A Palestinian oud and buzuq player born in 1961 in Galilee, he is an educator and a music theorist. In 1994 he  founded and headed the Arabic music department of the Palestinian National Conservatory of Music in Ramallah as well as being a member of its  Oriental Music Ensemble. In 2000, he founded the Urmawi Centre for Mashriq Music, named after the Abbassid musician. An independent institution, the centre brings together Palestinian musicians, teachers and students, preserving existing or potential practitioners' knowledge of the musical heritage, producing contemporary music and putting on performances throughout the country.