Chant of the Saudi Nation

The Chant of the Saudi Nation (Arabic: ٱلنَّشِيْد ٱلْوَطَنِي ٱلسُّعُوْدِي, romanized: an-Našīd al-Waṭanī as-Suʿūdī) is the national anthem of Saudi Arabia. It was first officially adopted in 1950 without lyrics. The piece was gifted by the King Faruq (r. 1936–1952) when King Abd al-Aziz (r. 1932–1953) made a visit to Egypt. It was then adopted again in 1984 with lyrics written by Ibrahim Khafaji. The original composition was by Abd al-Rahman al-Khatib in 1947, and the brass instrumental version was later arranged by Siraj Umar.

an-Našīd al-Waṭanī as-Suʿūdī

Chant of the Saudi Nation النشيد الوطني السعودي
National anthem of Saudi Arabia
Also known as	عاش الملك (English: "Long live the king") النشيد الوطني (English: "The National Anthem")
Lyrics	Ibrāhīm Khafājī, 1984
Music	Abd al-Raḥman al-Khaṭīb (arranged by Sirāj Umar), 1947
Adopted	1950 (as instrumental)
Readopted	June 29, 1984 (with lyrics)
Audio sample
U.S. Navy Band instrumental version (c. 2016) file help

Overview

In 1947, because Saudi Arabia did not have a national anthem like other neighbouring countries, King Abdulaziz visited Egypt and asked Egyptian composer Abd al-Raḥman al-Khaṭīb to create a national anthem, and thus "Āsh al-Malīk" was created. The melody is based on an Arab fanfare style, and is similar to the national anthems of other Arab states in the area at the time. In 1958, Mohammed Talat wrote the first set of lyrics, which were not often heard, so King Fahd asked poet Ibrāhīm Khafājī in 1984 to come up with a new set of lyrics, which were completed within six months on 29 June 1984. Khafājī's lyrics are the ones that are used officially today. Saudis listened to their anthem for the first time during the celebrations of Eid al-Fitr in 1984.

"Āsh al-Malīk" is referred to by Saudi Arabians as "The National Anthem" (النشيد الوطني, an-Našīd al-Waṭanī), although it is commonly known by its incipit, "Hasten" (سارعي, Sārʿī). The lyrics call upon the country to hasten to greatness and raise the flag, glorify God, and asks Him to grant the King of Saudi Arabia long life.

The instrumental version is called "The Royal Salute" (السلام الملكي, as-Salām al-Malakī), which is also the name of the ceremony in which it is played to salute senior members of the royal family as well as diplomatic figures.

Lyrics

Official lyrics

Arabic original	MSA Romanization	IPA transcription	English translation
سَارْعِيْ لِلْمَجْدِ وَالْعَلْيَاء، مَجِّدِيْ لِخَالِقِ الْسَّمَاء وَارْفَعِي الْخَفَّاقَ أَخْضَرْ يَحْمِلُ الْنُّورَ الْمُسَطَّرْ، رَدِّدِيْ: اللهُ أَكْبَرْ يَا مَوْطِنِي ،مَوْطِنِي قَدْ عِشْتَ فَخْرَ الْمُسْلِمِيْن عَاشَ الْمَلِكْ لِلْعَلَمْ وَالْوَطَنْ	Sārʿī Li-l-majdi wa-l-ʿalyāʾ, Majjidī li-xāliqi s-samāʾ Wa-rfaʿī l-xaffāqa ʾaxḍar Yaḥmilu n-nūra l-musaṭṭar, Raddidī: Allāhu ʾakbar Yā mawṭinī Mawṭinī, Qad ʿišta faxra l-muslimīn ʿĀša l-malik Li-l-ʿalam Wa-l-waṭan	[saː.rɪ.ʕiː] [lɪ‿l.mad͡ʒ.di wa‿l.ʕal.jaːʔ |] [mad.d͡ʒi.diː li xaː.lɪ.qɪ‿sːa.maːʔ ‖] [war.fa.ʕɪ‿l.xaf.faː.qa ʔax.dˤar] [jaħ.mɪ.lʊ‿nːuː.ra‿l.mʊ.satˤːar |] [radːɪ.diː ʔaɫːaː.hu ʔak.bar ‖] [jaː maw.tˤɪ.niː ‖] [maw.tˤɪ.niː |] [qad ʕɪʃ.ta fax.ra‿l.mʊs.lɪ.miːn ‖] [ʕaː.ʃa‿l.ma.lɪk] [lɪ‿l.ʕa.lam] [wa‿l.wa.tˤan ‖]	Hasten To glory and supremacy, Glory in the Creator of the heavens! And raise the green flag Carrying the written light reflecting guidance, Repeat: God is the greatest! O my homeland! My homeland, Live as the pride of the Muslims! Long live the King For the flag And the land!

