Qareat El Fengan (Arabic: قارِئةُ الفِنجان; "The Fortune Teller")[1] is a poem written by Nizar Qabbani and performed by Abdel Halim Hafez. He sang it for the first time in April 1976. The song is considered to be one of the classic Arabic songs, and one of the most notable Abdel Halim songs. The song was composed by Mohammed Al Mougui.[2] In fact, Qareat El Fengan was the last recording by Abdel Halim. It was recorded a year before his death and he recorded it while he was in severe pain due to liver failure.[3]
| Qareat El Fengan قارئة الفنجان | |
|---|---|
| by Nizar Qabbani | |
 Abdel Halim singing Qareat El Fengan in Damascus, 1976. | |
| Original title | قارئة الفنجان |
| Written | Nizar Qabbani |
| Language | Arabic |
| Genre(s) | Poetry, love poem, ghazal |
| Meter | or |
The subject is a fortune-teller (practising tasseography, by interpreting coffee grounds) who predicts an unhappy love.
Omar Offendum converted the poem into a rap tune called "Finjan", and he mixed the original Arabic text with its translation.[4] Also, in 2021, a series was produced under the name of the poem "Qareat El Fengan".[5]
References edit
- ^ Zuhur, Sherifa (2001). Colors of Enchantment: Theater, Dance, Music, and the Visual Arts of the Middle East. American Univ in Cairo Press. p. 302. ISBN 978-977-424-607-4.
- ^ Simon, Reeva S.; Mattar, Philip; Bulliet, Richard W. (1996). Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East: D-K. Macmillan Reference USA. p. 755. ISBN 978-0-02-897063-9.
- ^ Shoup, John A. (2017-05-12). The Nile: An Encyclopedia of Geography, History, and Culture. ABC-CLIO. p. 49. ISBN 978-1-4408-4041-8.
- ^ "Arab Love Poetry Gains Momentum on Valentine's Day". Al Bawaba. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
- ^ Qariat El Fingan (TV Series 2021) - IMDb, retrieved 2022-03-26
External links edit
- Full song on YouTube.
- Qariat El Fingan English translation.