street branch cut a huge cake shaped in the form of the iconic image.

All these activities culminated in a joyous achievement for the artist, as he finally got the chance to give the original sketch to HH The Emir himself.

Ahmed Al Maadheed, the artist in question, said he was overwhelmed by the reaction his painting has garnered.

“I’ve no words to describe what I feel when I see my illustration everywhere. It’s a gift from God to have the honour to draw his majesty’s portrait and have it become a symbol,” according to a report in Gulf Times.

He has exhibited his work at a lot of places in Qatar. Al Maadheed, who runs an advertising agency, even received an offer to sell the original portrait for $10m, but turned it down.

“I’m thankful God gave me the chance to create this sort of work... which expresses my love for the Emir,” Al Maadheed said.