A voice from Somalia
Sheikh Abdur-Rashid Sufi comes from Somalia, a country with a deeply rooted Quran culture. In Somali families it has been customary for generations for children to go to Quran school early, write on wooden boards and memorise surah after surah. Sheikh Sufi grew out of this tradition, and his voice has found listeners far beyond Somalia.
A reciter of the readings
Sheikh Sufi is especially known for his recordings in different readings (Qira'at). Besides the widespread transmission of Hafs from Asim, he has recorded the Quran in other recognised transmissions, including Khalaf from Hamzah and As-Susi from Abu Amr. Such recordings are rare and valuable: they make audible what many know only from books – that the Quran is read in several ways transmitted from the Prophet ﷺ, all of them authentic.
What are the readings?
The Qira'at are not different texts but transmitted variants of pronunciation and of some word forms, going back through unbroken chains of teachers to the Prophet ﷺ. They differ, for example, in the length of certain elongations, in the inclination of certain vowels (imalah) or in individual word forms. Hearing them gives you a sense of the richness and careful preservation of the Quran.
His style
Sheikh Sufi recites in the murattal style, clear and even, with a calm, pleasant voice. With the less common readings this clarity matters, because it lets you hear the particular features of each transmission.
What you can take from him as a learner
- Broadening your horizon: listen to a familiar surah once in Hafs and once in another reading. Notice the differences – but learn in one reading yourself first, ideally with a teacher.
- Respect for transmission: his recordings show how precisely the Quran has been handed down over the centuries.
- Clarity as a model: his distinct pronunciation is helpful for learners of Hafs as well.
What remains
Sheikh Abdur-Rashid Sufi has opened up to many people a side of the Quran that is otherwise mostly known to specialists. May Allah preserve him and accept his service to the Book of Allah.