I came across a post at MuslimMatters.org where Shaykh Yasir Qadhi talks about his “‘hobby’ of listening to recitations of the Quran.” The post is from a few years back, but it’s still pretty interesting, so I wanted to share it with you. This quote in particular is quite relevant since I lately posted clips from Shaykhs Husari, Minshawi, and Abdul Basit, may Allah have mercy on them all.
Shaykh Yasir on his favourite Qaris:
I am always asked who my favorite qaris are; this is a matter of personal choice, and each person will undoubtedly have his or her preferences. But for me, the choice is crystal clear: the ‘classical’ mashayikh of this ancient art are far superior than any of the modern stars. For me, the single greatest Qari that stands heads and shoulders above the rest is Sh. Mahmud Khalil al-Hussari. He brings an elegance and purity to the recitation that is simply unmatched. He was the Shaykh al-Qurra of Egypt for almost two decades.
After him, my two favorites (in no specific order) are Sh. Muhammad Siddeeq al-Manshawi and Sh. Abd al-Basit Abd al-Samad. Both of them bring out the inner beauty of the Quran. Neadless to say, these three have absolutely perfect pronunciations of each and every syllable, letter, harakah, ghunnah, qalqalah, mudood, tafkheem, tarqeeq, and, most important of all, makharij. If ever in doubt, listen to any of these three recite and follow blindly ?
You can read the full article here. Shaykh Yasir also comments on some of the different ‘styles’ of recitation.
May Allah bless Sh. Yasir. He is truly a blessing to the Muslims in North America.
