Mohammed Abdel Wahab Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Mohammed Abdel Wahhab
Mohammed Abd el-Wahhab with a cümbüş (mandolin)
Background information
Born	(1901-03-13)March 13, 1901 Cairo, Egypt
Origin	Egypt
Died	May 4, 1991(1991-05-04) (aged 90) Cairo, Egypt
Genres	Egyptian music
Occupation(s)	Singer composer actor
Instruments	Vocals oud
Years active	1917–1991
Labels	Mazzika

Mohamed Abdel Wahab (Arabic: محمد عبد الوهاب) was a famous Egyptian singer, actor, and composer. He lived from March 13, 1901, to May 4, 1991. He is most famous for his romantic and patriotic Egyptian songs.

He wrote many songs that showed his love for Egypt. Some of these songs include "Oh Egypt, happiness is here" and "Egypt has called us." These songs encouraged people to feel proud of their country.

He also helped create the national anthems for other countries. These include the anthems for Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Libya.

Early Life
Movie Star
Music Master
His Legacy
Awards and Tributes
Movies He Acted In
Images for kids
See also

Early Life

Mohammed Abel Wahab statue- Bab El-Sheariyia0

A statue of Mohamed Abdel Wahab in Cairo, Egypt.

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was born in 1902 in Cairo, Egypt. His neighborhood, Bab El-Sheriyah, now has a statue of him. He started singing when he was very young. He first performed in public at age seven. By the time he was 13, he made his first music recording. He was also a close friend of another famous Egyptian singer, Abdel Halim Hafez.

Movie Star

A movie poster for the Egyptian film Mamnou'a el hub (1942).

In 1933, Abdel Wahab started making his own style of Egyptian musical films. He had visited Paris and learned about French musical movies. He brought a fun, lighthearted kind of musical film to Egypt. He made eight musical comedies between 1933 and 1949.

His films often showed wealthy Western characters. The music in his movies was different from traditional Egyptian tunes. He starred in his 1934 film The White Flower. This movie was very popular and is still shown in Egyptian theaters today. In 1950, Abdel Wahab stopped making films. He wanted to focus more on his singing career.

Music Master

Abdel Wahab wrote more than 1820 songs. Many people think he was one of the most creative Egyptian musicians ever. He helped start a new time for Egyptian music. He used rhythms from other countries and played the oud (a string instrument) in a special way.

Some people thought he used too much Western music in his songs. But he mixed Western rhythms into Egyptian songs in a way that fit. For example, in 1941, he used a waltz rhythm in his song "El Gandol." In 1957, he even used a rock and roll rhythm in a song for Abdel Halim Hafez.

He also wrote many popular songs for other singers. He composed hits for Najat Al Saghira, including four poems. He played the oud for the famous Egyptian poet, Ahmed Shawqi. He also wrote ten songs for the legendary singer Umm Kulthum. He was one of the first Egyptian singers to move from silent movies to singing films.

Abdel Wahab also wrote songs for the Lebanese singer Fairuz. He called her "Our Ambassador to the Stars." He even said he was the leader of her fan club in Cairo.

His Legacy

Mohamed Abdel Wahab passed away in his hometown of Cairo, Egypt, on May 4, 1991. He died from a stroke.

Abdel Wahab was very important in creating a new era of Egyptian music. His influence spread across the entire Arab world. He also introduced Egyptian music to Western classical and popular styles. He wrote the national anthems for Tunisia and Libya.

Awards and Tributes

Mohamed Abdel Wahab received many important awards during his life. These included top honors from Egypt, like the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Nile. He also received awards from other countries, such as Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.

On March 13, 2012, Google celebrated his 110th birthday. They made a special Google Doodle to honor him.