National Anthem Comparison
Oman vs Saudi Arabia
3
Shared themes
✓
Same mood
23
23 years apart
✓
Same continent
Comparison Analysis
Oman and Saudi Arabia, both Asia nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. Oman's "The Sultan's Anthem" was written in 1970, while Saudi Arabia's "Saudi National Anthem" dates to 1947.
Both anthems share themes of god / faith, monarchy and identity. Oman additionally explores ancestors / heritage, while Saudi Arabia also touches on flag.
Both anthems carry a majestic tone, creating a similar emotional register despite their geographic distance.
Oman changed its national anthem in 2020, reflecting a shift in the nation's identity or political landscape.
Shared themes
Oman
✝ God / Faith 👑 Monarchy 🏛 Identity 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage
Saudi Arabia
✝ God / Faith 👑 Monarchy 🏛 Identity 🚩 Flag
Shared themes:
✝ God / Faith 👑 Monarchy 🏛 Identity
Metadata
| Oman | Saudi Arabia | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1970 | 1947 |
| Adopted | 1970 | 1984 |
| Lyricist | Rashid bin Uzayyiz al-Khusaidi | Ibrahim Khafaji |
| Composer | James Frederick Mills | Abdul Rahman al-Khateeb |
| Language | ar | ar |
| Region | Western Asia | Western Asia |
Lyrics Side by Side
Oman
نشيد السلام السلطاني
Original
يا ربَّنا احفظ لنا
جلالة السلطان
والشعبَ في الأوطان
بالعزّ والأمان
وليدمْ مؤيدا
عاهلا ممجدا
بالنفوسِ يفتدى
يا عمان نحنُ من عهدِ النبي
أوفياء من كرامِ العرب
فارتقي هام السماء
واملئي الكونَ الضياء
واسعدي وانعمي بالرخاء
Translation
O our Lord, protect for us
His Majesty the Sultan
And the people in the homeland
In honour and in safety.
May he endure, ever supported,
A glorified sovereign,
For whom we would give our lives.
O Oman, since the time of the Prophet
We have been loyal, of the noblest of the Arabs.
So rise to the summit of the sky,
Fill the universe with light,
Be happy and enjoy prosperity.
Saudi Arabia
النشيد الوطني السعودي
Original
سارعي للمجد والعلياء
مجدي لخالق السماء
وارفعي الخفاق الأخضرا
يحمل النور المسطرا
رددي الله أكبر
يا موطني
موطني عشت فخر المسلمين
عاش المليك للعلم والوطن
Translation
Hasten to glory and supremacy,
Glorify the Creator of the heavens,
And raise the green, fluttering flag,
That bears the inscribed light,
Repeat: God is the Greatest!
O my homeland!
My homeland, live as the pride of all Muslims,
Long live the King, for the flag and the nation!
Interesting facts
Oman
- 1. The melody began as a salute: the bandmaster of the British ship HMS Hawkins, visiting Muscat, was asked to write a salutation for the Sultan's visit to the ship, and it was first performed on 10 December 1932
- 2. Royal Decree 2/2020 of 20 February 2020 replaced the closing lines, which had named Sultan Qaboos ("Rejoice, Qaboos has come, may heaven bless him"), with lines addressed to Oman ("So rise to the summit of the sky, fill the universe with light"), so the anthem no longer names any sultan
- 3. Sources differ on who wrote the words: the CIA World Factbook credits Rashid bin Uzayyiz al-Khusaidi, while the Omani newspaper Al Watan names the poet Hafidh bin Salim al-Ghassani, an adviser to Sultan Qaboos; the official text is published without an author's name
- 4. Oman is one of the oldest independent states in the Arab world, with a history stretching back thousands of years
Saudi Arabia
- 1. The melody was composed by Abdul Rahman al-Khateeb, an Egyptian musician, making Saudi Arabia one of several Arab nations whose anthem was written by a foreign composer
- 2. Ibrahim Khafaji wrote the lyrics on a commission from King Khalid; after Khalid's death King Fahd ordered the work completed, and Khafaji finished it in 1984. Unusually, the words were written to fit the existing melody of the royal salute, rather than the music being set to a poem
- 3. The anthem officially debuted on 29 June 1984, when Saudi television and radio began broadcasting it at the opening and close of their daily programmes; it also became compulsory in schools, where students sing it every morning at assembly
Listen
Oman
Saudi Arabia
