(, "Defenders of the Homeland") is the

national anthem A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and Europea ...

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

; the text was written by Mostafa Saadeq Al-Rafe'ie and

Aboul-Qacem Echebbi Aboul-Qacem Echebbi ( ar, أبو القاسم الشابي, ; 24 February 1909 – 9 October 1934) was a Tunisian poet. He is probably best known for writing the final two verses of the current National Anthem of Tunisia, ''Humat al-Hima'' (''De ...

History

The lyrics come from a poem written in the 1930s by Lebanese-born Egyptian poet Mostafa Saadeq Al-Rafe'ie. Although some say the melody was composed by

Mohammed Abdel Wahab ''Mohamed Abdel Wahab'' ( ar, محمد عبد الوهاب), also transliterated ''Mohamed Abd El-Wahhab'' (March 13, 1902 – May 4, 1991), was a prominent 20th-century Egyptian singer, actor, and composer. He is best known for his Romantic ...

, Tunisian

musicologist Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some m ...

Salah El Mahdi claims the melody was composed by the poet while the original music for the poem was composed by

Zakariyya Ahmad Zakariyya Ahmad ( ar, زكريا أحمد; born 1896 in Faiyum, Egypt –1961) was an Egyptian musician and composer. He mainly sang religious songs as a member of several groups from 1919 to 1929, having studied recitation of the Qur'an ...

. The last verses of the lyrics were written by

. According to El Mahdi, these verses were appended to the lyrics in June 1955 by nationalist

Mongi Slim Mongi Slim ( ar, منجي سليم, tr, Mengi Selim) (September 1, 1908October 23, 1969) was a Tunisian diplomat who became the first African to become the President of the United Nations General Assembly in 1961. He received a degree from the ...

. Known as the "Hymn of the Revolution", it was sung during the meetings of the ruling party, the Neo Destour, which later changed its name to the

Socialist Destourian Party The Socialist Destourian Party ( ar, الحزب الاشتراكي الدستوري ' ; french: Parti socialiste destourien) was the ruling political party of Tunisia from 1964 to 1988. Bahi Ladgham was the first Prime Minister from the party a ...

. "Humat al-Hima" was temporarily used as a national anthem between the end of the

monarchy A monarchy is a government#Forms, form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for life or until abdication. The legitimacy (political)#monarchy, political legitimacy and authority of the monarch may vary from restric ...

on 25 July 1957, when it replaced the " Salam al-Bey", and 20 March 1958, when it was replaced by " Ala Khallidi". "Humat al-Hima" was later brought back again following the coup d'état that brought

Zine El Abidine Ben Ali Zine El Abidine Ben Ali ( ar, زين العابدين بن علي, translit=Zayn al-'Ābidīn bin 'Alī; 3 September 1936 – 19 September 2019), commonly known as Ben Ali ( ar, بن علي) or Ezzine ( ar, الزين), was a Tunisian politician ...

to power on 7 November 1987.

Lyrics

On occasions requiring brevity, a short version is sung consisting of the chorus, the third verse (not repeated) and the chorus again.

Notes

References

External links

Tunisia: ''Humat al-Hima'' – Audio of the national anthem of Tunisia, with information and lyricsarchive link
{{Authority control Tunisian music National symbols of Tunisia African anthems National anthem compositions in A-flat major