Recitation of Surah Yusuf; A Turning Point in Egyptian Qari Sheikh Saeed’s Life
This was a title he has carried with him among Egyptian reciters to this day.
Sheikh al-Sayyid Saeed was one of the prominent figures in the field of recitation of the Holy Quran in Egypt and the Islamic world.
He was born on March 7, 1943 in the village of Meit Marja Salsil, a part of the Jamaliyah city in the Dakahlia province of Egypt, and grew up in a poor family with nine children. He was the youngest son among his brothers. From childhood, he had a significant vocal talent.
Saeed memorized the Quran at the age of 9. His Quranic life path began in the village Maktab (Quranic school), learning from Sheikh Abdul Mahmoud Othman. Due to his talent in recitation, his fame spread throughout the province, and later he traveled to many countries around the world to recite the Quran.
Saeed left school at an early age due to financial poverty. He found his way in the world of Quran recitation due to his pleasant voice and his ability to master the vocal Maqams by listening and without studying. The Sultan al-Qurra of Egypt fascinated those around him, and his fame as a Quran reciter spread everywhere.
Saeed recited the Quran without asking for any remuneration. He would say, “I recite the Quran out of love for it, not for money. The verses of God cannot be bought.”
This Egyptian qari recited the Quran in many countries around the world, including the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Lebanon, South Africa, Iran, the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Switzerland.
He was distinguished by his pleasant voice and masterful performance. He recited the Quran alongside some of the most prominent figures in Egyptian Quran recitation, including Sheikh Muhammad Siddiq Minshawi, Mustafa Ismail, Abdel Fattah Al-Shasha’i, Mahmoud Ali Al-Banna, and Sheikh Abu Al-Ainain Shuaisha, thus earning a high position among the great reciters of the Holy Quran.
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Sheikh Saeed raised the banner of the Holy Quran in international circles and won widespread admiration and immense love from his audience.
This Egyptian reciter was also known for his unique style of reciting Surah Yusuf, a style that became a prominent school in the art of Quran recitation.
He was rightly called the Sultan al-Qurra for his unparalleled performance, especially his impressive and moving recitation of Surah Yusuf, which many consider to be his best recorded recitation. In the mid-1990s, his voice swept the Egyptian market, and at that time his cassette tapes achieved widespread sales, to the point where the sound of his recitation could be heard from every home, shop, and even public transportation in the city.
Many believe that the recording of Surah Yusuf was a real turning point in his life, and this great success made him famous and earned him the well-deserved title of Sultan al-Qurra.
He played a prominent role in the Egyptian Association of Quran Reciters and Memorizers, and was the head of the Reciters' Association of the Dakahlia and Damietta Governorate branches. He played a role in training a generation of reciters who followed his approach to mastering the art of recitation and serving the Holy Quran.
Sheikh al-Sayyid Saeed passed away on May 24, 2025, at the age of 82 after a period of battling illness.
Below you can listen to his recitation of Verses 19 to 31 Surah Yusuf:
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