Walla Zaman Ya Selahy
| English: Oh My Weapon | |
|---|---|
| Walla Zaman Ya Selahy | |
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National anthem of  United Arab Republic, Egypt and, Iraqi Republic (1958–68)
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| Lyrics | Salah Jahin |
| Music | Kamal Al Taweel |
| Adopted | (by United Arab Republic) 1960 (by Egypt) 1971 (by Iraq) 1965 |
| Relinquished | (by United Arab Republic) 1971 (by Egypt) 1979 (by Iraq) 1981 |
"Walla Zaman Ya Selahy" (Arabic: والله زمان يا سلاحي) was the national anthem of the United Arab Republic (UAR), a federation of Egypt and Syria, from 1960. Though the UAR broke up in 1961, Egypt retained the official name of the union until 1971, and the official anthem until 1979.
Prior to being adopted as the UAR anthem, it was a nationalist song performed by Umm Kulthum during the Suez Crisis in 1956, known in Egypt and the Arab world as the Tripartite Aggression, when Egypt was invaded by the United Kingdom, France, and Israel. Due to its strongly nationalist lyrics evoking national resistance, the song was played frequently on Egyptian radio during the war, sometimes as often as every 10 minutes.
The popularity of the song led to it being adopted as the national anthem of the UAR two years after the establishment of the union. It replaced the former Egyptian anthem, "Nashid al-Huriyya" (The Anthem of Liberty, نشيد الحرية, composed and sung by Mohammed Abdel Wahab), which was adopted following the Egyptian revolution of 1952 and the abolition of the monarchy, as well as the former national anthem of Syria.
The lyrics were written by Salah Jahin, with music by Kamal Al Taweel. The anthem was also used, without words, by Iraq from 1965 to 1981.
It was eventually replaced in 1979 for the peace negotiations with Israel by President Sadate as Egypt's national anthem by the less militant "Bilady, Bilady, Bilady", which continues to be Egypt's anthem today.
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