Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf marries Reem Ouda in secret wedding

The former 'Arab Idol' tied the knot in a ceremony kept tightly under wraps

Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf has married in secret. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Mohammed Assaf is a married man.

In news that will likely warm and break the hearts of his devoted fans in equal measure, the former Arab Idol winner has tied the knot in a secret wedding.

Assaf’s bride is reportedly fellow Palestinian Reem Ouda, 22.

The news was announced by Assaf’s friend, Palestinian singer Qasem Al Najjar, in a social media post today.

“Finally good news in 2020,” he said.

“Congratulations to my friend and brother Mohammed Assaf on his marriage. God bless you both and bring you together for goodness and happiness.”

Najjar also released a short video of the wedding party, in which Assaf, 30, and Ouda danced along with a small circle of attendees, one of whom was draped in the Palestinian flag.

While there is no clear information regarding the exact date and location of the wedding, multiple reports suggest it was an intimate affair held as recently as this month.

If that is the case, then it could have been held in Dubai, a city Assaf has called home for the past seven years and in which he has been residing throughout the pandemic.

This theory is also strengthened with the recent announcement that Assaf will perform a concert at Dubai Opera on Thursday, August 20.

Who is Reem Ouda?

She hails from Assaf's home city of Gaza and has previously lived in Saudi Arabia before migrating to Denmark.

According to a report by UAE newspaper Al Bayan, the couple first met about eight months ago. This timeline is conceivable as Assaf did conduct a tour of Denmark that took him through several cities in December 2019.

It is also reported that Ouda is not involved in the regional entertainment industry.

Why the secret?

This has always been the way Assaf has conducted his private life.

In a 2015 interview with The National, the then-eligible bachelor stated the qualities he was looking for in a future Mrs Assaf.

“I would prefer her not to be from the entertainment industry, I can honestly tell you that,” he said. “Not that there is anything wrong with people from there, but it’s just my preference. I want my home life to be totally separated from my career. I want to be relaxed and secure in my home.”

Don’t expect Assaf to be too forthcoming about his newfound family life, as he intends to keep it firmly behind the scenes.

"That's something I will have to enforce. Once I am, inshallah, married and have children, I don't want them to be in the media or anything like that," he told The National.

“My home is mine and it’s not for the fans or the media – there will definitely be boundaries. I want to live a normal life. I want to be like you, where I can go home and just relax after work with my loved ones. There is no way they will be paraded in front of the cameras.”