Humat al-Hima Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
حماة الحمى
English: Defenders of the Homeland
Ḥumāt al-Ḥimá

National anthem of	Tunisia
Lyrics	Mostafa Saadeq Al-Rafe'ie / Aboul-Qacem Echebbi
Music	Mohammed Abdel Wahab (or possibly Ahmed Kheireddine [fr])
Adopted	25 July 1957

Ḥumāt al-Ḥimá (Arabic: حماة الحمى, meaning "Defenders of the Homeland") is the national anthem of Tunisia. A national anthem is a special song that represents a country. The words for this anthem were written by Mostafa Saadeq Al-Rafe'ie and Aboul-Qacem Echebbi.

History of the Anthem

The words of "Ḥumāt al-Ḥimá" come from a poem written in the 1930s. The poet, Mostafa Saadeq Al-Rafe'ie, was born in Lebanon but lived in Egypt.

There are different ideas about who wrote the music for the anthem. Some people believe it was composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab. However, a Tunisian musicologist (someone who studies music) named Salah El Mahdi says the music was created by the poet Ahmed Kheireddine [fr]. He also says the first music for the poem was by Zakariyya Ahmad.

The last parts of the anthem's words were added by Aboul-Qacem Echebbi. According to Salah El Mahdi, these lines were put into the song in June 1955 by a nationalist leader named Mongi Slim.

This song was known as the "Hymn of the Revolution." It was often sung during meetings of the main political party in Tunisia at the time, called the Neo Destour.

"Ḥumāt al-Ḥimá" became Tunisia's national anthem for a short time starting on July 25, 1957. This was when Tunisia stopped being a kingdom and became a republic. It replaced the old anthem, "Salam al-Bey". Then, on March 20, 1958, it was replaced by another song called "Ala Khallidi".

However, "Ḥumāt al-Ḥimá" became the national anthem again on November 7, 1987. This happened after a big political change in the country, when Zine El Abidine Ben Ali became the new leader.

Lyrics of "Defenders of the Homeland"

When the anthem is sung for shorter events, people usually sing the chorus, then the third verse, and then the chorus again.

Arabic original	Arabic transliteration	English translation
كورال: حماة الحمى يا حماة الحمى هلموا هلموا لمجد الزمن لقد صرخت في عروقنا الدماء نموت نموت ويحيا الوطن ١ 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 كورال ٢ 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 كورال ٣ إذا الشعب يوما أراد الحياة فلا بدّ أن يستجيب القدر ولا بد لليل أن ينجلي ولا بد للقيد أن ينكسر كورال	Kūrāl: 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 I Li-tadwi is-samāwātu bi-raʿdihā Li-tarmi iṣ-ṣawāʿiqu nīrānahā ʾIlá ʿizzi Tūnis ʾilá 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 Kūrāl II Wa-rithnā as-sawāʿida bayn al-ʾumam Ṣukhūran ṣukhūran ka-hadhā al-bināʾ Sawāʿidu 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 Kūrāl III ʾIdhā ash-shaʿbu yawman ʾarāda al-ḥayāh Fa-lā budda ʾan yastajīb al-qadar Wa-lā budda lil-layli ʾan yanjalī Wa-lā budda lil-qaydi ʾan yankasir Kūrāl	Chorus: O defenders of the Homeland! Come on, come on, for the glory of our time! The blood has cried out in our veins, We die, we die, and long live the homeland! I Let the heavens roar with thunder, Let thunderbolts throw their fires. To the might of Tunisia, to her glory, Are the men and youth of the country. So no one who betrays Tunisia shall live, And no one who is not her soldier shall live. We die and live loyal to her, A life of dignity and a death of glory. Chorus II We inherited strong arms among nations, Rocks, rocks, like this building. Arms over which the flag waves, We boast of it, and it boasts of us. And in them is enough for highness and determination, And in them is a guarantee for achieving wishes. And in them is revenge for Tunisia's enemies, And in them is peace for those who make peace with us. Chorus III When the people will to live, Destiny must surely respond. And night must surely clear away, And the chains must surely break. Chorus}}

Humat al-Hima facts for kids

History of the Anthem

Lyrics of "Defenders of the Homeland"

See also