The national anthem of Algeria"Kassaman",or "Qassaman"/ قَسَمًا, /Qasaman,/ "We pledge",adopted 1962

"Kassaman",or "Qassaman"/ قَسَمًا, / Qasaman,/ "we pledge",/ "the oath" or "we swear", is the national anthem of Algeria. Moufdi Zakaria authored the lyrics, while the music was composed by Egyptian composer Mohamed Fawzi. The song was adopted as the national anthem in 1962, when the country gained independence from France. History:The French invaded Ottoman Algeria in 1830 and made it an integral part of Metropolitan France within its colonial empire.For the next century, the native population were given very few political rights.Consequently, a nationalist movement began in the 1920s and gained traction after World War II,when a commitment by the government to grant French Algeria autonomy failed to materialize.A prominent member of this movement was Moufdi Zakaria, a Mozabite Berber poet affiliated with the Algerian People's Party (PPA). He was jailed and tortured on several occasions between the 1920s and 1962.It was during one of these experiences, in April 1955, that he penned the words to "Kassaman". Since he did not have access to paper or writing instruments while incarcerated in Barberousse Prison, Zakaria reportedly wrote the lyrics with his own blood on the walls of his jail cell.The musical portion of the anthem was subsequently composed by Mohamed Fawzi,who was asked to undertake this effort after two earlier submissions by other composers – one of which was by Mohamed Triki [FR] – were rejected.Both the lyrics and music were officially adopted in 1962; in that same year, the Évian Accords were signed, paving the way for a referendum in which Algerians overwhelmingly voted in favour of independence, which was duly granted.Although "Kassaman" was only intended to be a provisional national anthem, it has endured to this day.Lyrics:The lyrics of "Kassaman" are reflective of a war song, This is because it promotes nationalistic ideals and principles on the front line, glorifies the actions of the National Liberation Front (FLN), as well as espousing armed uprising and how it is the sole route to attaining independence.It is also noteworthy in that it alludes to another country – France – specifically concerning the violent struggle against them for independence. The song foreshadows how "the day of reckoning" will befall Algeria's former colonial ruler.Usually only the first verse of the anthem is performed for brevity, such as during sporting events. Arabic original:١قسما بالنازلات الماحقاتو الدماء الزاكيات الطاهراتو البنود اللامعات الخافقاتفي الجبال الشامخات الشاهقاتنحن ثرنا فحياة أو مماتو عقدنا العزم أن تحيا الجزائرفاشهدوا… فاشهدوا… فاشهدوا٢نحن جند في سبيل الحق ثرناو إلى استقلالنا بالحرب قمنالم يكن يصغى لنا لما نطقنافاتخذنا رنة البارود وزناو عزفنا نغمة الرشاش لحناوعقدنا العزم أن تحيا الجزائرفاشهدوا… فاشهدوا… فاشهدوا٣يا فرنسا قد مضى وقت العتابو طويناه كما يطوى الكتابيا فرنسا ان ذا يوم الحسابفاستعدي و خذي منا الجوابان في ثورتنا فصل الخطابو عقدنا العزم أن تحيى الجزائرفاشهدوا… فاشهدوا… فاشهدوا٤نحن من أبطالنا ندفع جنداو على أشلائنا نصنع مجداو على أرواحنا نصعد خلداو على هاماتنا نرفع بنداجبهة التحرير أعطيناك عهداو عقدنا العزم أن تحيا الجزائرفاشهدوا… فاشهدوا… فاشهدوا٥صرخة الأوطان من ساح الفدااسمعوها و استجيبوا للنداو اكتبوها بدماء الشهداو اقرأوها لبني الجيل غداقد مددنا لك يا مجد يداو عقدنا العزم أن تحيا الجزائرفاشهدوا… فاشهدوا… فاشهدوا...................................Transliteration:IQasaman bi-n-nāzilāti l-māḥiqāt Wa-d-dimāʾi z-zākiyāti ṭ-ṭāhirātQasaman bi-n-nāzilāti l-māḥiqāt Wa-d-dimāʾi z-zākiyāti ṭ-ṭāhirātWa-l-bunūdi l-lāmiʿāti l-khāfiqāt Fi-l-jibāli sh-shāmikhāti sh-shāhiqātNaḥnu thurnā fa-ḥayātun ʾaw mamāt Wa-ʿaqadnā al-ʿazma ʾan taḥyā l-JazāʾirFa-shhadū! Fa-shhadū! Fa-shhadū!IINaḥnu jundun fi sabīli l-ḥaqqi thurnā Wa ʾila stiqlālinā bi-l-ḥarbi qumnāNaḥnu jundun fi sabīli l-ḥaqqi thurnā Wa ʾila stiqlālinā bi-l-ḥarbi qumnāLam yakun yuṣğā lanā lamā naṭaqnā Fa-ttakhadhnā rannata l-bārūdi waznā.Wa-ʿazafnā nağmata r-rashshāshi laḥnā Wa-ʿaqadnā al-ʿazma ʾan taḥyā l-JazāʾirFa-shhadū! Fa-shhadū! Fa-shhadū!.............................................IIIYā Firansā, qad maḍā waqtu l-ʿitābWa-ṭawaynāhu kamā yuṭwā l-kitābYā Firansā ʾinna dhā yawmu l-ḥisābFa-staʿiddī wa-khudhī minnā l-jawābʾInna fī thawratinā faṣlu l-khiṭābWa-ʿaqadnā al-ʿazma ʾan taḥyā l-JazāʾirFa-shhadū! Fa-shhadū! Fa-shhadū!IVNaḥnu min ʾabṭālinā nadfaʿu jundāWa-ʿala ʾashlaʾinā naṣnaʿu majdā.Wa-ʿala ʾarwāḥinā naṣʿadu khuldā.Wa-ʿala hāmātinā narfaʿu bandā.Jabhatu t-Taḥrīri ʾaʿṭaynāki ʿahdā.Wa-ʿaqadnā al-ʿazma ʾan taḥyā l-JazāʾirFa-shhadū! Fa-shhadū! Fa-shhadū!VṢarkhatu l-ʾawṭāni min sāḥi l-fidāIsmaʿūhā wa-stajībū li-n-nidāWa-ktubūhā bi-dimāʾi sh-shuhadāʾWa-qraʾūhā li-banī l-jayli ğadā.Qad madadnā laka yā majdu yadāWa-ʿaqadnā al-ʿazma ʾan taḥyā l-JazāʾirFa-shhadū! Fa-shhadū! Fa-shhadū!