Shakir Qasmi

Qari Shakir Qasmi (Urdu: قارى شاكر قاسمى), was a Pakistani Qāriʾ (a reciter of the Quran) known for his work on Radio Pakistan and Pakistan Television (PTV).

Qari Shakir Qasmi
Born	September 1943 Deoband, Uttar Pradesh, India
Died	March 2023 (Aged 80)[1] Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Qari (a reciter of the Quran)
Father	Qari Tahir Qasmi
Relatives	Qari Zahir Qasmi (older brother) Qari Waheed Zafar Qasmi (younger brother)
Awards	Pride of Performance Award by the Government of Pakistan in 1981 Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) Award by the President of Pakistan in 1979 Pakistan Television (PTV) Award in 1980

Background

Qari Shakir Qasmi was born in Deoband to Maulana Qari Tahir Qasmi, son of Islamic scholar Hafiz Muhammad Ahmad, who was the son of Maulana Muhammad Qasim Nanautavi.^[2] He later immigrated to Karachi, Pakistan. He was a founding member and executive director of the International Quran Recitation Association (IQRA).^[3] From 1978 to 1985, he was the host of the children's television program Iqra (transl. read), which provided lessons and exercises on properly reciting and pronouncing Quranic Arabic.^[4] This program aired and re-ran on Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV). It was later hosted by Waheed Zafar Qasmi (his younger brother), and thereon by Qari Khushi Muhammad.^[5] He was the author of a famous book called Asan Qaida Dars-E-Qur'an, which came with audio tapes for helping children to read along with proper pronunciation.^[6] Qari Shakir Qasmi was also the first person to recite the Quran in the United Nations.^[7][8]

Awards and recognition

• Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) Award by the Government of Pakistan (1979)^[9]
• Pride of Performance Award by the Government of Pakistan (1981)^[10]
• Pakistan Television (PTV) Award in 1980

Publications

• Asan Qaida Dars-E-Qur'an^[11]