Humat al-Hima should not be confused with Humat ad-Diyar.
| Arabic: حماة الحمى | |
| English Title: | Defenders of the Homeland |
| Prefix: | National |
| Author: | Mostafa Saadeq Al-Rafe'ie / Aboul-Qacem Echebbi |
| Composer: | Mohammed Abdel Wahab (or possibly) |
| Adopted: | 25 July 1957 |
| Until: | 20 March 1958 |
| Readopted: | 12 November 1987 |
| Predecessor: | "Ala Khallidi" (1987) |
| Sound: | Humat al-Hima.ogg |
| Sound Title: | U.S. Navy Band instrumental version (chorus and third verse) |
("Defenders of the Homeland") is the national anthem of Tunisia; the text was written by Mostafa Saadeq Al-Rafe'ie and Aboul-Qacem Echebbi.
The lyrics come from a poem written in the 1930s by Egyptian poet Mostafa Saadeq Al-Rafe'ie. Although some say the melody of this march was composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab,[1] Tunisian musicologist Salah El Mahdi claims the melody was composed by the poet while the original music for the poem was composed by Zakariyya Ahmad.[2] [3]
The very last verses of the lyrics were written by Aboul-Qacem Echebbi.[4] According to El Mahdi, these verses were appended to the lyrics in June 1955 by nationalist Mongi Slim.
Known as the "Hymn of the Revolution", it was sung during the meetings of the ruling party, the Neo Destour, which later changed its name to the Socialist Destourian Party. "Ḥumat al-Ḥima" was temporarily used as a national anthem between the end of the monarchy on 25 July 1957, when it replaced the "Salam al-Bey", and 20 March 1958, when it was replaced by "Ala Khallidi". "Ḥumat al-Ḥima" was later brought back again following the coup d'état that brought Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to power on 7 November 1987.
On occasions requiring brevity, a short version is sung consisting of the chorus, the third verse (not repeated) and the chorus again.[5] [6]