Hamid Al-Saadi is worried he might be the last one in the lineage, the final master of a musical tradition that dates back centuries.
The 67-year-old is recognised as the most prominent practitioner of Iraqi maqam, the only vocalist to have mastered the tradition’s entire repertoire of 56 pieces. He is also the author of the first two new maqams to have been composed in the past century – both appear on Maqam Al-Iraq, Al-Saadi’s first album in 25 years, which was released on July 18.
Yet it’s not clear to Al-Saadi when, or if, the next additions to the canon will come.
“I remain the last link – I carry all the traditions of maqam with me,” says the exiled musician. “There's nobody else alive who knows this entire tradition and nobody who's actively performing it, or taking on the responsibility to pass on the maqam.”
Elements of Iraqi maqam can be traced back to the Abbasid golden era of 750 AD to 1258 AD, when Baghdad’s place at the heart of Islamic civilisation was akin to modern London or New York as the “centre of inspiration for artists from all over the world”, says Al-Saadi.
While the Arabic maqam can be considered a system of modes, Iraqi maqam refers to a repertoire of compositions, where each maqam has a specific episodic structure. Its preservation has been inscribed on Unesco’s Intangible Heritage list.
Unique to Iraq is Maqam Mukhalif, reputed to have first been sung after the Mongols sacked Baghdad in 1258, ending 500 years of prosperity. “A lot of Iraq has seen pain and suffering, and most maqams were born from a specific story that affected the singer or musician,” explains Al-Saadi. “It’s a malleable form that can adjust to current events – that's what keeps maqam alive, able to persist throughout many generations.”
Yet there is no set text for each musical composition, with the lyric the choice of the performer. “You could have three different singers perform the same maqam, following the same musical structure, but each choosing a different poem,” adds Amir ElSaffar, a member of Al-Saadi’s band and founder of Maqam Records, which is releasing Maqam Al-Iraq. “One could be an extremely sad poem, the other could be joyful or divine, one could be very secular – that keeps it dynamic and constantly changing.”
Al-Saadi was one of the last musicians to grow up amid affluence and intellectual freedom. It was a time when maqam performances were regularly heard in Iraq’s concert halls and coffee houses, and performers were supported by institutes and conservatories.
Born in 1958, and having mastered the entire repertoire by his mid-twenties, Al-Saadi became an in-demand performer on stage and television throughout the 1980s. Yusuf Omar, the most recorded Iraqi maqam singer in history, eventually named Al-Saadi his successor.
Before him, Omar had learnt from Mohammed Al-Gubbanchi, who in turn studied with forefather Ahmed Zaidan – a ceremonial torch-passing that dates back centuries. But Al-Saadi is not sure there is anyone to pass the torch to next. “I became the link from those masters to the generation that I live in,” says Al-Saadi, humbly claiming he did not ascend to “even one quarter” of Omar’s technique.
After the UN Security Council imposed sanctions in 1990 and the first Gulf War, Iraq’s civil society crumbled and, unable to support himself as a musician, Al-Saadi fled to London in 1999. He busied himself writing a book about Iraqi maqam, Al-Maqam wa Buhoor Al-Angham.
In 2003 he was approached by ElSaffar, a young and hungry Iraqi-American jazz trumpeter who had already made a name for himself performing with free jazz pioneer Cecil Taylor. Raised in Chicago and on a mission to reconnect with his roots, ElSaffar arrived in London fresh from six months of fruitless study in Iraq.
“I went to Baghdad at a very difficult moment – 35 years of dictatorship, 12 years of sanctions – and it was a very tense time politically post 9/11,” remembers ElSaffar. Moreover, all the teachers he approached refused to take a novice Arabic speaker seriously.
When it became clear a second invasion was inevitable, ElSaffar decamped to London and tracked down Al-Saadi, who took him on as a student. “Hamid was my dream teacher because he would sit and teach me, phrase by phrase, and he wouldn't let me move on until I mastered it,” adds ElSaffar.
The knowledge he gleaned enabled ElSaffar’s later experiments with Arabic music – witnessed in Abu Dhabi with a performance of his 17-piece Rivers of Sound ensemble at NYUAD in 2016.
In 2018, ElSaffar repaid the favour, bringing Al-Saadi to the US on an Artist Protection Fund Fellowship. Now based in Brooklyn, New York, Al-Saadi has held teaching positions at Sarah Lawrence College and Rutgers University, and lectured through institutions including Lincoln Centre, the Smithsonian and Kennedy Centre.
His greatest influence may have been on stage, leading Safaafir, the only Iraqi maqam ensemble in the US – a family affair featuring ElSaffar on santur, his sister Dena ElSaffar on violin and joza, and her husband Tim Moore on percussion.
It was this group that recorded Maqam Al-Iraqi via ElSaffar’s continuing Maqam Studio preservation initiative. The 87-minute, four-track album is named after its first piece, a maqam of longing Al-Saadi composed since moving to the US, based on a text by the highly regarded Iraqi poet Ni'mah Hussain. “I lived in exile for seven years,” adds Al-Saadi. “I missed my homeland, my people – the essence of longing comes from the poem and the text.”
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Fixtures:
Wed Aug 29 – Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
Thu Aug 30 - UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman
Sat Sep 1 - UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal
Sun Sep 2 – Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore
Tue Sep 4 - Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu Sep 6 – Final
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20Tabby%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%20August%202019%3B%20platform%20went%20live%20in%20February%202020%3Cbr%3EFounder%2FCEO%3A%20Hosam%20Arab%2C%20co-founder%3A%20Daniil%20Barkalov%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Payments%3Cbr%3ESize%3A%2040-50%20employees%3Cbr%3EStage%3A%20Series%20A%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Arbor%20Ventures%2C%20Mubadala%20Capital%2C%20Wamda%20Capital%2C%20STV%2C%20Raed%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Founders%20Capital%2C%20JIMCO%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20Venture%20Souq%2C%20Outliers%20VC%2C%20MSA%20Capital%2C%20HOF%20and%20AB%20Accelerator.%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Race card
5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m
6.05pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,400m
6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (T) 1,200m
7.50pm: Longines Stakes – Conditions (TB) Dh120,00 (D) 1,900m
8.25pm: Zabeel Trophy – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (T) 1,600m
9pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (T) 2,410m
9.35pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 2,000m
Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Sleep Well Beast
The National
4AD
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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3.
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
If you go:
Getting there:
Flying to Guyana requires first reaching New York with either Emirates or Etihad, then connecting with JetBlue or Caribbean Air at JFK airport. Prices start from around Dh7,000.
Getting around:
Wildlife Worldwide offers a range of Guyana itineraries, such as its small group tour, the 15-day ‘Ultimate Guyana Nature Experience’ which features Georgetown, the Iwokrama Rainforest (one of the world’s four remaining pristine tropical rainforests left in the world), the Amerindian village of Surama and the Rupununi Savannah, known for its giant anteaters and river otters; wildlifeworldwide.com
WandaVision
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: Four stars
THE BIO:
Sabri Razouk, 74
Athlete and fitness trainer
Married, father of six
Favourite exercise: Bench press
Must-eat weekly meal: Steak with beans, carrots, broccoli, crust and corn
Power drink: A glass of yoghurt
Role model: Any good man
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
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