Tarek Abdul Basit Abdul Samad appeared on the program “Wahid Min El-Nas” (One of the People), hosted by Amr El-Leithy and broadcast on the Egyptian satellite channel Al-Hayah. He noted that his father was born in the city of Armant, in the Luxor Governorate.

He explained that his father was raised in an environment centered around the Holy Quran and followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, his own father—as well as the rest of his family— who were all huffaz (memorizers) of the Quran.

Tarek added that his father attended a traditional Maktab (Quranic school), remaining there until the age of 10, by which time he had memorized the entire Quran. Later, when he sought to enroll in a formal school, he was denied admission due to his age.

He further noted that, driven by a profound love for the Quran, his father mastered the seven and ten qira’at (recitation styles) and gained recognition for his beautiful, melodious voice. He held a deep devotion to Sheikh Muhammad Rifat; at times, he would walk for hours just to reach a location with a radio, so that he could listen to the recitations of Sheikh Muhammad Rifat.

Abdul Basit’s son added, “As he grew older, he traveled to Cairo to visit the holy sites associated with the family of the Prophet (Ahl al-Bayt). In the early 1950s, during the celebrations marking the birth anniversary of Hazrat Zaynab (SA), he attended a gathering where prominent Quran reciters were present. Unexpectedly, one of the Sheikhs asked him to recite some verses. As soon as he began, a profound silence fell over the mosque, immediately followed by expressions of admiration and astonishment from those present; he was only 18 years old at the time. On that occasion, Sheikh Al-Sha’sha’i predicted that this young reciter had a brilliant future and a high status ahead of him.”

He continued, “This significant turning point in his life caused his reputation to spread throughout Egypt. Subsequently, he joined Egyptian Radio as a Quran reciter—a development that served as a gateway for his fame to reach the entire Arab world.”

Tariq added, “We were seven sons and four daughters. My father had memorized the Quran by listening to it. At home, he was known for his gentle and kind nature. He was deeply committed to ensuring that we, too, memorized the Quran; since he was frequently away traveling, he arranged for a Sheikh—a Quranic instructor—to come to our home and teach us. He was also known for his refined taste in clothing and the fragrances he used. In the early 1950s, he even owned a Cadillac. God had bestowed many blessings upon him, and he always appeared in public with a demeanor befitting his stature.”

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He added, “My father was fond of molokhia (an Egyptian dish) served with rabbit meat, fatteh with lamb (an Arab dish), and boiled okra.”

Tariq Abdul Basit also noted that when his father began reciting the Quran on the radio in the early 1950s, Egyptian families across the country would eagerly await the sound of his recitations. In fact, his recitations prompted many families to purchase a radio solely to hear his voice and whenever he recited the Quran, their hearts would be filled with joy and delight.

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