[Iran Press TV] Mohammed Abdel Wahhab el-Tantawi, a well-known Egyptian reciter of the Holy Koran, has died. He was believed to be more than 70.Egyptian media said on Wednesday that Tantawi, known for his hearty and emotional recitations of the holy book, died earlier in the day after a long battle with heart disease.
Tantawi was also a hafiz, a term used to distinguish those who have memorized the Koran in full. He became a professional reciter in 1969, when he was admitted to Al Azhar University, Egypt’s top religious authority. His voice was on air in radio stations across Egypt’s Delta region in the 1980s.
The reciter was popular in many Moslem countries, as it normally goes for Egyptian masters of the art. Many in Iran viewed him as an icon and Tantawi used to relish the memories of his single trip to the country in 2009.