Abdul Basit 'Abd us-Samad

Abdul Basit ‘Abd us-Samad was a renowned Egyptian Quran reciter and Hafiz. He was born in 1927 in a small village called Armant in Qena Governorate, Egypt. He memorized the Quran at a young age and learned the seven styles of recitation from his teacher. He was known for his unique and melodious voice, which earned him the titles of “The Golden Throat” and “The Voice of Heaven”. He won three world Qira’at competitions in the 1970s and became one of the most influential and famous Quran reciters of modern times. He was also the first president of the Reciters’ Union in Egypt and one of the first to make commercial recordings of his recitations. He traveled to many countries and performed the Tarawih prayers in various mosques during Ramadan. He died in 1988 due to complications from diabetes and was buried in the Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo. He left behind a legacy of Quran recitation that continues to inspire millions of Muslims around the world.