Sudan and the Quran
Sudan has one of the most vibrant Quran cultures in Africa. In the traditional Quran schools, the khalawi, children have memorised the Book of Allah for centuries, often with wooden boards and ink, in the rhythm of repetition and recitation. A particularity of Sudan is that alongside the reading of Hafs from Asim, used worldwide, the transmission of Ad-Duri from Abu Amr is also widespread there. Sheikh Al-Zain Muhammad Ahmad is one of the best-known voices of this tradition.
A voice that crosses borders
Sheikh Al-Zain is much loved in Sudan as an imam and reciter, and in recent years his recordings have found listeners all over the world. Many people outside Sudan hear the Ad-Duri reading for the first time through him – and are surprised at how familiar and yet new the Quran sounds in this transmission.
The sound of his recitation
His reading is murattal, calm and even, with a warm, gentle voice and a melody that has an unmistakably Sudanese character. He recites without haste and without exaggeration; his recitation has something humble and at the same time deeply moving about it. It is exactly this naturalness that makes it so pleasant to listen to.
A word on the Ad-Duri reading
The transmission of Ad-Duri from Abu Amr is one of the recognised readings that go back through unbroken chains of teachers to the Prophet ﷺ. It differs from Hafs in details of pronunciation, for instance in some elongations, in the treatment of the hamzah and in certain vowels. The text is the same Quran – read in another, equally authentic way.
What you can take from him as a learner
- Experiencing the variety of readings: listen to a familiar surah with him and compare it with a Hafs recording. Learn in one reading yourself first, ideally with a teacher.
- Naturalness as a model: his calm, unassuming manner shows that recitation does not need to be elaborate to move the heart.
- Discovering Africa's Quran heritage: through him a window opens onto a rich and often overlooked tradition.
What remains
Sheikh Al-Zain Muhammad Ahmad carries his country's Quran tradition into the world. May Allah preserve him, bless Sudan with peace and accept his recitation.