Fortress of Islam, Heart of Asia

"Fortress of Islam, Heart of Asia" (Persian: قلعه اسلام قلب اسیا‎) is an Afghan mujahideen battle song composed in 1919 by Ustad Qasim. It was adopted as the national anthem of Afghanistan from 1992 to 1999 and from 2002 to 2006.[1][2][3][4][5]

Surūd-e Millī

English: National Anthem
سرود ملی
Former national anthem of  Afghanistan
Also known as	قلعه اسلام قلب اسیا (English: "Fortress of Islam, Heart of Asia")
Lyrics	Daoud Farani
Music	Ustad Qasim, 1919
Adopted	1992–1999
Readopted	2002
Relinquished	May 2006
Succeeded by	"National anthem of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan"
Audio sample
transl. ur – transl. ALA-LC ملي سرود "The National Anthem" file help

National anthems of Afghanistan
The Royal Salute 1926–1943  The Grand Salute 1943–1973  Millī Surūd 1973–1978  Be Ardent, Be More Ardent 1978–1992  Fortress of Islam, Heart of Asia 1992–1996  None (music outlawed) 1996–2001  Fortress of Islam, Heart of Asia 2001–2006  Millī Surūd 2006–2021  This is the Home of the Brave 2021–present

During the late 1990s, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan under the Taliban took control over most of Afghanistan from the UN-recognized government and ruled most of the country until late 2001. The Taliban outlawed music throughout the territory that they controlled, which consisted of most of the country. As such, most of Afghanistan practically was left without a national anthem during that time, until late 2001 when the Taliban was overthrown. The song was reintroduced by the new transitional government of Afghanistan in 2002;[6] it remained such when the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was established in 2004 and was used by the latter until 2006.[7][8]