Asmahan who refused to be Amal was a controversial person in all ways and means.
I think that She was a selfish person who didn’t love anyone except herself still she was a weak person from inside.
This woman had several chances to enjoy her life whether as a Princess of Druze whose Husband adored her or as a singer whose voice was a real gift from heaven still she wasted them.
She refused those lives for no good reason. She was like a train wreck. She left Prince Hassan because of art yet she didn’t care much for art.
In Cairo she began to smoke and drink alcohol like a manic that her lungs became so weak according to Mohamed El-Tabei that he wondered from where that voice came, not to mention her gambling habits besides her role with the British Intelligence.
It isn’t about freedom. Many western writers consider her a unique example of the Arabian women.
Still, I think even in the west that kind of women with that kind of life isn’t accepted easily not to mention their life always end tragically. She is a kind of a woman you only can find in Novels
I don’t know if she ever knew what she wanted in her life.
That train wreck met several accidents that turned it into a wreck.
As any person, her early days and family shaped her personality in a way or another.
Asmahan was born in difficult circumstance amidst the WWI and the Arabian revolution.
Her father was absent from her life most of the time because of politics and war then because of traditions and customs.
He refused to go to Egypt to live with wife and kids because he thought he would abandon his tribe. Asmahan father, Fahd is an example of how a man can be cruel and selfish, yes he had to right to divorce his wife but to leave his kids to live like that and then comes back preaching them about the family Name !!??
Why didn’t he send for them some financial aid as they were An Atrash Family members?? That was the first kind of Men Asmahan knew.
The absence of her father and seeing her mother taking charge of the house in hard conditions taught her to be independent despite she didn’t reach to her mother strong personality whom the big city and wars didn’t break down easily.
Princess Aaliyah was a rebel in the old standards.
Like her daughter, she was an independent spirit but the difference between was that Aaliyah was ready to risk everything for the sake of her children according to what she though was right where as Asmahan risked and lost Camilla for her reckless life.
Aaliyah and her kids wouldn’t have been harmed if they had stayed in the mount.
After all, the Atrash family survived but she wanted to go to Egypt, may be because she wasn’t originally from the mount.
She was a powerful character that could coupe with life easily from being the first Woman in Beirut to drive a car to a woman who does the laundry in the slams of Cairo.
Contrary to the TV show Aaliyah didn’t love famous composer Farid Ghosan.
By the way, some books say that she didn’t inherit her mom’s voice only but her gambling habits too. Already I don’t know what gambling habits that woman had where as she did not have any money except few.
Alaiya was a realistic woman and knew that the talents of her children could be enough for them if they knew how to use wisely breaking the traditions of their people back in Syria. Let’s be frank, her daughter could have been killed today not from more than years ago if it was spread that she sang in nightclubs.
May be Asmahan was fatherless but she had two older brothers.
Her brother Fouad was appeared to be abusive despite he was acting in a way I think is no different from any Eastern brother and controlled by a set of mountainous traditions close to the ones in the Upper Egypt.
Do not forget that Fouad was the only one from his siblings that lived the Al Atrash experience as a Prince in the mount, he was a prince and he wanted to live as one with his mount traditions.
Of course, his violence temper and drinking habits made it worse especially that he had no profession or talent like his siblings.
That was the second man in Emily’s life and he was an example of repression as far as I see with his violent temper. Strangely he became Farid’s manager years later and married for awhile the beautiful Egyptian 1950s brunette “Eman”. It seems that money and fame changed his opinion but it was too late after the tragic loss of his sister. Fouad was very sensitive about his sister.
Even after her death, he did not approve her way of life despite he played a primary role in her WWII spy game.
When Al Akhabr Critic Ahmed Assam thought of writing a film about her in the late 1970s and went to Fouad whom he knew through Farid asking him for information, Fouad screamed at his face saying:
Still, I don’t think that was true.
For sure during her time, Farid wasn’t as famous as her but let’s remember that her voice is not debatable like Farid’s sad voice. Also, through Asmahan Farid proved his talent as powerful composer against other legendary composers composed to her .
Farid was like her shelter or her knight that would stand against Fouad. He understood and respected her talent despite I think he didn’t understand what she really wanted.
Farid was deeply affected with her departure that he suffered a heart attack after knowing the terrible news of her death. It was like a shock for him.
Strangely,
I found out a very interesting information that Farid and Abd El-Wahab never liked each other, at first I thought it could be composers’ jealousy,
Abd El-Wahab was well known that he didn’t like at all his rivals whether in Singing or composing but may be it was beyond that, may be Abd El-Wahab used to talk about Asmahan inappropriately after her tragic death.
