National anthems of Afghanistan facts for kids

Afghanistan has had many different national anthems throughout its history. A national anthem is a special song that represents a country. It often celebrates the country's history, people, and values.

A Journey Through Afghanistan's Anthems

The Royal Salute (1926–1943)

Afghanistan's very first national anthem was used when the country was a monarchy. This means it was ruled by a king. This anthem was only music; it did not have any words.

Grand Salute (Our Brave and Noble King) (1943–1973)

This was Afghanistan's second national anthem. It was also used during the time when Afghanistan was a monarchy.

National Anthem of the Republic of Afghanistan (1973–1978)

After the monarchy ended, Afghanistan became a republic. A republic is a country where the leader is elected, not born into power. A new anthem was chosen for this new government.

Be Ardent, Be More Ardent (1978–1991)

In 1978, a new government called the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan was formed. This government chose a new national anthem. The words were written by Sulaiman Layeq. The music was created by Jalīl Ghahlānd and arranged by Ustad Salim Sarmad.

This anthem is also known as "Garam shah lā garam shah." This means "English: Be ardent, be more ardent." Sometimes, only a part of the song was sung, like the main chorus and the first verse. Even though Afghanistan changed its political system in 1986, this song remained the national anthem until 1991.

Fortress of Islam, Heart of Asia (1991–1996, 2001–2006)

From 1991 to 2006, Afghanistan used a special battle song as its national anthem. This song was composed in 1919 by Ustad Qasim. It is also known as "Fortress of Islam, Heart of Asia."

This song was brought back by the new government in 2002. It continued to be used when the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was created in 2004. It remained the anthem until 2006.

This Is the Home of the Brave (1996–2001, 2021-)

During the late 1990s, a group called the Taliban took control of most of Afghanistan. They used a song called This Is the Home of the Brave as their unofficial national anthem. This song is an a capella nasheed, which means it is sung without musical instruments.

The song's name in Pashto is "Pashto: دا د باتورانو کور, romanized: Dā də bātorāno kor." It was played in their media and at official events.

National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (2006–2021)

A new national anthem was chosen and officially announced in May 2006. This happened during a special meeting called a Loya Jirga. According to Afghanistan's constitution, the anthem had to be in the Pashto language. It also had to include the phrase "God is Greatest" and mention the names of Afghanistan's different ethnic groups.

The words for this anthem were written by Abdul Bari Jahani. The music was composed by German–Afghan composer Babrak Wassa [de].

See also

In Spanish: Himno Nacional de Afganistán para niños

• List of former national anthems
• Music of Afghanistan
• National symbols of Afghanistan