Fadel Chaker's hit single Ahla Rasma raises as many questions as it answers.
The song – a lush ballad in the style he’s renowned for – reaffirms the timeless notion that love is best expressed without conditions. But that clarity doesn’t extend to his place in the Arabic music industry or his complex relationship with regional audiences.
Despite his undeniable appeal as a talented singer and composer, Chaker, 56, remains a convicted fugitive, with a 22-year prison sentence still in place.
That he continues to release music and enjoy regional acclaim while evading justice in Lebanon highlights both the fractures in Lebanese society and a disconnect between fans and the man behind the music.
Ahla Rasma continues Chaker’s return to the musical limelight, more than a decade after embracing a strictly conservative view of Islam that rejects popular music, which brought him into conflict with the Lebanese army.
Following his retirement in 2012, he adopted the name Hajj Chaker and pledged allegiance to Lebanese Sunni firebrand cleric Ahmed al-Assir – a move that led him to take up arms with supporters during the 2013 clashes against the Lebanese army that left 18 soldiers dead.
Chaker was later sentenced in absentia to 22 years of hard labour. The ruling remains unenforced, with Chaker reportedly still in hiding at the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp.
Despite his confined circumstances, Chaker continues to release music to significant success. Ahla Rasma has already been streamed more than 40 million times since being released on YouTube in April. It follows a steady number of releases since his return to popular music after years spent exclusively recording Islamic hymns – a shift that began with 2018 comeback single Shab’an Min Al Tamtheel.
How does Chaker still release music?
Chaker’s growing playlist is made possible through geography and technology. He remains elusive in Ain al-Hilweh – a self-governed enclave inaccessible to Lebanese police and army due to a reportedly unofficial understanding stemming from the now-annulled 1969 Cairo Agreement between the Lebanese government and the Palestine Liberation Organisation.
When it comes to recording the songs themselves, Chaker provided insight into the process in a 2018 interview with website Arabic Post, in which he described recording Shab'an Min Al Tamtheel, the theme song for Egyptian television drama Ladina Aqwal Okhra, by having the song’s arrangements recorded abroad – in this case, Egypt – before being sent to him. Chaker would then add his vocals and send it back to the producers for mixing and mastering.
That straightforward approach is also reflected in Chaker’s music videos, which are often performance-based and shot in a studio space.
The songs’ presence on major streaming platforms – including Spotify and Apple Music – despite lacking a record label, suggests Chaker is using digital distribution services. Platforms such as DistroKid, TuneCore, or CD Baby enable independent artists to release music globally by providing proof of ownership. Chaker or his representatives have yet to make an official statement on which service he uses.
How has the response to Chaker's new music been?
Chaker’s re-emergence drew mixed reactions. While his comeback single Shab’an Min Al Tamtheel went regionally viral, the public backlash prompted Egyptian production company AG Group to remove the song from the television drama Ladina Aqwal Okhra.
Series creator Medhat El Adl later described the decision to use the track as an error of judgment, telling broadcaster Sada El Balad: “We didn’t study the legal standpoint regarding Fadel Chaker in Lebanon. We basically made our decision from a purely artistic perspective.”
The outcry had a chilling effect on the music industry, with peers rarely mentioning or expressing support for Chaker.
One notable exception was Egyptian singer Sherine Abdelwahab, whose controversial visit to Ain al-Hilweh in 2022 for an undisclosed meeting with Chaker led to her being summoned for questioning by Lebanese authorities, before being released without charge.
This year’s documentary series Ya Ghayeb … Fadel Chaker – featuring a sit-down interview in which Chaker tells his side of the story – was also met with ambivalent critical reception, with some critics accusing it of downplaying the crimes he stands convicted of.
All of this points to a career in limbo. Chaker’s return is neither a full-fledged comeback nor a rebranding. His songs are recorded in undisclosed locations and released without co-ordinated promotional efforts or supporting concerts.
While the appeal is undeniable, Chaker’s career and personal life remain stalled until his legal status is definitively resolved.
Company%20Profile
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Easter%20Sunday
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
The specs: Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Price, base: Dh1 million (estimate)
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 563hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 850Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km
Scorline
Iraq 1-0 UAE
Iraq Hussein 28’
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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RESULTS
5pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Purebred Arabian Cup Conditions (PA) Dh 200,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)
5.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup Conditions (PA) Dh 200,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Winked, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Cup Listed (TB) Dh 380,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Boerhan, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
6.30pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Group 3 (PA) Dh 500,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Jewel Crown Group 1 (PA) Dh 5,000,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Messi, Pat Dobbs, Timo Keersmaekers
7.30pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Handicap (PA) Dh 150,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Harrab, Ryan Curatolo, Jean de Roualle
8pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AF Alareeq, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
French Touch
Carla Bruni
(Verve)
THREE
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Day 5, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Given the problems Sri Lanka have had in recent times, it was apt the winning catch was taken by Dinesh Chandimal. He is one of seven different captains Sri Lanka have had in just the past two years. He leads in understated fashion, but by example. His century in the first innings of this series set the shock win in motion.
Stat of the day This was the ninth Test Pakistan have lost in their past 11 matches, a run that started when they lost the final match of their three-Test series against West Indies in Sharjah last year. They have not drawn a match in almost two years and 19 matches, since they were held by England at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi in 2015.
The verdict Mickey Arthur basically acknowledged he had erred by basing Pakistan’s gameplan around three seam bowlers and asking for pitches with plenty of grass in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Why would Pakistan want to change the method that has treated them so well on these grounds in the past 10 years? It is unlikely Misbah-ul-Haq would have made the same mistake.
The%20specs
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PREMIER LEAGUE STATS
Romelu Lukaku's goalscoring statistics in the Premier League
Season/club/appearances (substitute)/goals
2011/12 Chelsea: 8(7) - 0
2012/13 West Brom (loan): 35(15) - 17
2013/14 Chelsea: 2(2) - 0
2013/14 Everton (loan): 31(2) - 15
2014/15 Everton: 36(4) - 10
2015/16 Everton: 37(1) - 18
2016/17 Everton: 37(1) - 25
Everton 1 Stoke City 0
Everton (Rooney 45 1')
Man of the Match Phil Jagielka (Everton)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SERIES INFO
Cricket World Cup League Two
Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series
Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal
Table
The top three sides advance to the 2022 World Cup Qualifier.
The bottom four sides are relegated to the 2022 World Cup playoff
1 United States 8 6 2 0 0 12 0.412
2 Scotland 8 4 3 0 1 9 0.139
3 Namibia 7 4 3 0 0 8 0.008
4 Oman 6 4 2 0 0 8 -0.139
5 UAE 7 3 3 0 1 7 -0.004
6 Nepal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 PNG 8 0 8 0 0 0 -0.458
Venom
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
Rating: 1.5/5
Napoleon
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Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Stamp duty timeline
December 2014: Former UK finance minister George Osbourne reforms stamp duty, replacing the slab system with a blended rate scheme, with the top rate increasing to 12 per cent from 10 per cent:
Up to £125,000 - 0%; £125,000 to £250,000 – 2%; £250,000 to £925,000 – 5%; £925,000 to £1.5m: 10%; Over £1.5m – 12%
April 2016: New 3% surcharge applied to any buy-to-let properties or additional homes purchased.
July 2020: Rishi Sunak unveils SDLT holiday, with no tax to pay on the first £500,000, with buyers saving up to £15,000.
March 2021: Mr Sunak decides the fate of SDLT holiday at his March 3 budget, with expectations he will extend the perk unti June.
April 2021: 2% SDLT surcharge added to property transactions made by overseas buyers.
UAE squad to face Ireland
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind
