Palestine
"Biladi"

Words by: Said Al Muzayin
Music by: Ali Ismael
Adopted: 1996

The Palestinian Liberation Organization is trying to create an Arab Palestinian state in Israeli-occupied lands. The Palestinian government has also adopted a national anthem for use in the areas currently controlled by the Palestinian provisional government. The anthem, also known as the "Anthem of the Intifada" (or "Anthem of the Palestinian Revolution") was written by Said Al Muzayin (also known as Fata Al Thawra ("The Rebel Boy")) in the 1970s, and its music was composed by Egyptian maestro Ali Ismael.

The word "fedayee" (or fida'i) appears several times in the anthem, and is difficult to express in a single word or two in English, hense it has been left untranslated in the lyrics below. The word refers to a man (the feminine form is "fida'iya", plural is "fida'iyeen") who is willing to sacrifice his life. The object that he will sacrifice to can be anything, his lover, tribe, religion, etc., but in the modern sense it is usually meant as a sacrifice to your country. (A "sacrificer" would not have the same meaning.)

Special thanks to: Firas Al-Taher for some of the information about this anthem as well as the Arabic lyrics in Latin script and to Paweł Ciupak, who has provided me with the MIDI.

See also: Israel