Lebanese singer Ragheb Alama Beirut – Mahmoud Ahmed Millions woke up on Saturday to the catastrophic news that Lebanese singer Ragheb Alama had died in a car crash in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. His wife Jihan al-Ali was also seriously injured in the crash, claimed reports spread though Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Another version of events had the 51-year-old star meeting his demise in the French capital, Paris. Fortunately the rumours of Ragheb’s death were, to paraphrase Mark Twain, greatly exaggerated. The singer – who is alive and well – put the spread of the tall tale down to a benign and unusual source: his brother’s mobile phone. Speaking exclusively to Arab Today, Ragheb Alama said: “I thank God for this large loving ?audience who got up that night to check on my health. “I am fine, thanks to God, ?and I’m used to hearing such rumours, which have followed me throughout the years of my life more than a ?million times.”? Reflecting on the reasons the bizarre myth gained such momentum, he said: “The problem with this rumour is that it was spread late at night, and for my whole life I am used to ?sleeping early and I never stay awake after 11pm unless there is a concert or a wedding. “What’s more, ?I had a flight the next morning to Iraqi Kurdistan, so I had to turn off my phones in order to ?rest before travelling. The thing strengthened the rumour was that my brother and ?manager Khodr has also turned off his phone, which he rarely does. “That’s why no one could ?reach us except through my wife and the people in my office.”? The former Arab Idol judge concluded with a serious message for those who weren’t so upset by the erroneous news. “I’d like to thank every person who took an interested in checking on me, ?and to those who were happy to hear I’m dead I’d like to say fear God in your evil wishes for ?people.”?