Humat al-Hima

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 / Ahmed Kheireddine
Adopted	1987
Music sample
Humat al-Hima (instrumental)

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 of this anthem 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 for the anthem was composed by the poet Ahmed Kheireddine while the original music for the poem was composed by Zakariyya Ahmad.^[2][3]

The last verses of the anthem were written by Aboul-Qacem Echebbi.^[4] According to El Mahdi, these verses were appended to the anthem 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

National Anthem

Arabic lyrics	Transliteration	English translation[5]
حماة الحمى يا حماة الحمى هلموا هلموا لمجد الزمن لقد صرخت في عروقنا الدماء نموت نموت 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	Chorus: Ḥumāt al-ḥimá yā ḥumāt al-ḥimá Halummū halummū li-majdi iz-zaman Laqad ṣarakhat fī ‘urūqinā ad-dimā Namūtu namūtu wa-yaḥyā al-waṭan Li-tadwi is-samāwātu bi-ra‘dihā Li-tarmi iṣ-ṣawā‘iqu nīrānahā Ilá ‘izzi Tūnis ilá majdihā Rijāl al-bilādi wa-shubbānahā Fa-lā ‘āsha fī Tūnis man khānahā Wa-lā ‘āsha man laysa min jundihā Namūtu wa-nahyā ‘alá ‘ahdihā Ḥayāt al-kirāmi wa-mawt al-‘iẓām Chorus Wa-rithnā as-sawā‘ida bayn al-’umam Ṣukhūran ṣukhūran ka-hadhā al-binā’ Sawā‘idu yahtazzu fawqahā al-‘alam Nubāhī bihi wa-yubāhī binā Wa-fīhā kafā lil-‘ulá wa-al-himam Wa-fīhā ḍamānun li-nayli il-muná Wa-fīhā li-’a‘dā’i Tūnis niqam Wa-fīhā li-man sālamūnā as-salām Chorus Idhā ash-sha‘bu 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 Chorus	Chorus: 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 heavens roar with thunder Let thunderbolts rain with fire. Men and youth of Tunisia, Rise up for her might and glory. No place for traitors in Tunisia, Only for those who defend her! We live and die loyal to Tunisia, A life of dignity and a death of glory. 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. Chorus

Original poem

		Chorus: Ḥumāt al-ḥimá yā ḥumāt al-ḥimá Halummū halummū li-majdi iz-zaman Laqad ṣarakhat fī il-‘urūqi id-dimā Namūtu namūtu wa-yaḥyā al-waṭan Li-tadwi is-samāwātu bī ra‘dihā Li-tarmi iṣ-ṣawā‘iqu nīrānahā Ilá ‘izzi Miṣrin ilá majdihā Rijāl al-bilādi wa-fityānahā Fa-lā ‘āsha man laysa min jundihā Wa-lā ‘āsha fī Miṣra man khānahā Namūtu wa-nahyā ‘alá ‘ahdihā Ḥayāt al-kirāmi wa-mawt al-kirām Chorus Bilādi uḥkumī wa-amlikī wa-as‘adī Fa-lā ‘āsha man lām ya‘ish sayyidā Bi-ḥurri damī wa-bimā fī yadī Anā li-bilādī wa-rūḥī fidā Laki il-majdu yā Miṣru fa-astamjidī Bi-‘izzati sha‘biki ṭūl al-madá Wa-naḥnu usūd al-wajhá fa-ash′hadī Wuthūba usūdiki yawm aṣ-ṣidām Chorus Wa-rithnā sawā‘ida bānī il-oumam Ṣukhūran ṣukhūran ka-hadhā al-binā’ Sawā‘idu yahtazzu fīhā al-‘alam Nubāhī bihi wa-yubāhī binā Wa-fīhā kafā’u ul-‘ulá wa-al-himam Wa-fīhā ḍamānun li-nayli il-muná Wa-fīhā li-’a‘dā’i Miṣra an-niqam Wa-fīhā li-man sālamūnā as-salām Chorus

References

1. National Anthems of the World Organisation
2. (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.
5. Tunisian National Anthem on NationalAntems.info

External links

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