When We Die As Martyrs facts for kids
"When We Die As Martyrs" is a popular song by a Jordanian children's music group called Toyor Al Janah. This name means "Birds of Paradise." The song was released as a music video on a TV channel with the same name. Young Arab children sing the song, led by Dima Bashar and her brother Mohammed Bashar. In 2010, the song became very popular online. It was watched by many people around the world.
Contents
About Toyor Al Janah
The music group Toyor Al Janah was started in 1994. It was created by Khaled Maqdad, a businessman from Jordan and Palestine. He also started the TV channel in 2008. Mr. Maqdad said that the channel has become very popular with children. He believes it helps children learn, even with things like multiplication tables.
A journalist from Saudi Arabia, Fawzia Nasir al-Naeem, wrote about the group. She said Toyor Al Janah is one of the most popular children's music groups in the Arab world. She noted that its popularity has spread to places like Canada and Britain. Dr. Hamad Al-Majid, another journalist, also wrote about the group. He said that Toyor Al Janah's videos are very popular with Arab children. He mentioned that some of their songs have been watched millions of times online.
What the Song's Video Shows
The song's video tells a story. It shows Palestinian children playing, singing, and dancing in a village. Then, other children, dressed as Israeli soldiers, appear. These children wear small caps called yarmulkes. In the video, the children playing are shown being shot by the "soldiers." At the end of the video, other Palestinian children are shown getting revenge. They are shown shooting the "Israeli" children.
The song starts with a young girl singing. She sings about going to heaven. She also sings that even though they are small, they have a certain way of life. As the video continues, a young man sings more of the song. He sings that children must follow their religious rules. He says there is only one God, Allah. He also sings that Allah loves "shaheeds," which means Islamic martyrs.
Concerts in Gaza City
In August 2010, Toyor Al Janah performed two live concerts. These concerts took place in Gaza City. Khaled Maqdad, who founded the group, attended a special welcome ceremony there. This ceremony was held by Hamas to honor the choir. Mr. Maqdad said that the concerts would show the world something important. He said they would show that Palestinian children have a right to live freely and with dignity.
The concerts were part of an Islamic music festival. Thousands of people attended both performances. They were very impressed by the young singers and performers.
Concerns About the Song's Message
The song "When We Die As Martyrs" has received some criticism. A Saudi journalist named Fawzia Nasir al-Naeem expressed concerns. She suggested that the song might teach children about conflict. She worried that it could encourage them to think about violence.
