KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 — Every Ramadan, the Federal Territory Mosque resonates with the soulful recitation of the holy verses of the Quran by a special guest imam from Egypt who has served in Malaysia for more than two decades.
Sheikh Abdelrahman Eldesouky, 62, is not an unfamiliar name to congregants at several major mosques in the capital, especially those who faithfully attend the tarawih prayers throughout Ramadan with the extended recitation of “one juzuk a night”.
The distinction of Sheikh Abdelrahman lies not only in the beauty of his voice but also in his expertise in various methods of Quranic recitation (qiraat), including Hafs ‘an ‘Asim, as well as his ability to lead lengthy tarawih prayers.
Recalling his journey in dakwah, he began leading prayers around 1990 after being appointed as a Quran teacher by Egypt’s renowned institution, Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, before arriving in Malaysia for the first time in 2005 as an official representative of the institution.
He said his first assignment in Malaysia began in Terengganu, where he served at Sekolah Menengah Agama (Atas) Sultan Zainal Abidin in Kuala Terengganu. He was also entrusted to lead prayers at the Floating Mosque (Masjid Tengku Tengah Zaharah) and Masjid Abidin in the state.
“The former Grand Imam of the National Mosque, the late Tan Sri Sheikh Ismail Muhammad, who was from Terengganu, once performed prayers with me. He was the one who later proposed my name to lead prayers at the National Mosque around 2010.
“After that, I began leading prayers at several mosques around Kuala Lumpur before serving as a tarawih imam at the Federal Territory Mosque from 2018 until now,” he told Bernama recently.
Elaborating further, the father of four said one of the main factors that continues to motivate him to accept invitations to Malaysia is the attitude of the local congregants who greatly appreciate and attentively listen to lengthy Quran recitations.
“What gives me peace here is seeing the congregants behind me remain patient with the long recitations. Even though some of them may not be in the best health or physically strong enough to stand for long periods, they remain steadfast in order to appreciate the Quran and the night prayers.
“In addition, the bond that has developed with congregants in Malaysia has grown closer, to the extent that some of them have even visited me in Tanta, Egypt, as if we share a family-like relationship,” he said.
Touching on the uniqueness of Ramadan in Malaysia, Sheikh Abdelrahman described the culture of breaking fast together at mosques before performing tarawih prayers as a beautiful tradition rarely found elsewhere.
“Such an atmosphere is very good because it brings many people together in one gathering. When they sit together to break their fast and then perform tarawih prayers in congregation, it creates a beautiful Ramadan atmosphere filled with blessings,” he said.
He is also pleased that his tarawih recitation is broadcast on radio every night across the country, allowing the public to listen to the recitation of the holy book even if they are not present at the mosque.
After more than 20 years of travelling back and forth between Cairo and Kuala Lumpur, Sheikh Abdelrahman now considers Malaysia his second home as he has become accustomed to the culture, food and the friendliness of the local people.
“I am already familiar with the people here, their culture and their food. So I feel comfortable being in Malaysia and performing tarawih prayers together with them,” said the imam, who understands Malay and can speak it to a limited extent.
Sheikh Abdelrahman also expressed hope that efforts to nurture love for the Quran among the younger generation in Malaysia will continue to be strengthened through support for tahfiz institutions and Quranic education programmes.
“I hope the young people in Malaysia will continue to love the Quran and study it diligently so that a generation will emerge that understands the religion and can lead society better,” he said. — Bernama
