Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani (Arabic: علي بن عبد الله بن جاسم بن محمد آل ثاني‎‎ "Ali bin Abdullah bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani"), KBE (5 June 1895 – 31 August 1974) was the Emir of Qatar. Sheikh Ali is also known as the very first Emir of Qatar to have migrated and traveled abroad, visiting India, Egypt, Europe, Lebanon and the Levant.

Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani was born on 25 June 1895, in Doha. His father was Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani. He had a younger brother, Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani, and a half brother, Sheikh Hassan bin Abdullah Al Thani.

He became the emir of Qatar on 20 August 1949. He is also known as the first emir of Qatar to have visited other countries abroad. His reign also saw emphasis on education and infrastructure. After his abdication, he lived a few years in Qatar during which he was very sociable in befriending many Muslim scholars.

During his reign, Sheikh Ali oversaw the very first shipment of onshore Qatari oil from the port city in Mesaieed on 31 December 1949, marking Qatar's entry into the oil age.

Aside from overseeing the first shipment of oil in Qatar, Sheikh Ali's reign saw the establishment of the first regular school for boys, the first regular school for girls, the funding of university places and the construction of the very first permanent hospital. In addition to these, Sheikh Ali also oversaw the construction of the Doha International Airport, several road networks, and water, electricity and port facilities. He also established additional government departments and ministries as well as the first joint stock companies. Ronald Cochrane was made responsible for organizing the police force in Qatar. Phillip Plant, a former British Royal Air Force officer, was appointed in January 1950, as adviser to the emir. In the same year, in August 1950, Britain appointed Arthur John Wilton as the first Political Officer in Qatar.

On 1 September 1952, a new treaty was also signed between Sheikh Ali and the Iraq Petroleum Company (later Qatar Petroleum Company). Under the terms of these agreements, Qatar acquired 50% of profits from oil exports. In line with the exploration of oil in Qatar, Sheikh Ali took steps to establish an effective administrative system to manage the rising economy of oil. After befriending numerous Muslim scholars after his abdication, he started printing many historical Islamic books that were never printed before; these were printed in the Almaktab Alislami in Lebanon.

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