Abd El-Wahab was another famous womanizer and may be Asmahan didn’t fall for him.
Farid even sued El-Tabei and succeeded in banning his books about Asmahan in Egypt for 50 years. Farid avoided speaking about the role of his sister with the British intelligence despite in the official Druze version she was a patriot princess, he even considered her death as an act of fate, no person was behind it, he even raised Camilla on that fact or rather a myth.
Interestingly from a couple of weeks, his nephew accused the British and the allies of his aunt’s murder.
Farid may be was the man who gave her hope that men aren’t that bad and abusive judging on her father and elder brother Fouad.
Asmahan had another brother who died young and most historians forget about. Well for sure he didn’t play a role in her life after his life was shorter than hers.There are other brothers and sisters to Asmahan from her father including Prince Mounir.
We don’t know them in Egypt but they are known in Syria and Lebanon.
The four lived in Egypt in very hard conditions in the beginning, from the aids of the government to the money of laundry and singing in Weddings and night clubs “Alaiya and Farid”, where as they were like Royalties in their native country.
Emily lived a conflict between Amal the princess and Amal the girl who was trying to make it in the great Cairo. Between that Royal dignity, need and fame, Asmahan didn’t make it like the daughters of King Farouk who suffered more than her. They were up and then down where as she was down then up then walking a thin rope either to fall or to keep where she was.
Asmahan’s daughter Camilla was born on the 14th of July 1937 and on contrary to what is said in the TV series and books Camilla still remembers her mother taking her in picnics in Cairo, she even denied that her mother tried to abort her twice.
She lived the first 4 years of her life in Egypt then she was taken from her mother from King David hotel I think in 1940, the one who took her by force was her Uncle Mounir.
She lived with her father in Syria for three years she didn’t see her mother in except once,when her grandfather Fahd died.
It was a sad thing when Asmahan died on the same day of her 7th birthday.
Her father Hassan hid the news from her at first but told her later. He sent her to a boarding school in Lebanon that year.
In the age of 16 years old she married Riyad Jumblatt, yes from the famous Jumblatt Druze family; don’t forget Camilla is a princess after all. her father wanted her to live in Lebanon not in the mount so she wouldn’t suffer like her mother.
The man really loved her mother. Camilla is extremely angry from the TV series. She got a daughter called Soha who is said to inherit her grandmother's beauty.
The nephews of Asmahan now are fighting the TV Series despite its success in Egypt mainly and the Arab world.
Faisal Al Atrash and his cousins succeeded in banning the TV series in Syria and they are attacking it all over the media. Last week the crew of the series was under a real attack in Lebanon from the Druze there when some Druze opened their fire on them. Some say that the Nephews want money, well I don’t know about that because her daughter doesn’t need money or her cousins.
The TV Crew says that Faisal is mad because of the image his father appeared in the Series as an abusive drunk jobless man.
Asmahan died young in 1944 and I feel that she wanted to die Young.
It wasn’t about a prophecy from an old man but that way of life she lived showed that she didn’t care for it that much, a kind of suicidal life. Sometimes I believe that she wanted to be a Princess in Cairo not in the mount or in Syria, after all we are talking about the Glamorous Cairo when the people of Beirut dreamt of going to it. Still, I don’t think she imagined one day that she would be a legend like that, may be her short troublesome life and sudden death were the reason to turn her into a legend like that.
Links and Sources:
 |
| Asmhan |
This woman had several chances to enjoy her life whether as a Princess of Druze whose Husband adored her or as a singer whose voice was a real gift from heaven still she wasted them.
She refused those lives for no good reason. She was like a train wreck. She left Prince Hassan because of art yet she didn’t care much for art.
In Cairo she began to smoke and drink alcohol like a manic that her lungs became so weak according to Mohamed El-Tabei that he wondered from where that voice came, not to mention her gambling habits besides her role with the British Intelligence.
It isn’t about freedom. Many western writers consider her a unique example of the Arabian women.
Still, I think even in the west that kind of women with that kind of life isn’t accepted easily not to mention their life always end tragically. She is a kind of a woman you only can find in Novels
I don’t know if she ever knew what she wanted in her life.
That train wreck met several accidents that turned it into a wreck.
As any person, her early days and family shaped her personality in a way or another.
Asmahan was born in difficult circumstance amidst the WWI and the Arabian revolution.
Her father was absent from her life most of the time because of politics and war then because of traditions and customs.
He refused to go to Egypt to live with wife and kids because he thought he would abandon his tribe. Asmahan father, Fahd is an example of how a man can be cruel and selfish, yes he had to right to divorce his wife but to leave his kids to live like that and then comes back preaching them about the family Name !!??
