KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — The country lost a gem in religious affairs when famous Islamic scholar Tan Sri Hassan Azhari died of lymphoma cancer about 5pm yesterday.

Hassan, 90, died at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital after receiving treatment at the hospital over the past two weeks.

The passing of Hassan, who was born in the Syi’ab Amir village in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on August 18, 1928, was certainly felt not only among the family members but also all Muslims in view of his great service in the field of Quran recitation in the country.

He was also given the honour of reciting ‘azan’ (call for payer) during Malaysia’s independence on August 31, 1957.

The father of 22 children from three wives, Hassan was a prominent Quran teacher who conducted the popular Muqaddam religious programme on RTM’s television channel in the 1970s that lasted for eight years.

His three sons are well-known figures in their respective fields, namely, former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Musa Hassan, former Special Affairs Division (JASA) director-general the late Datuk Fuad Hassan and famous actor Datuk Jalaluddin Hassan.

In 1997, he received the Seri Angkasa Special Award for his 40 years of involvement with RTM.

Musa when contacted yesterday said that his father’s remains would be laid to rest at the Shah Alam Royal Mausoleum, at Persiaran Kayangan, Section 5, Shah Alam, Selangor, today, upon the decree of the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail conveyed her condolences to the family and said the Islamic world has lost a prominent figure who had contributed immensely, particularly in the Quran recitation.

"Condolences to Tan Sri Hassan Azhari’s family. May his soul be placed among the righteous. The Islamic world has lost a prominent figure who had contributed immensely, particularly in the field of the Quran recitation. Condolences @TSMusaHassan,” she said via her Twitter account.

Elsewhere, also expressing their sadness with the news of Hassan’s passing were Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Ismail Bakar; former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) director-general Datuk Mohamad Nordin Ibrahim, where they all shared the sentiment that the nation has lost its prominent figure in the field of the Quran recitation. — Bernama