Hassan Azhari

Hassan bin Azhari (18 August 1928 – 6 October 2018) was a Malaysian Islamic scholar renowned for his expertise in tarannum, tajwid, and qira'at. He was a prominent figure in the field of al-Quran studies. Hassan gained national recognition through his role as the host of Radio Televisyen Malaysia's (RTM) Muqaddam programme in the 1970s, which educated a generation of Malaysians in Qur'anic recitation. Notably, he was honored with reciting the adhan (call to prayer) during Malaysia's declaration of independence at Stadium Merdeka on 31 August 1957.

Throughout his career, he also led the adhan at the openings of several prominent mosques, including Brunei's Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque and Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque. Among his family and students, he was affectionately known as "Abu Ya."

Early life and education Hassan bin Haji Azhari was born on 18 August 1928 in Syu'ib Amir, a village near the Masjid al-Haram and adjacent to the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad in Makkah. As the youngest of seven children, he experienced the loss of five siblings during their childhood, including two who were lost to miscarriages.

His first wife, Sahara Abdul Samad, died in April 2004. Of his three wives, he had 22 children in total. Fuad Hassan, a former assemblyman who was the director general of the Special Affairs Division (JASA), and Jalaluddin Hassan, an actor. From his marriage to Maimunah Abdul Ghani, his son Mohammad Izzat Hassan has likewise chosen to work in law enforcement. He would later marry Khadijah Yusuf as his third wife. He studied Arabic for a number of years at Marta' al-Ulum ad-Diniyyah in Malaya, where his father was a teacher. After that, he studied at the al-Hayat al-Mardiyyah Arab School in Kampung Jawa Klang, Selangor. His son claims that Sultan Sharafuddin of Selangor has ordered his burial to take place the next day at the Shah Alam Royal Mausoleum, Persiaran Kayangan, Section 5, Selangor. Sultan Sharafuddin was present during his funeral, along with other authorities including Chief of Police Mazlan Mansor and Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari.

Personal life Hassan Azhari comes from a prominent tradition of Muslim scholars, as evidenced by his genealogy. His father, Haji Azhari bin Abdul Khaliq (born 1880) was a well-known religious figure in Selangor. Haji Abdul Khaliq bin Abdul Rauf, his grandfather, was a well-known academic in Banjarmasin, Indonesia. Hajah Fatima binti Abdul Hakim, his mother, comes from an esteemed family as well; her father, Abdul Hakim, was a renowned scholar who studied extensively at Makkah and was originally from Padang, Indonesia. Hajah Zainab, his spouse, is partially Padang Indonesian and partially Arab.

Legacy

Reputation In the tarannum and tajwid groups, Hassan had support from other reciters. Renowned Egyptian reciter Sheikh Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary greatly enhanced his popularity by praising his recitation and rigorous devotion to tajwid principles. This recognition, especially given its noticeable Arabic accent, established him as a very accomplished and well-respected Quranic recitationist. His worldwide reputation as one of the foremost authorities on the Qur'an is further evidenced by his appointment as Vice Chairman of the International Qurra' Association, situated in Baghdad, Iraq, in recognition of his hard work. Efn|Due to his lengthy tenure on RTM's Muqaddam television program in the 1970s, he was popularly considered as "Malaysia's favourite Quran teacher."