Khaberni -Death claimed, this Saturday afternoon, the Egyptian reader Sayed Saeed, known by the title "Sultan of Readers", at the age of 82, after a life filled with serving and reciting the Book of Allah. He passed away at Nasser Institute Hospital, suffering from his long battle with illness.
His body is scheduled to be buried tomorrow, Sunday, in Dakahlia Governorate, where he was born, lived, and where his recitation star first rose.
His death comes after many years of battling heart and kidney diseases, which he has suffered from since 2014. This prompted the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to order his treatment at the state's expense since that time. Medical cars from the Ministry of Health were sent periodically throughout those years to transport him to Nasser Institute for necessary care.
The Association of Quran Readers in Egypt mourned the late Sheikh in an official statement, which stated: "With deep sadness and sorrow, and with hearts believing in God’s judgment and decree, the Readers' Guild mourns the virtuous Sheikh Sayed Saeed, who passed away today, Saturday. We ask God to envelop him in His mercy, admit him into His spacious gardens, and grant his family and relatives patience and consolation."
Who is Sheikh Sayed Saeed?
Sheikh Sayed Saeed was born on March 7, 1943, and raised in an environment devoted to the Quran, completing the memorization of the entire Quran by the age of seven, under Sheikh Abdo Mahmoudi Osman in the village religious school.
Although his beginnings were humble in Dakahlia, his name later shone in Damietta Governorate, specifically in Kafr Suleiman village, about which he often said: "It is the place that added the title 'Sheikh' to my name, and I became famous there before my own people knew me."
Sheikh Sayed Saeed joined the ranks of Egypt's great reciters, sharing platforms and mosques, and recited alongside legends of recitation such as Sheikh Muhammad Siddiq Minshawi, Mustafa Ismail, Abdelfattah Sha'ashaai, Mahmoud Ali Al Banna, Abu El Einin Sha'eesh, and others from the giants of the Egyptian vocal school.
He was rightfully nicknamed "Sultan of the Readers" due to his unique performance, especially his moving recitation of Surah "Yusuf", which many consider the best ever recorded in the history of this Surah's recordings. When released in the mid-1990s, it swept the markets, achieving wide sales then, to the extent that it became the talk of people in homes, shops, and even public transportation.
Many see this recording of Surah "Yusuf" as the real turning point in the Sheikh's career, as it marked his major launch toward fame, and rightfully earned him the title "Sultan of the Readers" which is still used for him to this day.
His career was not confined to Egypt alone, but he raised the Quran's voice in many countries around the world, including the UAE, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Switzerland, South Africa, and Azerbaijan, and was honored by presidents and kings of Muslim countries, including those of Pakistan, Lebanon, and Iran.
Alongside his vocal fame, Sheikh Sayed Saeed held the position of Dean of Reciters in Dakahlia and then Damietta, and had a clear educational impact; a number of the new generation of readers who followed in his footsteps graduated under him, among them are Sheikh Said Al-Kharashi, Essam Al-Amir, and Al-Saeed Hamada.