Why didn’t he send for them some financial aid as they were An Atrash Family members?? That was the first kind of Men Asmahan knew.
The absence of her father and seeing her mother taking charge of the house in hard conditions taught her to be independent despite she didn’t reach to her mother strong personality whom the big city and wars didn’t break down easily.
Princess Aaliyah was a rebel in the old standards.
 |
| Princess Aaliyah and her kids, Asmhan on the right |
Aaliyah and her kids wouldn’t have been harmed if they had stayed in the mount.
After all, the Atrash family survived but she wanted to go to Egypt, may be because she wasn’t originally from the mount.
She was a powerful character that could coupe with life easily from being the first Woman in Beirut to drive a car to a woman who does the laundry in the slams of Cairo.
Contrary to the TV show Aaliyah didn’t love famous composer Farid Ghosan.
By the way, some books say that she didn’t inherit her mom’s voice only but her gambling habits too. Already I don’t know what gambling habits that woman had where as she did not have any money except few.
Alaiya was a realistic woman and knew that the talents of her children could be enough for them if they knew how to use wisely breaking the traditions of their people back in Syria. Let’s be frank, her daughter could have been killed today not from more than years ago if it was spread that she sang in nightclubs.
May be Asmahan was fatherless but she had two older brothers.
Her brother Fouad was appeared to be abusive despite he was acting in a way I think is no different from any Eastern brother and controlled by a set of mountainous traditions close to the ones in the Upper Egypt.
 |
| Fouad, Hassan and Amal "Asmahan" Al-Atrash" |
Of course, his violence temper and drinking habits made it worse especially that he had no profession or talent like his siblings.
That was the second man in Emily’s life and he was an example of repression as far as I see with his violent temper. Strangely he became Farid’s manager years later and married for awhile the beautiful Egyptian 1950s brunette “Eman”. It seems that money and fame changed his opinion but it was too late after the tragic loss of his sister. Fouad was very sensitive about his sister.
Even after her death, he did not approve her way of life despite he played a primary role in her WWII spy game.
When Al Akhabr Critic Ahmed Assam thought of writing a film about her in the late 1970s and went to Fouad whom he knew through Farid asking him for information, Fouad screamed at his face saying:
You want to make a film about my sister so she would appear like a Whore??On the other hand, Farid was her true soul mate despite I once read that she said that he used to be jealous of her as he used to sing in nightclubs where as her first concert was in the Egyptian Royal Opera house.
 |
| Asmahan and Farid Al-Atrash |
For sure during her time, Farid wasn’t as famous as her but let’s remember that her voice is not debatable like Farid’s sad voice. Also, through Asmahan Farid proved his talent as powerful composer against other legendary composers composed to her .
Farid was like her shelter or her knight that would stand against Fouad. He understood and respected her talent despite I think he didn’t understand what she really wanted.
Farid was deeply affected with her departure that he suffered a heart attack after knowing the terrible news of her death. It was like a shock for him.
Strangely,
I found out a very interesting information that Farid and Abd El-Wahab never liked each other, at first I thought it could be composers’ jealousy,
Abd El-Wahab was well known that he didn’t like at all his rivals whether in Singing or composing but may be it was beyond that, may be Abd El-Wahab used to talk about Asmahan inappropriately after her tragic death.
Abd El-Wahab was another famous womanizer and may be Asmahan didn’t fall for him.
 |
| Farid and Camilla Al-Atrush |
Interestingly from a couple of weeks, his nephew accused the British and the allies of his aunt’s murder.
Farid may be was the man who gave her hope that men aren’t that bad and abusive judging on her father and elder brother Fouad.
Asmahan had another brother who died young and most historians forget about. Well for sure he didn’t play a role in her life after his life was shorter than hers.There are other brothers and sisters to Asmahan from her father including Prince Mounir.
We don’t know them in Egypt but they are known in Syria and Lebanon.
The four lived in Egypt in very hard conditions in the beginning, from the aids of the government to the money of laundry and singing in Weddings and night clubs “Alaiya and Farid”, where as they were like Royalties in their native country.
Emily lived a conflict between Amal the princess and Amal the girl who was trying to make it in the great Cairo. Between that Royal dignity, need and fame, Asmahan didn’t make it like the daughters of King Farouk who suffered more than her. They were up and then down where as she was down then up then walking a thin rope either to fall or to keep where she was.
Asmahan’s daughter Camilla was born on the 14th of July 1937 and on contrary to what is said in the TV series and books Camilla still remembers her mother taking her in picnics in Cairo, she even denied that her mother tried to abort her twice.
 |
| Camilla Al-Atrush |
She lived with her father in Syria for three years she didn’t see her mother in except once,when her grandfather Fahd died.
