An Egyptian Qari Who Founded New Style in Quran Recitation
Tomorrow, January 12, marks the 17th anniversary of his demise.
Shahat was born in July 1950 in Kafr el-Wazir village in Egypt’s Dakahlia Governorate. He lost his father when he was three months old.
Anwar started learning the Quran at a young age and memorized the entire Holy Book at 8. When he was ten, his uncle took him to Kafr el-Maqam village to learn Tajweed recitation with Master Seyed Ahmed Fararahi.
He learned Quran recitation and soon became a famous qari.
Quran masters like Said Abdul Samad al-Zanani and Hamdi Zamil were among those who began the path of Quran recitation after attending Quran recitation circles of Shahat.
“By memorizing the Quran (in childhood), I felt I had reached an indescribable happiness,” he said. “After that, because I had a beautiful voice and my Lahn was like that of great masters, … I became known as “little master”.
Such a young man who consistently shone, and from whose throat the Holy Quran flowed like water in a stream, had a reputation that far surpassed his age. He was so deserving that the head of the city of Mit Ghamr sent him an invitation to attend a religious event in which the late Kamil al-Balouhi, the first head of the Quran Radio, was present.
Al-Balouhi invited him to recite the Quran at the Radio and he entered the Quran Radio in 1979.
Shahat recounts this as follows: “On the appointed date, I went to the radio station, but the jury, despite their great admiration for my recitation, said that I needed to take classes for a while to learn the musical modes. I asked Master Mahmoud Kamil and Master Ahmed Sidqi about how to proceed, and they guided me to the music academy. I attended the academy for two years, mastering all the Quranic modes and melodies with high quality. In 1979, I reapplied to join the radio, and eventually, I succeeded. They gave me a program for my recitations, and from then on, I joined the radio.”
Read More:
Master Shahat Muhammad Anwar founded a new style in recitation of the Quran. with his captivating performances, he transformed the practice of Quranic recitation in the Muslim world.
He was sent by Egypt’s Awqaf ministry to many countries for recitation of the Quran.
He died on January 12, 2008 at the age of 57. Following is one of his performances in which he recited verses from Surah At-Tawbah of the Holy Quran:
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