Notes: Some variations remove the word قَدْ qad before "عِشْتَ فَخْرَ الْمُسْلِمِيْن ʿišta faxra l-muslimīn!" and other variations use the word المَلِيك al-malīk instead of المَلِك al-malik.

Saud lyrics (1958)

Arabic original

English translation

العُلَى لِمَن؟ يابَني الوَطَنِْ تَوءَا خُلودْ نحــــــنُ والزَّمـــــنْ سائِلوا الجُدودْ سائِلوا الحِقَبْ يَهتُفوا سُعودْ عاهِلَ العَرَبْ لِصَاحِبِ الْجَلَالَـةِ الْعَظِيْم لِقَائِدِ الْعُرُوبَةِ الْحَكِيْم أَرْوَاحُنَا فِدى ، شِعارُنا الهُدى ، السِّلمِ في الرِّدى ، لِلتَّاجِ لِلْوَطن كَوكَبٌ في السَماءْ عرشُه من إِباءْ تاجُه دُرَّةُ الأوْفياء مَجْدُهُ شُعْلَةٌ من ضِيَاءْ عاشَ المَلِكْ ، عاشَ الوَطَنْ شبابُنا الهُمامُ يَقْتَدي بِرائِدِ الجِهادِ يَهْتَدي سُعودِةِ الأبْي، وجيشِ يَعْرُبِ يَحوطُهُ النبَّيْ يُبَارِكُ الوَطَنْ يا حِمَى زَغْرِدي يا سَما رَدِّدي وابْسِمى لِلْمُنَى واشْهدي أنَّنا فِتْيَةُ الَُسؤْدَدِ عاشَ المَلِكْ ، عاشَ الوَطَنْ يُتَوِّجُ الجَزيرَةَ العَلَمْ يُعانِقُ الرّياَضَ والحَرَمْ نَخيلُنا جلال ، سُيوفُنا طِوَالْ مَلِكُنَا هِلالْ ، يُزيِّنُ الوطَنْ عَدْلْه في الزَّمانْ شِاهدٌ لِلْعَيَانْ أسْدُهُ ، ظَبْيُهُ ، في أمَانْ شَعْبُهُ ، جُنْدُهُ ، لَنْ يُهانْ عاشَ المَلِكْ ، عاشَ الوَطَنْ

For whom? Son of homeland We are the eternity of time They asked the old, the years They chant, Saudi Arabia's King To the great majesty of the wise leader of Arabia Our souls are ransom, our motto is guidance, peace is in the dark, for the crown of the homeland A planet in the sky has its throne from Aba His crown is a jewel of the faithful, his glory is a torch of light Long live the king, long live the homeland Our proud youth lead the pioneer of jihad The Saudis of the Father, and an Arab army surrounded by the Prophet, blessing the homeland Roaring fever, Sama, respond And give my name to Mina, and bear witness that we are young lions. Long live the king, long live the homeland The flag crowns the isle, embraces the scholars and sanctuaries Our palms are majestic, our swords are as long as our king is a crescent, decorating the homeland His justice in time is evident His lion, his antelope, in the safety of his people, his soldiers, will not be insulted Long live the king, long live the homeland

Ibn Saud lyrics (1947)

Arabic original	English translation
يعيش ملكنا الحبيب أرواحنا فداه حامي الحرم هيا اهتفوا عاش الملك هيا ارفعوا راية الوطن اهتفوا ورددوا النشيد يعيش الملك	Long live our beloved king Our souls are the protector of the sanctuary Come on, cheer, long live the king Come on, raise the flag of the homeland Cheer and chant the anthem Long live the king

See also

• National symbols of Saudi Arabia

External links

• Saudi Arabia: an-Nasheed al-Waṭaniy – Audio of the national anthem of Saudi Arabia, with information and lyrics (archive link)
• The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington, DC has an Audio page that includes the National Anthem in both vocal and instrumental versions.
• https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/saudi/a-history-of-the-saudi-national-anthem-1.2281470