It was a sad thing when Asmahan died on the same day of her 7th birthday.
Her father Hassan hid the news from her at first but told her later. He sent her to a boarding school in Lebanon that year.
In the age of 16 years old she married Riyad Jumblatt, yes from the famous Jumblatt Druze family; don’t forget Camilla is a princess after all. her father wanted her to live in Lebanon not in the mount so she wouldn’t suffer like her mother.
The man really loved her mother. Camilla is extremely angry from the TV series. She got a daughter called Soha who is said to inherit her grandmother's beauty.
The nephews of Asmahan now are fighting the TV Series despite its success in Egypt mainly and the Arab world.
Faisal Al Atrash and his cousins succeeded in banning the TV series in Syria and they are attacking it all over the media. Last week the crew of the series was under a real attack in Lebanon from the Druze there when some Druze opened their fire on them. Some say that the Nephews want money, well I don’t know about that because her daughter doesn’t need money or her cousins.
 |
| Asmahan or Princess Amal |
Asmahan died young in 1944 and I feel that she wanted to die Young.
It wasn’t about a prophecy from an old man but that way of life she lived showed that she didn’t care for it that much, a kind of suicidal life. Sometimes I believe that she wanted to be a Princess in Cairo not in the mount or in Syria, after all we are talking about the Glamorous Cairo when the people of Beirut dreamt of going to it. Still, I don’t think she imagined one day that she would be a legend like that, may be her short troublesome life and sudden death were the reason to turn her into a legend like that.
Links and Sources:
- Asmahan fan site
- Asmahan’s Wikipedia Page.
- Asmahan's Secrets: Woman, War, and Song
- Asmahan: The game of love and Intelligence
- Asmahan’s Facebook groups 1 and 2
Hallo Zenobia
ReplyDeleteDo you think that there is other and more interesting subjects. Evt. Economi and the finansial situation in the whole world?
ADB
Dear ADB , you are right ,there are other important issues but from time to time I need such posts to take some rest
ReplyDeleteZeinobia
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this piece. Thanks for posting.
Interesting that Asmahan's daughter was named Camilla. Her birthday on the 14th of July took place on Saint Camille's day. Not many people know that. And at that time, they surely did not "Google it" : )
So in the mountain they knew about St. Camille, who is, in a way, the founder of the first "Red Cross"
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Camillus-de-Lellis
Alex
great post, very enlightening thank you for taking the time to write it, the whole series thing and the controversy about it got me interested about the life of asmahan, as i love biographies! and it's good to find something useful about it to read ready for you..so thanx again!
ReplyDelete@Alex,I do not think that she was named after st.Camilla, she was born in Egypt but who knows may be they named her after St.Camilla ,already Asmahan was taught in catholic school.
ReplyDelete@anonymous, please do not mention it ,if you like this series I got couple of posts about Asmahan , I did not post them because of other events that took place and I had to cover ,also because some people think I should post these stuff here :(
If Asmahan was ” very selfish person who didn’t love anyone except herself” and we assume that she obey her husband and stay home cooking and make her husband satisfied, as almost all of you doing now in Egypt(satisfying your sick minded men by leaving all of yours career).
ReplyDeleteif this is true then ther was no Asmahan and no such incredible sound and beauty as an Artest.
I think she was a revolutionary woman and fight for her peoples rights. I an sorry to tell you that this article is very negative about Asmahan by doing this you just did and hurt many people.
I reaaly don't like this artcle that tries to demolish one of the greatest singers of the arab world & destroy her reputation. Asmahan will forever remain a symbol of love, tenderness, beautiful, heavenly voice & shining person. She is an inspiration to a lot of us. She was not a whore nor a spy, she was patriotic, serviving her people & she gave it all to her art & people.
ReplyDeletethat article is really shameful. you are the only person who attacked the legend asmahan !! where did you bring up all these stories & ideas? I really think they are all wrong & by the way, asmahan is a legend NOT because of her sudden death, but because of her true beautiful talent & magnificent voice & performance.
ReplyDeletei thank u 4 all these informations about asmahan but i think that many of them are wrong! example: how could camilla be born in 1937 and then was taken by her uncle in 1930? i also believe that she wasn't that much selfish as u say she's an artist who lived for her art, she's an icon, a model. maybe that she smoked and drunked(like any artist now!) but she definitely wasn't a whore as the british intelligence shamefully tried to show! princess amel or asmahan is a legend because of her integrity , because of her wonderful voice and because of her patriotism! may god rest her soul!if you have any informations about camilla, hassan , aleya or fouad please let us now thank u!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all to those who attack me for what I wrote , this is my blog and I am entitled to write here what I think and believe in , there is something called freedom of expression.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that many of you are still suffering from the historical angelic celebs syndrome ,we are a nation that worships its celebs with no consideration that the fact they were and are humans after all.
