Childhood in northern Egypt
Sheikh Abu Al-Aynayn Shuaysha – may Allah have mercy on him – was born in 1922 in Kafr el-Sheikh governorate in northern Egypt. As a child he memorised the Quran and began to recite in his surroundings. His voice was so striking that he soon became known far beyond his village.
A young man on the radio
By the end of the 1930s, while still very young, Sheikh Shuaysha was accepted as a reciter on Egyptian radio – at a time when radio had only just begun to bring the Quran into people's homes. He is therefore one of the voices that shaped the early history of Quran recitation in broadcasting. Many listeners felt his style recalled Sheikh Muhammad Rifat, the great reciter of that era; Shuaysha, however, developed from it a tone entirely his own.
Travels and recognition
Over his long life Sheikh Shuaysha travelled to many countries of the Muslim world and beyond to recite. He was honoured many times and enjoyed great respect among his colleagues. For many years he served as head (naqib) of Egypt's Reciters' Syndicate and worked for the dignity and training of reciters.
His style
Shuaysha's recitation combines strength and warmth. In mujawwad he shaped the verses with wide, calmly built melodic arcs; his voice had a full, slightly husky sound that is instantly recognisable. All the while he remained clear in pronunciation and precise in tajweed. His recordings radiate a calm that comes from decades of intimacy with the Quran.
What you can take from him as a learner
- Hearing the early radio era: his recordings connect you with the beginnings of recitation in broadcasting and with the sound of an entire generation.
- Melody with patience: notice how slowly and deliberately he builds melodies. It teaches that beauty takes time.
- Lifelong devotion: he served the Quran for more than seven decades – a model of steadfastness.
Legacy
Sheikh Abu Al-Aynayn Shuaysha passed away in 2011 at an advanced age. With him went one of the last witnesses of the early golden era of Egyptian recitation. May Allah have mercy on him and gather him with the noble and obedient ones whom the Prophet ﷺ mentioned when speaking of those skilled in the Quran.