Khaberni - "In pursuit of glory and homeland, we live and perish.. All of us are of great determination, a stubborn giant
who cannot bear the masters of liberty iron collars .. Indeed, the life of humiliation and exhaustion is more suited to slaves
We do not fear time if it tries us with hardships .. In the pursuit of the country, how many martyrs have fallen!".
These verses are part of the anthem "In the Pursuit of Glory" written by the great Syrian poet Omar Abu Risha, and composed by the brothers Muhammad and Ahmad Fleifel, and it was played yesterday Monday as the national anthem of Syria in the opening ceremony of the Arab Cup in Doha, instead of the current official anthem "Guardians of the Homeland, Peace be Upon You" which was written by the poet Khalil Mardam Bey.
This scene raised widespread questions on social media about whether the anthem "In the Pursuit of Glory" will be officially adopted as an alternative national anthem for Syria, especially after this anthem experienced a significant surge in popularity following the collapse of the regime of the ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.
Twitter users considered "In the Pursuit of Glory" to have become the temporary national anthem of Syria after the political change, as it carries the message of the spirit of sacrifice and dedication for the country, and its golden-etched lyrics reflect the values of heroism and loyalty, symbols of dignity and honor that Syria deserves.
Others confirmed that the anthem resonates today in the minds of Syrians more than ever since it was written 65 years ago, as it represents the voice of the free revolution.
On the other hand, some users pointed out that the anthem "Guardians of the Homeland" is not tied to any previous political regime, as it was first adopted in Syria in 1938 during the presidency of Muhammad Ali al-Abid, and it shares with "Guardians of the Homeland" that it is composed by the Fleifel brothers.
One tweeter pointed out an irony, noting that most Syrians in the stadium, even the players, did not know "their new national anthem"; when the Tunisian anthem was played, the stadium reverberated with the voices of the audience, but when the announcer announced the start of the Syrian anthem, a widespread silence prevailed in the stands.
This issue, according to commentators, requires urgent action from the entities concerned with the country's audio identity, through popular awareness campaigns, as mobilizing populations is closely linked to symbols of cultural and artistic identity, and folk songs and folklore often have a deeper impact than the sound of cannons and missiles.
