Walla Zaman Ya Selahy

Walla Zaman Ya Selahy

English: "It has been a long time, oh my weapon!"
National anthem of the UAR Former national anthem of Egypt Former national anthem of Iraq Former national anthem of Libya
Lyrics	Salah Jahin
Music	Kamal Al Taweel
Adopted	May 20, 1960 (by Egypt and Syria which united as United Arab Republic) 1965 (by Iraq) 1969 (by Libya)
Relinquished	1971 (by Syria) 1979 (by Egypt) July 17, 1981 (by Iraq) 1972 (by Libya)
Preceded by	Libya, Libya, Libya (1969) Salam Affandina (1958) Humat ad Diyar (1958) Mawtini (1965)
Succeeded by	Allahu Akbar (1977, as sole anthem) Bilady, Bilady, Bilady (1979) Humat ad Diyar (1961) Ardulfurataini (1981)
Audio sample
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"Walla Zaman Ya Selahy" (Egyptian Arabic: ولله زمان يا سلاحى) is an Egyptian song by slang Egyptian language produced 1956 .It was the national anthem of the United Arab Republic (UAR), a federation of Egypt and Syria, from 1960. Though the UAR disbanded in 1961, Egypt retained it as the official name of the state until 1971, and used its national anthem until 1979.

History

Prior to being adopted as the UAR's national anthem, it was used as a nationalist song performed by Umm Kulthum during the Suez Crisis in 1956, known in Egypt and the Arab world as the Tripartite Aggression, when Egypt was invaded by the United Kingdom, France, and Israel. Due to its strongly nationalist lyrics evoking national resistance, the song was played frequently on Egyptian radio during the war, sometimes as often as every 10 minutes.

The popularity of the song led to it being adopted as the national anthem of the UAR two years after the establishment of the union. It replaced the former official royal anthem of Egypt "Salam Affandina"(Salute of our lord, سلام افندينا, composed by Giuseppe Pugioli) and the unofficial anthem "Nashid al-Huriyya" (The Anthem of Freedom, نشيد الحرية, composed and sung by Mohammed Abdel Wahab), which were adopted following the Egyptian revolution of 1952 and the abolition of the monarchy, as well as the former national anthem of Syria.

The lyrics were written by Salah Jahin, with music by Kamal Al Taweel. It was also used, without words, by Iraq from 1965 to 1981.

It was eventually replaced in 1979 for the peace negotiations with Israel by President Anwar Sadat as Egypt's national anthem by the less militant "Bilady, Bilady, Bilady", which continues to be Egypt's national anthem today.

Translated lyrics

𝄆 It has been a long time, oh my weapon!
I long for you in my struggle!
Speak and say I am awake,
Oh war it has been a long time. 𝄇
 
𝄆 It has been a long time for the soldiers,
Advancing with thunderous roar, 𝄇
Swearing never to return,
Except with epoch-making victory.

𝄆 Rise and close ranks,
With lives ready for sacrifice. 𝄇
O! the horror that the enemy shall suffer,
From you in the fire of the battlefield.

It has been a long time, oh my weapon!
I long for you in my struggle!
Speak and say I am awake,
Oh war it has been a long time.

𝄆 O! glory our glory,
You who was built by us, 𝄇
𝄆 By toil and pain, 𝄇
Never to go to waste.

𝄆 Rise and close ranks,
With lives ready for sacrifice. 𝄇
O! the horror that the enemy shall suffer,
From you in the fire of the battlefield.

It has been a long time, oh my weapon!
I long for you in my struggle!
Speak and say I am awake,
Oh war it has been a long time.

𝄆 Who shall protect Free Egypt?
We shall protect her with our weapons.
Land of the Revolution, who will sacrifice for her sake?
We will, with our souls. 𝄇

𝄆 The people advance like the light,
The people stand like mountains and seas,
Volcanoes of anger, volcanoes erupting,
Earthquakes digging the enemy into their graves. 𝄇

𝄆 It has been a long time, oh my weapon!
I long for you in my struggle!
Speak and say I am awake,
Oh war it has been a long time. 𝄇

External links

• Information, Audio, Lyrics, and Sheet Music on Walla Zaman Ya Selahy