Kassaman

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Kassaman or Qassaman (The Pledge) (Arabic: نشيد وطني جزائري‎) is the national anthem of Algeria. It was adopted in 1963, shortly after independence from France. The lyrics are by Mufdi Zakariah (written in 1956 while imprisoned by French colonial forces) and the music is by Egyptian composer Mohamed Fawzi.

[edit] Lyrics

Transliteration	English translation
Qassaman Binnazilat Ilmahiqat Waddimaa Izzakiyat Ittahirat Walbonood Illamiaat Ilkhafiqat F'Iljibal Ishshamikhat Ishshahiqat Nahno Thurna Fahayaton Aw ma maaat Wa Aqadna Alazma An Tahya Aljazair Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo! Nahno Jondon Fi Sabil Il hakki Thorna Wa Ila Isstiqlalina Bilharbi Kumna. Lam Yakon Yossgha Lana Lamma Natakna Fattakhathna Rannat Albaroodi Wazna. Wa Azafna Naghamat Alrashshashi Lahna Wa Aqadna Alazmat An Tahya Aljazair. Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo! Nahno min Abtalina Nadfaoo Jonda Wa Ala Ashlaina Nassnaoo Magda. Wa Ala Hamatina Narfao Bandaa. Gabhato' Ltahreeri Aataynaki Ahda Wa Aqadna Alazma An Tahya Aljazair. Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo! Sarkhato 'lawtani min Sah Ilfida Issmaooha Wasstageebo Linnida Waktobooha Bidimaa Ilshohadaa Wakraooha Libany Iljeeli ghada. Kad Madadna Laka Ya Majdo Yada Wa Aqadna Alazma An Tahya Aljazair. Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo!	We swear by the lightning that destroys, By the streams of generous blood being shed, By the bright flags that wave, Flying proudly on the high mountains, That we have risen up, and whether we live or die, We are resolved that Algeria shall live - So be our witness -be our witness - be our witness! We are soldiers in revolt for truth And we have fought for our independence. When we spoke, none listened to us, So we have taken the noise of gunpowder as our rhythm And the sound of machine guns as our melody, We are resolved that Algeria shall live - So be our witness -be our witness -be our witness! From our heroes we shall make an army come to being, From our dead we shall build up a glory, Our spirits shall ascend to immortality And on our shoulders we shall raise the standard. To the nation's Liberation Front we have sworn an oath, We are resolved that Algeria shall live - So be our witness -be our witness -be our witness! The cry of the Fatherland sounds from the battlefields. Listen to it and answer the call! Let it be written with the blood of martyrs And be read to future generations. Oh, Glory, we have held out our hand to you, We are resolved that Algeria shall live - So be our witness -be our witness -be our witness!

Transliteration

English translation

Qassaman Binnazilat Ilmahiqat
Waddimaa Izzakiyat Ittahirat
Walbonood Illamiaat Ilkhafiqat
F'Iljibal Ishshamikhat Ishshahiqat
Nahno Thurna Fahayaton Aw ma maaat
Wa Aqadna Alazma An Tahya Aljazair
Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo!

Nahno Jondon Fi Sabil Il hakki Thorna
Wa Ila Isstiqlalina Bilharbi Kumna.
Lam Yakon Yossgha Lana Lamma Natakna
Fattakhathna Rannat Albaroodi Wazna.
Wa Azafna Naghamat Alrashshashi Lahna
Wa Aqadna Alazmat An Tahya Aljazair.
Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo!

Nahno min Abtalina Nadfaoo Jonda
Wa Ala Ashlaina Nassnaoo Magda.
Wa Ala Hamatina Narfao Bandaa.
Gabhato' Ltahreeri Aataynaki Ahda
Wa Aqadna Alazma An Tahya Aljazair.
Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo!

Sarkhato 'lawtani min Sah Ilfida
Issmaooha Wasstageebo Linnida
Waktobooha Bidimaa Ilshohadaa
Wakraooha Libany Iljeeli ghada.
Kad Madadna Laka Ya Majdo Yada
Wa Aqadna Alazma An Tahya Aljazair.
Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo!

We swear by the lightning that destroys,
By the streams of generous blood being shed,
By the bright flags that wave,
Flying proudly on the high mountains,
That we have risen up, and whether we live or die,
We are resolved that Algeria shall live -
So be our witness -be our witness - be our witness!

We are soldiers in revolt for truth
And we have fought for our independence.
When we spoke, none listened to us,
So we have taken the noise of gunpowder as our rhythm
And the sound of machine guns as our melody,
We are resolved that Algeria shall live -
So be our witness -be our witness -be our witness!

From our heroes we shall make an army come to being,
From our dead we shall build up a glory,
Our spirits shall ascend to immortality
And on our shoulders we shall raise the standard.
To the nation's Liberation Front we have sworn an oath,
We are resolved that Algeria shall live -
So be our witness -be our witness -be our witness!

The cry of the Fatherland sounds from the battlefields.
Listen to it and answer the call!
Let it be written with the blood of martyrs
And be read to future generations.
Oh, Glory, we have held out our hand to you,
We are resolved that Algeria shall live -
So be our witness -be our witness -be our witness!

[edit] An extra verse

The following verse used to also be part of the anthem, but is no longer:

Transliteration	English translation
Ya Faransaa, qad matha waktu l`itab Wa taweynahu kama yutwa lkitab Ya Faransa inna tha yawmu lhisab Fasta`iddee wakhudhee minna ljawab Inna fee thawratinaa faslal khitab Wa Aqadna Alazma An Tahya Aljazair Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo! Fashhadoo!	O France, the time of reproof is over And we have ended it as a book is ended; O France, this is the day of reckoning So prepare to receive from us our answer! In our revolution is the end of empty talk; We are resolved that Algeria shall live - So be our witness -be our witness -be our witness!