Today, Monday, the anniversary of the departure of the great musician Farid al-Atrash, who left our world on December 26, 1974, following he suffered a heart attack, was subsequently transferred to the hospital in Beirut to meet his Lord following a busy march of authentic rapture..
Farid al-Atrash was a fan of Nadi ZamalekAnd one of the most fanatical people in watching matches, and doctors prevented him from practicing his favorite hobby for fear of him, and many situations brought him together with his artist friends because of his extreme fanaticism for the White Castle, as well as his tangible role in saving Zamalek from bankruptcy..
A quarrel between the Nightingale and Al-Atrash because of Al-Ahly and Zamalek
There are always quarrels between the fans of “Al-Ahly” and “Zamalek”, even in the time of beautiful art. In 1960, when the Zamalek club team defeated Al-Ahly, Farid Al-Atrash held a big celebration in which he called the Al-Ahly and Zamalek teams, and in 1961 the Lebanese star vowed The morning to hold a party for Al-Ahly if he won.
On December 12, 1961, “Al-Kawakeb” magazine published an article entitled “Sabah Celebrates the Three Tours”, where the star fulfilled her vow and held a big party following Al-Ahly’s victory, to which a number of stars invited supporters of the two clubs, and the Al-Ahly stars were led by Abdel Halim Hafez and director Ezz El-Din. Zulfiqar and Saleh Selim, and among the supporters of Zamalek are the artist Farid al-Atrash and the artist Salah Zulfiqar, and the Nightingale kept singing in celebration of Al-Ahly’s victory, and there is a picture in which Abdel Halim Hafez raises 3 fingers, in reference to the 3 goals that Al-Ahly won over Zamalek, and he was scheduled to sing. “Majour”, and he changed the lyrics of the song “Oh your sweetness, oh your beauty” by Fayza Ahmed, which Al-Atrash composed to “Oh your disappointment, Zamalek.
Farid Al-Atrash said, at the end of the ceremony, “I was exposed to an embarrassing situation for the first time in my life because of the Zamalek club, and I will think regarding encouraging Al-Ahly in the coming period.”“.
A dispute between the maestro and Al-Atrash because of Zamalek
Saleh Selim, the former president of Al-Ahly, entered into a severe dispute with the late singer Farid Al-Atrash, who is considered one of the most fans of the Zamalek club, and Farid Al-Atrash set the finest examples in supporting the White Castle during its financial crises, as he revived several concerts inside the club and donated all of its revenue to complete the club’s facilities, such as the construction of The social building and the renovation of the club’s stands following a major crisis hit the club following the nationalization of the club’s property.
Al-Atrash’s solidarity with the Zamalek club and Al-Ahly’s disregard for the discontent of the late Saleh Selim appeared during his interview in a newspaper when he was asked regarding his favorite singer, and he replied: Abdel Halim Hafez, “And Farid Al-Atrash is a beloved,” according to what was published by Akhbar Al-Youm newspaper on February 11, 1961..
When Farid al-Atrash learned of this dialogue, he became very angry because of Saleh Selim’s response, and he commented on this, saying, “Every person is free to choose his favorite singer..
Al-Atrash saves Zamalek from bankruptcy
In March 1966, the Zamalek club was subjected to severe financial hardship, and Farid al-Atrash learned regarding it, so he came to the club and met Major General Hussein Labib, the club’s general manager, at that time, and told him that he stood by the club in its difficult circumstances, with his band, without any compensation. Within two weeks of his meeting with the club’s general manager, Farid al-Atrash performed a party in a large marquee built by Orabi, the artist’s agent, at the football stadium..
Farouk Jaafar admits: I got the first 100 pounds in my life from Farid al-Atrash
Farouk Jaafar, the former Zamalek club player, said that he received the first 100 pounds in his life from the late singer Farid Al-Atrash as a gift..
Jaafar added, during his interview with the Zamalek channel, “There were a very large number of artists keen to spend their time in the Zamalek Social Club, and at that time the matches had moved outside Mit Oqba and Al Jazeera.”
And Jaafar continued: “The first 100 pounds I caught in my life was from Farid al-Atrash in 1971.“.
And he continued: “The difficult circumstances that the Zamalek club was going through previously made the management unable to give the players a decent financial return, so the gifts compensated for that.”
