The Syndicate of Musical Professions in Egypt issued a strongly-worded statement, on the insult of Umm Kulthum and Ahmed Ramy at the Egyptian Writers Union headquarters.
The statements of a poet named Nasser Dowidar, a member of the Egyptian Writers Union, against Umm Kulthum, during a cultural evening inside the Union’s headquarters, sparked a state of great anger due to what fans of Umm Kulthum and Ahmed Ramy considered as “an attack on Egyptian statures who left their mark in the history of Arab art.
“Ahmed Ramy is a well-raised and educated man who fell in love with a ‘Mawlid’ woman – (referring to Umm Kulthum). It is said that Umm Kulthum married 11 times, and a lot is said about that but there is no need to talk about it now,” Dowidar said during a symposium titled “The Egyptian Song and the Conscience of a Nation”.
“Mawalid” is the plural form of “Mawlid” in Arabic and it refers to events held to celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, where singers sing religious songs and where Umm Kulthum used to sing at a younger age.
Dowidar continued: “We are dealing with Umm Kulthum as a genius Egyptian singer whom Egypt has not witnessed before in its history, and by the way, how Umm Kulthum looks is messed up.”
“Umm Kulthum is selfish and manipulated Ramy, while Ramy was an emotional fool,” he said.
“The relationship between Umm Kulthum and Ramy was a wolf’s relationship with its prey,” Dowidar claimed.
“Also, Umm Kulthum stole two songs from a young poet and gave it to great poets to work on it,” according to Dowidar.
“It is said that there was a poet named Ali Mahdy who gave Umm Kulthum two poems, and it was rumored that the woman would sing for him, but Umm Kulthum broke the two poems into smaller details and gave it to great poets to build on,” Dowidar continued.
In response to Dowidar’s statements, the Syndicate of Musical Professions issued a statement in which it said that “those funded” would not be able to tarnish Egypt’s history through lies.
“The Syndicate of Musical Professions, being the fortress whose tower protects the artistic and cultural heritage from every arrogant, mischievous and conspirator, condemns all attempts to undermine our heritage and artistic symbols such as the ‘Planet of the East’ and the Lady of Arab Singing, Umm Kulthum, who used to unite the Arab nation every month to listen to her voice,” the statement read.
“The Musicians Syndicate condemns any insult to the poets of Egypt, who have become rooted in the conscience of all Egyptians and Arabs and have become symbols of its culture and renaissance, including the feat poet Ahmed Ramy,” the statement said.