I like King Farouk but I know very well that he suffered huge problems that affected his rule
I like Um Khalthoum but I know very well she was obsessed with control and God knows how she destroyed the career of Mohamed El-Kasbagy
I like Anwar El-Sadat but I know his cons !!
I like Asmhan yet I can't overlook what I consider from my point views as her mistakes
She was an artist for sure yet she did not respect for real her art unlike Um Khalthoum ,she could be like Um Khalthoum , Laila Muard and Fairoz but she did not because of her reckless way of life that no one can deny that any respectable lady would adopt it , would you like your daughter to adopt this way of life ?? would you like your life to adopt this way of life ??
If you say yes then I respect your choice
Now to the anonymous who is attacking Egypt , you do not like us despite that Asmahan really liked us ,strange is not it ?? with my all respect Asmahan died while trying to get the Egyptian nationality , ,Asmahan went to the mountain as a girl educated in Cairo , all that changes she made were because her mind was the mind of someone educated in Cairo ,my dear you should check how women at that time in the mountain before speaking about Egyptians !!
for God Sake Prince Hassan had divorced his wife to marry in one second as if she was a piece of furniture what you are talking about here??
@the last anonymous, first of all you welcome ,second thanks for the correction the 1930 was a typo , second of all my resources were the interviews of her nephew, her daughter and the authors and biographers were unbiased books about her
Regarding Prince Hassan I remember that I wrote something about him but I did not publish it because there were too much stuff in Egypt and some requested that I pay attention to it , may be one day I will publish what I wrote
Dear Zenobia, The one comment that I can make to you is that you have a personal agenda in attacking Asmahan. Only a psychiatrist or other social scientist can fathom it. Maybe you are jealous, or an anti-femanist. But mosty you miss the importance of her glorious talent and beauty. Same on you.
DeleteThank you very much for all your work you have done about Asmahan and her life. I very much appreciated your writing and it is important to write about this legacy. For sure it is not easy to write about her life and it is interesting to read what you write. I wish you all the very best and good luck for your life, many greetings from sunny Berlin
ReplyDeleteThis is the nephew of Asmahan, if you think that you can write whatever you want on your blog you are wrong. When a person like you don't have an idea about what Asmahan really was I think you don't have the right to talk about her because when people google her and then read your article they will have a bad and a wrong idea about her. If you prefer not the make a big deal out of this post it is better for you to remove this post as soon as you read this message. Thank you for your understanding
ReplyDeleteBassel Jounblat
Dear Mr.Bassel ,
DeleteWith my due respect to you and to your family , this is a personal blog where I can express my views regarding anything or anyone freely,it is not a professional news website and I think the visitors who come to blog know that very well. The content of this blog is subjective and its visitors know that.
I am ready to publish a post written by you about late Asmahan in English in the blog if you want.
Zenobia you are a slanderous jealous spiteful bitch, shame on you. This article was a complete piece of trash just like you. I sure wish you get sued by Asmahan's family for this libelous article. This may in fact be your personal blog but you bare the responsibility of what you post here.
DeleteDear Zeinobia,
ReplyDeleteI was watching the series Asmahan and then had a debate with my mother about weather Asmahan or Soulaf is prettier so i decided to google her and your article came out of the blues. I really like your review; you've summarised everything there is to know even though i wont take all the information for granted but I love how you compiled everything together.
Kind Regards
Fatima
Interesting & thank you for the time you spent writing this. But not all is quite true, according to a documentary I watched yesterday on TV5 Monde. On the other hand, I think you are too quick to judge her.
ReplyDeleteShe was forced to get married to a man she never met before,at a very young age, after tasting freedom in Cairo, where she went to school at 10. It is very understandable that she would rebel, but then, over time, self destruct for feeling guilty for her actions (amongst which being a "bad"wife & a "bad" mother)
She was conflicted between what she wanted to be & the role she was supposed to play, as a Princess, a Wife & a Mother. And unfortunately, Life did not give her the chance to redeem herself & find her balance.
Last but not least, she was very talented & had a unique, timeless voice. Too bad she did not -again- have the time to fully exploit her potential and grow, not only as an artist, but also as a person & a woman.
Please understand that she was very young and that -just like anybody else- she had her fair share of heartaches & mistakes.
Thank you.
G.B.
Your blog post is full of false information about Asmahan. I understand it is your bog and you have a right to your opinion, but you are stating so called "facts" which are completely false.
ReplyDeleteThank You
R.N.
