Mohamed Siddiq El-Minshawi


Mohamed Siddiq El-Minshawi or Mohamed Seddik El-Menshawy or Muhammad Siddik al-Minshawi, also simply known as El Minshawy, born in Upper Egypt, was a Qur'anic reciter and a Huffaz.

History

Having been significantly influenced by his father, El-Minshawi was also a protégé of Muhammad Rifat, Muhammad Salamah, famous reciters of the 20th century. He studied the rules of recitation under Ibrahim As-Su'oodi at a young age. He committed Qur'an to memory when he was 8 years old. He traveled to many countries outside of his homeland, including Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, and Syria.
El-Minshawi also participated in recorded recitations with the two other reciters: Kamel al-Bahtimi and Fouad al-Aroussi. He helped children with the recitation of Quran.

Personal life

El-Minshawi married twice, he had four boys and two girls with the first wife in addition to five boys and four girls with the second wife, but in 1968, his second wife died while on a pilgrimage.
El-Minshawi belongs to a family of traditional Huffaz, Calligraphers, and Qaris; and like him, his father, Seddik El Menshawy, and his brother, Mahmoud El Menshawy, were professional Qurra, too.

Legacy

El Minshawi's recitations continue to be amongst the well known due to his impeccable Tajweed and style. He was the author of many books on various aspects of the Quran, and was also involved in the calligraphic printing of the Quranic text and “World of Islam festival”. His status as a Qari was lofty: He held the title Shaykh al-Maqâri, and his opinions were frequently solicited and quoted by the media. One can count a generation of younger reciters among his imitators.