Syria
حماة الديار
Humat ad-Diyar
Guardians of the Homeland
1936
1936
Khalil Mardam Bey
Mohammad Flayfel
🏛 Identity 🌿 Nature 💪 Resilience |
Key Facts
- 1. The lyrics were written by poet Khalil Mardam Bey, who was also a prominent political figure and served as Syria's prime minister in 1948-1949.
- 2. The anthem's opening phrase 'Humat al-Diyar' (Guardians of the Homeland) became a popular protest chant during the 2011 Syrian uprising, with demonstrators reclaiming it as a symbol of the people rather than the state.
- 3. Syria's anthem is one of the few national anthems in the Arab world written entirely in formal literary Arabic (fusha) with no colloquial dialect, reflecting the pan-Arabist ideals of its era.
Lyrics
حماة الديار عليكم سلام
أبت أن تذل النفوس الكرام
عرين العروبة بيت حرام
وعرش الشموس حمى لا يضام
ربوع الشام بروج العلاء
تحاكي السماء بعالي السناء
فأرض زهت بشمسها الوضاء
سماء لعمري أو كالسماء
Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals
Analysis
EditorialWritten in 1936 during the French Mandate, Syria's anthem was born from the struggle for independence. The composer Mohammad Flayfel also composed Iraq's anthem 'Mawtini,' connecting the two nations through music.