Al Sharqiya

Beirut - ALsharqiya, July 26: Lebanese artist Ziad Rahbani passed away on Saturday at the age of 69 after suffering from illness in a Beirut hospital, leaving his fans and friends in a state of deep shock. The deceased was the son of the great artist Fairuz and the late artist Assi Rahbani. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun mourned him in a post on the X platform, saying, "Ziad Rahbani was not just an artist, but a complete intellectual and cultural phenomenon, and more... he was a living conscience, a rebellious voice against injustice, and an honest mirror." Prime Minister Nawaf Salam wrote, "With the passing of Ziad Rahbani, Lebanon loses an exceptional creative artist and a free voice who remained faithful to the values of justice and dignity. Ziad embodied a deep commitment to the causes of humanity and the nation." He added, "From the stage, in music and words, Ziad said what many dared not, and touched the hopes and pain of the Lebanese for decades." Minister of Culture Ghassan Salameh mourned him, saying, “We were afraid of this day because we knew his health condition was deteriorating and his desire for treatment was dwindling. Plans to treat him in Lebanon or abroad became mere outdated ideas because Ziad could no longer imagine the treatment and operations it would require. May God have mercy on the creative Rahbani. We will mourn him while singing his songs that will never die.” Ziad was born in 1956 and grew up in a large artistic family. He began his career at the age of seventeen, but chose for himself an independent and critical artistic path, closer to the pulse of the street and the concerns of Lebanese citizens. His works varied between musical composition, playing instruments, playwriting, and acting. He collaborated with a large number of artists, including his mother, Fairuz, for whom he composed “Sa’louni al-Nas,” “Kaifak Inta,” and “Sabah wa Masa,” among others.