Biography of Sheikh Sudais
His voice has left millions of Muslims around the world enchanted and sometimes even in tears.
But who exactly is Sheikh Abdur Rahmaan as Sudais?
Sheikh Sudais is the most well known Imaam of Masjidul Haraam in Makkah. He memorized the Quraan at the tender age of 12.
He was born in 1961 and is a doctor by profession. He is renowned for his good character and simplicity. He has also gained worldwide fame for leading the Taraweeh annually in the Haram every Ramadan.
The Sheikh grew up in Riyadh and attended the Mathna bin Hartha Secondary School. He graduated from the academy in 1399 Hijri with an excellent grading.He then proceeded to study at the Sharia College. Here he obtained a degree in Sharia in 1983. He proceeded to become a lecturer in Tawheed. He then obtained his masters in Tawheed from the Mohammed ibn Saud Islamic University in 1987. In 1995, he obtained a Phd in Islamic Shariah from the Ummul Quraa University of Makkah in 1995. He has also served as an assistant profesor at the Ummul Quraa and Riyadh Universities.
Sheikh Sudais teachers have included Sheikh Mohammed Abdul Majid Zaakir and Sheikh Mohammed Ali Hassan.
He started off as an Imaam in Riyadh and continued teaching at Islamic Academies. Then came the big break.
On 22 Shabaan 1404, Sheikh Sudais began his duties as the Imaam of the Haram in Makkah. His first Salaah as Imaam was the Salaatul Asr. His first Khutbah in the Haram came soon after on the 15th of Ramadan.
Sh Sudais is well known for his precise controlled and emotional recitals of the Quraan. His mastery of Tajweed is also phenomenal.
The Sheikh has been regularly called upon to perform the final few Rakaats of Taraweeh and perform the Dua Khatmul Quraan for the past few years. Millions of Muslims both in Makkah and abroad follow those blessed moments very closely each year.
He is also a renowned orator who regularly delivers stirring Khutbahs on pertinent challenges facing the Muslim world and in solidarity with oppressed Muslims especially in Palestine.
In 2005 Sheikh Sudais was named as the Islamic Personality of the Year by the Dubai International Quraan Committee. On acceptance of the award, the Sheikh said that the message of Islam is modesty, fairness, security, harmony and kindess.
Although the Haram in Makkah has welcomed many new Imaams of late. Nonetheless Sheikh Sudais' golden voice and inspirational words are destined to touch the Muslim world for a very long time to come.
