Abdel Halim Ali Shabana (Arabic: عبد الحليم علي شبانة), commonly known as Abdel Halim Hafez (Arabic: عبد الحليم حافظ) (June 21, 1929 – March 30, 1977) was an Egyptian singer, and is among the most popular Egyptian and Arabic singers of all time. In addition to singing, Halim was also an actor, conductor, business man, music teacher and movie producer. He is considered to be one of the Great Four of Egyptian and Arabic music (along with Umm Kulthum, Mohammed Abdel Wahab, and Farid Al Attrach). His name is sometimes written as 'Abd el-Halim Hafez. He is known as el-Andaleeb el-Asmar (The Dark-Skinned Nightingale, Arabic: العندليب الأسمر). He is also known as an icon in modern Arabic music. He has sold over 80 million records to date . To this day, his music is still enjoyed throughout the Arab world.
