Mohammed Abdel Wahab

For the Egyptian footballer, see Mohamed Abdelwahab. For the Arab theologian, see Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab. For the contemporary Egyptian composer, see Mohamed Abdelwahab Abdelfattah.

Mohammed Abdel Wahab with a cümbüş mandolin

Mohammed Abdel Wahab (Arabic: محمد عبد الوهاب), also transliterated Mohammed Abd el-Wahaab (March 7, 1899 or 1907 – May 3, 1991)^[1] was a prominent 20th-century Arab Egyptian singer and composer. He composed the "Ya Beladi" (also known as "Libya, Libya, Libya") the National anthem of Libya used by the Kingdom of Libya from 1951 to 1969 and again by the post-Gaddafi transitional government in 2011.^[2]

Biography

Born in Bab El-Shaariyah area of Cairo, Egypt (where his statue stands), Abdel Wahab played oud before the Prince of Poets, Ahmed Shawqi. Abdel Wahab acted in several movies. Mohammed Abdel Wahab was a very close friend to loved singer Abdel Halim Hafez.

Contribution to Arab music

Egyptian singer & composer Mohammed Abdel Wahab Statue at Bab El-Sharyia square, Cairo

Despite the fact that Abdel Wahab composed many songs and musical pieces in classic Arab music, he was always criticized for his orientation to Western music. In fact, his introduced the Western rhythms to Arab songs in a way appropriate to the known forms of Arab songs. For example, he introduced in 1941 in his song Al Gondol the Waltz rhythm, and in 1957, he introduced the rock and roll rhythm in Abdel Halim Hafez’s song Ya Albi Ya Khali.

Abdel Wahab played oud before the Prince of Poets, Ahmed Shawqi. Abdel Wahab acted in several movies. He composed 10 songs for Umm Kulthum (أم كلثوم). He was the first Egyptian singer to move from silent-era acting to singing.^[3] He died of heart failure.

Legacy

His personal belongings were put in his museum in the Music institute in Cairo.

A statue was erected in Bab El-Sheriya square (where he grew up) to keep his memory.

As a memorial and honor for him, Omar Khayrat, Egyptian composer, had rearranged some of Abdel Wahab's music and released them in an Album called Wahabiat.

References

1. ^ Egyptian State Information Service
2. ^ About Libya: Libyan National Anthem, National Transitional Council of Libya, http://www.ntclibya.com/InnerPage.aspx?SSID=26&ParentID=20&LangID=1, retrieved August 23, 2011 
3. ^ Best Arabic Music

External links

• Biography

Selected musical pieces of Mohammed Abdel Wahab from YouTube website:

• Hayati
• Hadiyat Al Eid
• Al Khayyam
• National Anthem of the Kingdom of Libya

Persondata
Name	Abdel Wahab, Mohammed
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1907
Place of birth
Date of death	1991
Place of death