ASMAHAN..a name given to a Singing Legend+Princess..a Legend in Arab song GIANTS,circa 1930s,A Princess, for belonging to the Great Syrian/DRUZE AL ATTRASH Clan,a clan that resisted the French Imperial armies to liberate the ARAB lands occupied by France?!...as much as the clan rejected HER & Her brother Late/WONDERFUL OUD(Lute) player of HIS time..and tears jerking crooner..that made the ROCKS>>weep,with his emotional sad voice for half a century & to this day...and surely for many decades to follow ,even a century or two?? HIS sad voice was result of the sudden and cruel demise of sister ASMAHAN or Princess AMAL ATTRASH in a car was sabotaged and drowned in a canal in Egypt on 14th July 1944...(French independence DAY??)at the young age of 31?? as SHE was born on the ship Her Mother ALYA el Mounzer(Married to Great SULTAN FAHED AL ATTRASH) & 2 Brothers, FARID & FOUAD travelling to Egypt on 25th November 1912,as situation was terrible in warring AL SWAYDA/Syria/ ..A Princess that had a very SAD & short life, but reached the SUMMIT of the Arab female singers ,and still she squats it for decades after her sudden death in 1944....The driver of that car ran away and never been found or arrested since!!...But can ONE hide from GOD s severe WRATH..??,Before this sister+brother singing couple,the ARAB world was ignorant of a sect called THE DRUZE or of a Durzi individual ,dwelling >>modestly<< mountains of Syria/Lebanon??...they put the >>Druze<< community on the world^s MAP!! even though their ancestors did IT by fighting the foreign occupiers....which History will register on its HEROIC BATTLES section!! ..But this 2 singing phenomenons did this with spreading LOVE/PEACE/ENDURANCE...which echoes to this moment and will stay LOUD forever....louder than all the bullets..ammunition the occupiers wasted in such battles!! Well England once had her GREAT Princess DIANA whom Tragically passed away in 1997 but LEFT us with 2(Princes*)that Surely will keep Britain>>GREAT!!..SO, we in the Arab world lost a BEAUTIFUL Princess too named AMAL(Asmahan)..but we gained a Great OPERATIC voice that never willa be silenced..Like-wise Mr.FARID ATTRASHs...as HIS sweet memory will be approaching soon ,in fact this BOXING day Monday 26- 2016 as HE left us on 26/12/1974...42 Gloomy years ago...GOD bless their SWEET/UNFORGETTABLE memories,and Dear Princess Diana^s too!!Regards from London/Is-Hak BARSOUMIAN
ReplyDelete/
Most RESPECTFUL & DEAR zeinobia/ Thank you very much for accepting my Humble comment concerning GREAT LADY AMAL F.AL ATTRASH(ASMAHAM)/ Because i believe your Blog is very open minded and Democretic too,even though some FOLLOWERS critisised >>YOU<< for some Negative opinions about this phenomenon, Whatever you, or i, or others think about this Great LADY,one thing we must acknowledge that,THAT INDIVIDUAL/be male or female is or are not around to defend HIS/HER/THEIR case or give reasons/excuses or explanations for their acts & behaviour in their time, and what circumstances imposed on them to do this or that, Wrongs or Rights, the deceased got, and should be surrounded with the AURA
ReplyDeleteof sheer+Ultimate RESPECT by the Living/Mortals>>US!...Leaving the judgement to the>>>> MOST-HIGH<<<....We should only Remember the departed one>(s) with Hats off!! & as we say( NO ONE^S PERFECT)>>>but>>HIM<<...i once read in one magazine that Mrs ASMAHAN herself was very GOD fearing person and showed respect to all the Holy-BOOKS & Religions,and had Her modest praying Alter where/ MARRIAM AL AAZZRA(LADY-Virgin MARY^s painting was apparent??// May SHE>(Asmahan) & ALL her departed siblings Rest In HEAVENLY PEACE!!....From Is-Hak BARSOUMIAN/London
