Eid al-Fitr

This is take note, I'm Avery Scott, and we're taking history by the tempo.

This year, the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fiter is expected to fall around the evening of March 19th.

The holiday, which marks the end of Ramadan's month of fasting, occurs according to phases

of the moon, meaning that predicting its exact timing far in advance can be difficult.

While no specifically prescribed musical traditions are associated with Eid al-Fiter, certain

popular songs have become linked to Eid for many in the Muslim world.

One such song is Yalileh Ali, which was originally performed by Egyptian singer Um Kufum.

While the song was first released in 1940, Kufum was said to have been inspired three

years earlier, when she heard a street vendor shouting good wishes for a prosperous Eid

in Cairo.

Since its first appearance in the Egyptian musical film Dun and Near, this song has become

closely associated with the Eid holiday, and it is often broadcast on radio and television

to mark the Eid festivities.

Thanks to its joyful and celebratory lyrics, as well as its popularity across mediums

of film, television, radio, and recording, the song has become a recognizable classic,

as well as a testament to the versatile power of Egypt and the Middle East's robust

media culture.

Make note is a production of classical Arizona PBS, a service of Arizona State University.