Najīb al-Sarrāj

Biography

Najib al-Sarraj was a Syrian singer and composer from Hama. He learned oud with Abd al-Sattar Salama and Umar al-Naqshbandi, and notation with Tariq Madhat.

Ahmad al-Sammahi reproduces an interview attributed to Al-Kawakib in which al-Sarraj recalled saving for records and imitating Muhammad Abd al-Wahab. A radio request for his own song, and his inability to buy a tune, led him to compose In Kunt Tansani fa-Last Tahwani, using Wajih al-Barudi’s poem. The original magazine issue remains unavailable.

Mahmud Qasim lists Abir Sabil among the films of 1951. He describes advertisements naming al-Sarraj in the cast, Ahmad Irfan as director and Aleppo’s Irfan and Jalaq company as producer. This specific credit establishes his film participation; later catalogues give a conflicting 1972 date.

Syrian Cassette Archives preserves two handwritten sleeves naming al-Sarraj and listing his songs. One includes Foq al-Nakhl ya Salima and Ala Nagham al-Ud Ghannili; another includes Aynak Zalamatni fa-Kayfa Hawaki. They establish the particular singer and titles, without dating the recordings or making him every item’s composer.

Abd Allah al-Madani reports his radio use of Fata Hama and his 1947 performance of Shafiq Jabri’s Majd al-Jala. He also places his arrival in Cairo with his friend Adnan Qambaz in 1960. This named historical account alone cannot establish first performances without original programmes.