Abdulaziz Ali Faraj; A Proficient Qari Who Did Not Gain Fame
Faraj was a proficient Quran reciter but did not become famous like some other qaris due to some problems.
He was born in 1927 in Egypt. After learning the Quran by heart, he started learning Quran recitation and soon began reciting at different Quranic circles and programs.
In 1962 he was among 170 qaris examined by an expert committee to join Egypt’s Quran Radio. He was one of the three Quran reciters who passed the test.
Faraj would go to coffee houses everyday. Coffee houses were a venue for gathering of people interested in culture, arts and literature. Many qaris and Ibtihal reciters would also gather in coffee houses and had good discussions about Quran recitation and Quranic sciences.
Faraj was among the qaris who would almost everyday take part in these discussions.
He had good friendship with Abdul Basit Abdul Samad and Mustafa Ismail, two prominent qaris of the time.
Toward the end of his life, Faraj faced many financial problems due to his illness and other issues. It was Abdul Basit who organized his memorial service.
Faraj, who was visually-impaired, had a strong and firm voice. Few of his recorded recitations have remained today.
The following is one of them, which features his recitation of verses 75-78 of Surah Al-Hajj in 1964.
