Mahmoud Khalil Al-Husary (Arabic: محمود خليل الحصري; 17 September 1917 – 24 November 1980) was an Egyptian qari and scholar of the Quranic readings. He was the first reciter to record the complete Quran in the murattal style, and his precise, unhurried recitation has helped generations learn tajweed. He is one of the six reciters in the Muslim Chat Quran.
Early life and study
Al-Husary was born on 17 September 1917 in Shubra al-Namla, a village near Tanta in the Nile Delta. He entered a Quran school at the age of four and had memorised the whole Quran by the age of eight.
He went on to study at Al-Azhar in Cairo, where he mastered the ten canonical readings (qira'at) of the Quran.
Career
In 1944 he won a competition held by Egyptian radio and became one of its reciters. He served for many years as the reciter of the Mosque of Al-Hussein in Cairo, and was given the title Shaykh al-Maqari, head of the reciters of Egypt.
He recited in many countries, including before the United Nations in 1977, and received Egypt's honour for arts and sciences.
Recordings
Beginning with the recitation of Hafs 'an 'Asim in 1961, Al-Husary became the first qari to record the whole Quran in the murattal style. He later recorded other readings as well, including Warsh 'an Nafi'. His slow teaching recordings, made so that learners can repeat after him, are still widely used.
Because every letter is pronounced with great care, his recitation is a favourite for hifz — memorising the Quran — and for checking one's own reading.
Death and legacy
He died in Cairo on 24 November 1980. He is remembered, with Abdul Basit Abdus Samad, Muhammad Siddiq Al-Minshawi and Mustafa Ismail, as one of the great Egyptian reciters of the twentieth century.
Listening in Muslim Chat
In the Muslim Chat Quran, open any Surah and choose Al-Husary under Recitation: the Surah is recited ayah by ayah, the ayah being recited is highlighted on the Mushaf page, and the pages turn by themselves. The Surah pages of this website have the same choice. Listen to Al-Husary recite Surah Ya-Sin, Surah Ar-Rahman, Surah Al-Mulk, Surah Al-Kahf or Surah Al-Fatihah.
See also
- Abdul Basit Abdus Samad — Egyptian qari (1927–1988) known as “the Golden Throat”
- Muhammad Siddiq Al-Minshawi — Egyptian qari (1920–1969) from a family of reciters
- Mishary Rashid Alafasy — Kuwaiti qari and imam (born 1976)
- Abdur-Rahman As-Sudais — Saudi qari and imam of Masjid al-Haram in Makkah since 1984
- Saad Al-Ghamdi — Saudi qari and imam from Dammam (born 1967)
- List of Quran reciters in Muslim Chat
- Qari — what a reciter is
- Read the Holy Quran online
References
- Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary. Wikipedia. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
- Sheikh Mahmoud Khalil Al-Husary named Global Quranic Personality. Dubai Eye 103.8. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
This page was last updated on 3 October 2026.