Ziad Rahbani, the legendary Lebanese composer, playwright, and political satirist, passed away on Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Beirut at the age of 69. His death marks the end of one of the last standing icons of modern Arab culture—a voice that resonated far beyond Lebanon's borders and a mind that dared to confront politics, war, and identity through art.

A natural death after a long struggle

According to Lebanese media and official sources, Rahbani died from complications related to liver cirrhosis, a condition that had been worsening in recent months. He had been receiving weekly treatment at Khoury Hospital in Beirut’s Hamra district, but his body could no longer tolerate further medication or surgery. Lebanon’s Minister of Culture, Ghassan Salameh, confirmed in a statement that Rahbani’s health had deteriorated rapidly and that he had gradually lost the will to undergo further treatment, either in Lebanon or abroad.

Medical officials confirmed the artist died naturally at approximately 9:00 a.m. on Saturday after his heart stopped suddenly during hospitalization. The Lebanese Syndicate of Musicians, through its president Farid Bou Said, extended condolences and acknowledged Rahbani’s long battle with illness.

The rebel who redefined Arab art

Born on January 1, 1956, into the illustrious Rahbani family—son of iconic singer Fairuz and composer Assi Rahbani—Ziad Rahbani refused to ride the coattails of his legacy. At age 17, he composed Sa'alouni El Nass (“The People Asked Me”) for his mother during his father’s illness, signaling the rise of a new, bold voice in Arab music.

But Ziad’s journey would soon deviate from conventional melodies and sentimental lyrics. He ventured into uncharted territory, fusing classical Arabic music with jazz and funk to produce a radical, avant-garde sound that stunned—and ultimately captivated—Arab audiences. Albums like Abu Ali (1978) and songs such as I Am Not an Infidel tackled religious hypocrisy, political corruption, and societal absurdities.

More than a composer, Rahbani was also a playwright and satirist whose theater captured the existential anxieties of war-torn Lebanon. His plays—Bennesbeh La Boukra Shu? (What About Tomorrow?), A Long American Movie, Shi Fashil (A Failure), and Hotel al-Surour—became cult classics. With biting humor, black comedy, and working-class protagonists, Rahbani stripped the Lebanese civil war of its false grandeur, exposing the violence of sectarianism and the disillusionment of the post-colonial dream.

A political voice that never wavered

In a region where many artists sought comfort in ambiguity, Ziad Rahbani was unapologetically direct. A declared Marxist and outspoken critic of capitalism, imperialism, and Zionism, Rahbani consistently aligned himself with leftist causes and the Palestinian struggle. He was often a lonely voice of dissent, rejecting the compromises of the entertainment industry and confronting censorship head-on.

For Rahbani, art was not escapism—it was confrontation. His political convictions were not decorative but central to his creative vision. He used the stage, the radio, and his music to provoke thought, challenge power, and represent the struggles of the working class.

A nation in mourning

News of Rahbani’s death spread quickly across Lebanon and the Arab world. Thousands gathered outside Khoury Hospital and later at the Church of Our Lady in Bikfaya, where the funeral took place. In an emotional and rare public appearance, his mother, Fairuz, was seen attending the funeral, her grief echoing through the quiet of a nation stunned by loss.

The procession became a spontaneous celebration of his life, with mourners singing his songs and quoting his plays. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam both issued tributes, describing him as “a cultural giant” and “a voice of justice and defiance.”

A legacy that lives on

Though Ziad Rahbani has passed, his work remains as relevant and urgent as ever. His plays continue to be performed, his songs streamed by new generations, and his words cited by activists and artists alike. His revolutionary spirit still animates the cultural conversations of Beirut, Ramallah, Cairo, and beyond.

In an age increasingly defined by superficial fame and empty noise, Rahbani was a rare and authentic voice—one who challenged not only the political status quo but the very idea of what art could be. His legacy is not just in notes and scripts but in minds awakened and systems questioned.

Farewell to the last icon

Ziad Rahbani’s death is more than the loss of a musician. It is the departure of a conscience, a provocateur, and a chronicler of Arab pain and possibility. He leaves behind a towering body of work that will outlive the regimes and realities he so fiercely challenged.

As his voice fades from the living world, it echoes louder than ever in the spaces where art resists, and where truth insists on being heard. His absence will be felt not only on the stage, but in every corner where justice, humor, and courage dare to meet. And in those corners—quiet or defiant—his influence will continue to inspire new generations of artists to speak boldly, love deeply, and resist loudly.