This is the experience many worshippers describe when listening to Mohd Shukri Ali, whose voice closely resembles that of Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, the grand imam of the Great Mosque, renowned for his heartfelt Quranic recitations.
“My voice is naturally like this, so I don’t have to force or imitate his voice. This uniqueness is a gift from Allah,” said Shukri, who has been given the nickname “Sudais Malaysia”.
Videos of Shukri’s Quranic recitations – including leading tarawih prayers – shared on his TikTok account have gained widespread attention, with many expressing surprise and admiration for the uniqueness of his voice.
The 43-year-old imam and teacher, who frequently receives invitations to lead prayers in mosques across the country, admitted that he has admired the grand imam’s recitation style since his teenage years while studying at Maahad Tahfiz al-Quran Terengganu. He spent several years mastering every tone and rhythm of the esteemed imam’s recitation.
Additionally, the father of four shared that during Ramadan, he would stay awake every night just to listen to Sheikh Sudais’s Quranic recitations, broadcast live from Mecca on television.
“I have followed Sheikh Sudais closely since I was 15. Back then, I would buy cassette recordings of his complete 30 Juz recitation, studying every detail: his vocal modulations, how he raises his voice, and even how he weeps when reciting certain verses.
“My voice naturally aligns with his, so I adopted his recitation style. Although I can mimic other imams like Sheikh Maher Al-Muaiqly and Saad Al-Ghamidi, I feel most comfortable using Sheikh Sudais’s style when leading tarawih prayers – it has become second nature to me.”
He added that he has met the grand imam informally on several occasions.
Shukri, who hails from Kampung Che Lijah in Dungun, Terengganu, said Syaikh Ismail Muhammad, the former grand imam of Masjid Negara, was the first to recognise the striking resemblance of his voice to Sheikh Sudais’s.
“After winning a state-level tahfiz competition and attending a national-level training course, I met Syaikh Ismail in 1999. He pointed out the similarity in my voice and advised me to follow Sheikh Sudais’s recitation style,” he recalled.
Owing to the uniqueness of his voice, Shukri, who holds a degree in Quranic Studies and Qiraat from Al-Azhar University in Egypt, often receives invitations to lead tarawih prayers abroad, including in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Singapore, and Indonesia.
“Actually, the nickname ‘Imam Sudais Malaysia’ has been around for a long time,” he revealed. “I have been a freelance imam and Quran teacher for over 25 years, teaching religious classes across Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.
“Recently, as I started actively sharing my Quranic recitation videos on TikTok, the nickname has gone viral again, and more people have come to know me,” said Shukri, who has over 89,000 followers on the platform.
Meanwhile, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia senior lecturer Anuar Hasin said based on his observations, Shukri’s voice is “the closest to Sheikh Sudais’s, with a 98% resemblance”.
“With his voice being nearly identical, Shukri’s Quranic recitations bring comfort to worshippers who long for the atmosphere of Mecca,” he concluded.
Follow Mohd Shukri Ali on TikTok.