FARID EL ATTRASH...A name that will never be FORGOTTEN,even though the person HIMSELF left this physical world to a much better environment called ETERNITY on this Boxing holiday 26 December 1974 at AL HA-YEK Hospital(Sin EL FIL..Beirut/Lebanon)..or 42 Sad/Bad/Cery Mad years ago ,years that lots of changes took place in this Uncertain world...Wars..Technological developments, satellite dishes ,people came others went...but one thing stayed put and that was and is and will always STAY, OUR GREAT LOVE FOR HIM as a great person full of sincerity and sheer love for HIS work and HIS admirers whom are in MILLIONS and all over the world..and their LOYALTY & FAITHFULNESS to everything HE humbly donated/contributed to them for almost HALF a century in Songs..Music..Movies over 70 great ones indeed...in Concerts..T.V./ Radio appearances over all such years..We miss HIS> Oud <(LUTE) as HE surely did too & still does i am sure/as he played its GOLDEN strings too amazingly that moved the strings of our whole inner feelings..and brought sometimes JOY other times TEARS to our eyes,and as i mentioned in my previous humble Comment about HIS IMMORTAL sister ASMAHAN (AMAL AL ATTRASH)...as i mentioned>>HIS VOICE<< not only SQUEEZED our emotions/TEARS but made ROCKS weep & tough STEEL.. melt..metaphorically speaking!! So can you imagine what it did to our HEARTS?? ..For many years now its in my tradition to celebrate Christmas day paying tribute to late great American/world renowned GREAT crooner Mr. DEAN MARTIN.as he too SADLY PASSED AWAY on 25 December 1995...SO i do celebrate in those couple of days their UNDYING MEMORIES...playing all 2 days long their SONGS...I am proud to confirm IT...TRUE LOVE never GIVES UP..ON THE ABSENT PARTNER ,FARID & DEAN & also many others i cherish their SWEET Memories were & will remain PARTNERS of my loyal SOUL, in a song Mr. ATTRASH says BAKA AYEZ TINSANI?? meaning>> SO ,YOU WANT TO FORGET ME?? i reply to that : HOW COULD WE? YOU WERE A LARGE PART OF OUR DAILY LIVES AND NOW THE SAME IN OUR GREAT ARAB CULTURE../GOD BLESS ALL/ From:Is-Hak Barsoumian/LONDON
ReplyDeleteFarid EL ATTRASH>> (Take2)<<: OR better renowned in HIS great movies WAHID FARID meaning LONELY & UNIQUE,which in other words meant Unique in HIS loneliness,and that happened in 1944 and since HE lost HIS most beloved sister..A M A L or(ASMAHAN) in a vicious car drowning in a TER-AA or a ravine in Egypt..that affected HIS whole life & to the day HE- HIMSELF left this world!! When HE^S been told about the sad event he quoted the following:<>,HE n ever recovered ,even the word >A M A L (HOPES)< too frequently mentioned in HIS most popular songs & since !AL ATTRASH or(ATRACH) is a infamous CLAN in AL SWAY-DA(Syria)they are DRUZE, A sect that spreads around SYRIA & LEBANON/PALESTINE & ISRAEL,mostly in mountainous regions,fierce fighters & protectors of ARAB Dignity even though THEY got their own beliefs/traditions but THEY show extreme respect to all other Religions even accept or even celebrate EID EL FITER & AL ADHA celebrational congratulations.!!!.As a child myself i played with DRUZE children,and do hold lots of sweet memories,but this one event changed all my view about these GREAT community in ALEY/Lebanon i got to keep telling it whenever opportunities rose/ .....IN Summer1954 as we , most Beirut-ies, go for 3 months holiday for cooler environments like Aley->Behamdoun->Souk elGharb->SoWfar->and Mashghara ->Falougha and many more Summer resorts escaping Beirut^s heath from June-->September, we went each year to ALEY in the early years of the 1950s...if Beirut named the PARIS of the Middle-East,ALEY was & i assume still is, The MONTE CARLO of it!!people of all backgrounds /origins classes met there in HARMONY... BUT ONE year>> 1954 we rented 3 roomed flat from Mr.FOUAD ZAHLAN (loveable family..great people too) His children were like my brothers & sisters.. BUT i vaguely remember their names,like MAJEED-RAMZI my playmates,Sisters NAJAH-MONA??and i am not certain if the eldest was WADAD or HOUDA??sorry folks..forgive me, ANYHOW,while we boys Majeed/Ramzi and myself fooling around A parked lorry, some accident took place and i felt a huge bump on my head and BLOOD gushing like fountain... from my forehead...When the other kids screamed panicking Ramzi ZAHLAN ^S grandmother(BLESS HER SOUL) ,immediately TOOK OFF HER white coloured headscarf that similar to any HEEJAB that covers womens hairs & faces as their tradition requires, and placed it on my Forehead to stop the bleeding until medical help arrived...A REAL LADY with all what that word really means...I will never forget HER Angelic deed as long as blood runs in my body vessels ...still i got a small scar on my forehead reminds me of that day that made me wholeheartedly LOVE the DRUZE people more than before...no wonder every FARID+ AMAL(ASMAHAN) AL ATTRASH song i listen to, sheds my whole ( stored tears ) most frequently,,,but i can^t find those hands & that WHITE ZAHLAN SCARF to wipe my tear drops??Now I feel better since i revealed my story that happened 62 years ago...but unforgettable,the pain of that incident perished after a while..but the pain that i never had a chance to say to >>grandmother Zahlan and as as grown up person that ,THAT still hurts!! Regards:Is-Hak Barsoumian/LONDON
