hˈæmæd wʌz bˈɔːɹn ˌɔn sˈɪks fˈɛbɹuːˌɛɹi wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti tˈuː, ðə sˈɛkəndbˈɔːɹn sˈʌn ʌv ˈeɪt ʌv ʃˈeɪk ˈɪsə ˈɪbən ˈɑːli ˈæl kˈɑːlɪfə hɪz ˈɛldɚ bɹˈʌðɚ pɹɪdˈɛsiːst hˌɪm ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti θɹˈiː, ænd ɹᵻsˈiːvd ɐ pɹˈaɪvət ˌɛdʒuːkˈeɪʃən.
Hamad was born on 6 February 1872, the second-born son of eight of Sheikh Isa ibn Ali Al Khalifa (his elder brother predeceased him in 1893), and received a private education.