What Turned Mustafa Ismail into ‘Akbar ul-Qurra’

TEHRAN (IQNA) – Sheikh Mustafa Ismail is known as one of the greatest qaris that the world has seen and he has become known as Akbar ul-Qurra (greatest qari). His recitation has several features that win the heart of listeners. 

Recitations of Sheikh Mustafa Ismail (June 17, 1905 - December 26, 1978) can be divided into several periods based on the recorded materials. We have no recitation from him before the 1940s. Most of his recitations in the 1940s were made in the palace of Egyptian ruler Farouk I (February 11, 1920 - March 18, 1965). Once he was reciting in a village when one of the workers in the palace heard his voice and invited him to recite before the Egyptian ruler. The qari entered the palace, before the country's radio, and recited the Holy Quran there till the final years of Farouk’s death.

Ismail brought his special recitations from the 1950s to 1970s and one can say that the features of his works in each of these decades were different. Following his works, one can clearly see the evolution and growth of his recitation. Listening to his recitations in the 1950s, you may think it is impossible for him to offer a more complete performance; however, this process of evolution and growth continues to go on in the next decades and we see numerous masterpieces in the 1970s.

Contrary to the works of many qaris, Ismail’s recitations do not stop at a specific level. He has a very deep style of recitation and Quran lovers obtain a more precise understanding of him as time goes on.

Sheikh Mustafa Ismail is unique and will not be repeated in history because he has used all rhythms (Lahn) that one could use. The fact that Ismail has some 52,000 hours of recitation shows a lot in his mastery and art.

Sometimes it is said that Ismail had been influenced by Kamil Yusuf but this seems to be wrong because when Ismail was at the age of 60, Yusuf was around 40.

Every qari draws influence from previous qaris and masters and Ismail is no exception. He was influenced by Sheikh Muhammad Mahmood Rafaat, Ali Mahmoud, and Ahmed Mohamed Salama, however, one can say that only some 5% of his recitations show traces of this influence and the rest is his own inventions. Egyptian composer Mohamed Abdel Wahab said that Ismail had used rhythms that were not heard in Arab music before. The composer used to take notes from these recitations.