Rabat- “We have received, with pain, the sad news of the passing of the poet, Ali Squalli Houssaini, may his soul rest in peace,” the King wrote.
The monarch conveyed his sentiments of sympathy to Squalli’s family and friends for theirs and the nation’s loss of one of the “pioneers of modern Arabic literature, the creator of the national anthem who enriched the national library.”
The King recalled Squalli’s “righteousness, patriotism, and respect and devotion to the Alaouite crown,” and prayed for patience for Squalli’s family.
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Born in Fez in 1932, the author and poet wrote the national anthem in 1969 under the reign of King Hassan II. Before 1969, the anthem was used only in melody. The melody of the national anthem was in use without lyrics before Morocco’s independence in 1956.
Throughout his career, Squalli received various awards for his literary works, including the Morocco Grand Prize in 1982 and the international prize of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia for children’s literature in 1992.
