Umm Kulthum's family launch defamation lawsuit against poet

The family of Egyptian national treasure Umm Kulthum is suing poet Nasser Dowidar for his allegations that the world-renowned singer was married to 11 men, which have caused uproar and consternation across Egypt. 

“The family has taken steps to punish the poet for his words as a deterrent to others who may try to defame her” said Umm Kulthum’s granddaughter Jihan el-Desouki in an interview with MBC Egypt. 

Desouki said she had contacted lawyer Yaser Qantoush to begin legal proceedings against Nasser Dowidar - arguing that the poet had defamed both her work and her private life. 

News of the family’s legal case joins action by the Egyptian Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers (SACERAU), who declared that it would file a complaint against him before the prosecutor general.

At a seminar organised by the Egyptian Writer’s Union, poet Nasser Dowidar took aim at the singer's career beginnings, her relationships with the men she worked with, and even her appearance.

According to local media reports, Dowidar claimed she secretly got married 11 times, and that she manipulated the feelings of renowned late poet Ahmed Rami, who wrote lyrics for several of her songs.

Rami was known to be in love with the singer, but the two never married.

"The relationship between Umm Kulthum and Rami was like that of a wolf and its prey," Dowidar said.

However, in recent comments to the press, Dowidar reportedly apologised for his remarks, saying they were "taken out of context".

Dubbed ‘The Lady’, ‘Egypt’s fourth pyramid’ and ‘The Planet of The East,’ Umm Kulthum passed away in Cairo in 1976. The prolific singer is remembered through the 300 long songs she left behind in video and audio recordings.