Biography

Sheikh Muhammad Ahmed Imran (1944–1994) was a renowned Egyptian Qur’an reciter and master of devotional songs whose unique voice and artistry left a lasting mark within Egypt and beyond. Born in the town of Tahta in Upper Egypt, he lost his sight at a young age yet memorized the Qur’an by the age of ten under the guidance of Sheikh Abdel Rahim al-Masri. He later studied the science of tajwīd and precise recitation with Sheikh Mahmoud Junoot in Tuma, before moving to Cairo at age eleven. There, he enrolled in the Institute for the Blind, where he came under the mentorship of Sheikh Sayed Musa, learning inshād (religious music), devotional compositions, and the classical Arabic melodic modes (maqāmāt). This unique blend of Qur’anic training and musical knowledge gave his recitations and supplications an unmatched emotional depth. In the early 1970s, Sheikh Imran was formally accredited by Egyptian Radio as both a reciter of the Qur’an and a munshid (performer of devotional songs). From then on, he became widely known for his moving ibtihālāt (supplications), renditions of the Divine Names, and soulful Qur’anic recitations that were broadcast on radio and performed at major religious gatherings. He frequently participated in Mawlid celebrations, events honoring the Ahl al-Bayt, and even cultural programs at the Cairo Opera House, demonstrating the breadth of his spiritual and artistic reach. What distinguished Sheikh Muhammad Imran was not only the beauty of his voice but also the way he seamlessly merged the disciplines of Qur’anic recitation and religious song. Despite the health challenges he faced, including blindness from an early age and later complications from diabetes, he continued to inspire audiences with his powerful, heartfelt recitations until his passing in Cairo on October 6, 1994. Remembered today as one of the last great voices of Egypt’s golden age of Qur’anic recitation and inshād, Sheikh Imran remains a symbol of devotion, sincerity, and mastery. His legacy endures in the recordings that continue to move hearts, reminding listeners of the profound spiritual beauty carried in the Qur’an and in the art of sacred song.