Humat al-Hima

*Ḥumāt al-Ḥimá*
English: Defenders of the Homeland
حماة الحمى
	National anthem of Tunisia
Lyrics	Mostafa Saadeq Al-Rafe'ie / Aboul-Qacem Echebbi
Music	Mohammed Abdel Wahab (or possibly [fr])
Adopted	25 July 1957
Readopted	7 November 1987
Relinquished	20 March 1958
Preceded by	"Ala Khallidi" (1987)
Audio sample
	Menu 0:00 "Humat al-Hima" (instrumental) file; help;

Ḥumāt al-Ḥimá (Arabic: حماة الحمى‎, Defenders of the Homeland) is the national anthem of Tunisia; the text was written by Mostafa Saadeq Al-Rafe'ie and Aboul-Qacem Echebbi.

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,^[1] Tunisian musicologist Salah El Mahdi claims the melody was composed by the poet [fr] while the original music for the poem was composed by Zakariyya Ahmad.^[2]^[3]

The last verses of the lyrics were written by Aboul-Qacem Echebbi.^[4] According to El Mahdi, these verses were appended to the lyrics in June 1955 by nationalist Mongi Slim.

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 Socialist Destourian Party. "Humat al-Hima" was temporarily used as a national anthem between the end of the monarchy on 25 July 1957 and the adoption of "Ala Khallidi" as the official national anthem on 20 March 1958, when it replaced the Salam al-Bey. "Humat al-Hima" was later replaced by "Ala Khallidi" but brought back again following the coup d'état which brought president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to power on 7 November 1987.

Lyrics[]

حماة الحمى (Arabic)	Humat al-Hima (Arabic transliteration)	Defenders of the Homeland (English translation)
حماة الحمى يا حماة الحمى هلموا هلموا لمجد الزمن لقد صرخت في عروقنا الدماء نموت نمو�� ويحيا الوطن لتدو السماوات برعدها لترم الصواعق نيرانها إلى عز تونس إلى مجدها رجال البلاد وشبانها فلا عاش في تونس من خانها ولا عاش من ليس من جندها نموت ونحيا على عهدها حياة الكرام وموت العظام ورثنا السواعد بين الأمم صخورا صخورا كهذا البناء سواعد يهتز فوقها العلم نباهي به ويباهي بنا وفيها كفا للعلى والهمم وفيها ضمان لنيل المنى وفيها لأعداء تونس نقم وفيها لمن سالمونا السلام إذا الشعب يوما أراد الحياة فلا بدّ أن يستجيب القدر ولا بد لليل أن ينجلي ولا بد للقيد أن ينكسر	Refrain: Ḥumāt al-ḥimá yā ḥumāt al-ḥimá Halummū halummū li-majdi iz-zaman Laqad ṣarakhat fī ʿurūqinā ad-dimā Namūtu namūtu wa-yaḥyā al-waṭan Li-tadwi is-samāwātu bi-raʿdihā Li-tarmi iṣ-ṣawāʿiqu nīrānahā Ilá ʿizzi Tūnis ilá majdihā Rijāl al-bilādi wa-shubbānahā Fa-lā ʿāsha fī Tūnis man khānahā Wa-lā ʿāsha man laysa min jundihā Namūtu wa-naḥyā ʿalá ʿahdihā Ḥayāt al-kirāmi wa-mawt al-ʿiẓām Refrain Wa-rithnā as-sawāʿida bayn al-ʾumam Ṣukhūran ṣukhūran ka-hadhā al-bināʾ Sawā‘idu yahtazzu fawqahā al-ʿalam Nubāhī bihi wa-yubāhī binā Wa-fīhā kafā lil-ʿulá wa-al-himam Wa-fīhā ḍamānun li-nayli il-muná Wa-fīhā li-ʾaʿdāʾi Tūnis niqam Wa-fīhā li-man sālamūnā as-salām Refrain Idhā ash-shaʿbu yawman arāda al-ḥayāh Fa-lā budda an yastajīb al-qadar Wa-lā budda lil-layli an yanjalī Wa-lā budda lil-qaydi an yankasir Refrain	O defenders of the Homeland! Rally around to the glory of our time! The blood surges in our veins, We die for the sake of our land. Let the sky roar with thunder Let thunderbolts rain with fire. Men and youth of Tunisia, O defenders of the Homeland! Rally around to the glory of our time! The blood surges in our veins, We die for the sake of our land. Chorus As a nation we inherited Arms like granite towers. Holding aloft our proud flag flying, We boast of it, it boasts of us, Arms that achieve ambitions and glory, Sure to realize our hopes, Inflict defeat on foes, Offer peace to friends. Chorus When the people will to live, Destiny must surely respond. Oppression shall then vanish. Fetters are certain to break.

References[]

^ National Anthems of the World Organisation
^ (in French) Students of the World
^ Darwich, Hasan (2005). Alhan Zaman. Cairo: Culture Palaces Corporation. pp. 343–344.
^ Cheraït, Abderrazak (2002). Abou el Kacem Chebbi. Tunis: Appolonia. p. 19.

External links[]

Tunisia: Humat al-Hima – Audio of the national anthem of Tunisia, with information and lyrics

[1] National Anthems of the World Organisation

[2] (in French) Students of the World

[3] Darwich, Hasan (2005). Alhan Zaman. Cairo: Culture Palaces Corporation. pp. 343–344.

[4] Cheraït, Abderrazak (2002). Abou el Kacem Chebbi. Tunis: Appolonia. p. 19.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

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