ReplyDeleteA slight addition to my previous modest Comment>> ATTRASH(take2)..... i wanted humbly to say:The real pain that still hurts me after 62 years ,my failing/delaying to thank this Golden hearted LADY ZAHLAN and tell HER, these Humble words: THAT, how grateful & much obliged to HER KIND/GOOD/HUMANE deed, i was and STILL>am< to this moment in time..GOD BLESS HER SWEET UNDYING MEMORY.. that^s all!!...from Is-hak Barsoumian/London
ReplyDeletePlz plz plz Would you all let HER >> Lady ASMAHAN or(Princess AMAL, SULTAN FAHED ATTRASH*)Daughter, rest in her Heavenly PEACE?? As after 5 months,come 14 July 2017 ,it will be 73 years since SHE sadly left us in that SABOTAGE/ and as a >dirty Plot<...victim,and still SHE is being victimised by rumors & idle gossips THAT make any departed TURN IN HIS or HER grave as they say,here!!But it^s a relief to know a fact & that is, ..Like>>The HINDUS in India also many other beliefs around the world<<,our ARAB-DRUZE/religious sect/sisters and brothers do believe in RE-INCARNATION of the dead..TOO?? according to that, SHE (Asmahan) won^t TURN in HERS,but SHE also HER late/immortal Singer/Musician brother Mr.FARID ATTRASH too must been around with us--the mortals--,maybe someone we, or some of us MET recently or years ago...UNAWARE??? Wasn^t it Quoted by all religions THIS>>>: Treat Stranger>(s)WELL,Some could be Angels in disguise?? Because with Divine MIGHT,Nothing^s impossible!! One believes or not in that quote,...still,I do modestly believe that> SHEER RESPECT is every departed^s..RIGHT?!..All of us,soon or late will demand such right-s in our memories..so//what we sow Now..we will Harvest..LATER?! & GOD bless ALL/ London from:Is-hak Barsoumian/
ReplyDeleteThank you for your stories Mr. Barsoumian. It is true, Farid and Asmahan, but especially Farid, will continue to be remembered for centuries to come.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous / Sir or Lady...i am much OBLIGED to you, personally.as to AL-ATRASH's UNDYING MEMORIES/ I promise to be TACTFUL as much as my humble means allow me? yours truly; Is-hak SAHAG Barsoumian/London Tuesday 6th March 2018 @08;21 pm GMT/G.Britain... p/s Also grateful to Ms.Zeinobia allowing me on Egyptian CHRONICLES to express opinions/viewpoints/ideas..GOD BLESS.
ReplyDeleteAsmahan was such a beautiful and multitalented singer with an incredible and powerful singing voice. I was really astonished when I heard her singing for the first time! So sad that she died at a very young age and in such a tragic and horrific way! R.I.P Sweet Angel
ReplyDelete...........14 JULY 2018''''
ReplyDelete**************************** 74 years ago the ARAB ENTERTAINMENT world of songs lost one of its BRIGHTEST...STARS...CALLED ASMAHAN!!;;;as Lost A FAIRY-TALE PRINCESS too....HER LIFE WAS ONE!!...LET US ALL REMEMBER HER GOOD/SWEET MEMORY IN DIGNITY & MUCH RESPECT ,,,,MAY THE ALMIGHTY BLESS HER SOUL & SPIRIT...& ALL AL ATTRASH-S SHE KNEW ....''DAKHALTI MARRA AL GNENAH''=ONCE I ENTERED THE GARDEN.....garden of EDEN...where SHE cameFROM and made us HEAR how angels' sound ,when PRAISING?! ...FOR A SHORT PERIOD ..BUT LEFT LONG LASTING LEGACY....Behind!!
(AL FATEEHA FI ZEKRAKI AL KHALIDAH)..MADAM ASMAHAN or Shall i say Princess AMA~L FAHD AL ATTRASH?!...Our regards to your Brother Mr.FARID AL ATTRASH..And the others too!!....my humble tribute/IS-HAK/SAHAG BARSOUMIAN /London Friday 13 July 2018+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ALSO 14th JULY marks 84th''AKHEER SA3AA''political weekly magazine /Launched 1934 1ST issue by then Mr.MOHAMMED ALTA-BE-EE who also was HER LAST HUSBAND?.....''THOSE WERE THE DAYS..MY FRIEND..WE HOPED IT WOULDN'T END...BUT SADLY IT DID!!.....Mr.NostalgiA/