The Imams of the Two Holy Mosques (Haramain), Explained

Current imams of Masjid al-Haram in Makkah (November 2026): Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais (imam since 1984), Maher Al-Muaiqly (2007), Abdullah Al-Juhani (2007), Faisal Ghazzawi (2007), Bandar Baleela (2013), Yasser Al-Dosari (2019), and Badr Al-Turki and Al-Waleed Al-Shamsan (both October 2024). In Madinah, the imams of the Prophet’s Mosque include Ali Al-Hudhaify, Abdulbari Al-Thubaity, Hussain Al Sheikh, Salah Al-Budair and Abdullah Al-Bu’ayjan.

The Two Holy Mosques, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina, are led in prayer by a roster of appointed imams whose voices are recognised far beyond Saudi Arabia. As of 2026 the best known include Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, an imam of the Grand Mosque since 1984 and head of its Religious Affairs Presidency, alongside Maher Al-Muaiqly, Yasser Al-Dosari and others. The appointments are made by the Saudi authorities and change over time.

Their prayers are broadcast worldwide every night in Ramadan and across the days of Hajj, so these are voices many Muslims have heard often, even if they cannot always put a name to one. This guide explains what the role involves and introduces the prominent current imams of each mosque.

What being a Haramain imam means

An imam of the Two Holy Mosques leads the five daily prayers, the Friday (Jumu’ah) prayer (the sermon is given by those who are also khatibs), the Ramadan taraweeh and tahajjud prayers, and the prayers of the Hajj season. It is a highly prestigious religious appointment, approved by royal order and announced by the Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques. Each mosque has several imams who share the prayer schedule, so on any given night the voice you hear depends on who is leading.

The role is not only about the voice. An imam-khatib must be a strong memoriser, precise in tajwīd, and able to lead enormous congregations (hundreds of thousands of people in Ramadan) with composure.

Imams of Masjid al-Haram (the Grand Mosque, Mecca)

The Grand Mosque in Mecca, which surrounds the Kaaba, is served by several imams. Among the most prominent as of 2026:

• Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais: widely called the chief imam. He has led prayers there since 1984 and also heads the Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques. His deep, tajwīd-precise voice has been broadcast from the Grand Mosque since the 1980s. Read Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais’s full profile.
• Sheikh Maher Al-Muaiqly: known for an emotional, deep-voiced recitation that is a favourite in Ramadan broadcasts.
• Sheikh Yasser Al-Dosari: one of the more recent voices of the Grand Mosque, with a fast-rising following, especially online.
• Sheikh Bandar Baleela: recognised for a distinctive, faster-paced style.
• Sheikh Abdullah Al-Juhani: a deep, measured voice, made a permanent imam of the Grand Mosque in 2007.
• Sheikh Faisal Ghazzawi: an imam of the Grand Mosque since 2007 and a khatib there since 2016.
• Sheikh Badr Al-Turki: appointed an imam of the Grand Mosque in October 2024, alongside Al-Waleed Al-Shamsan.

Imams of Masjid al-Nabawi (the Prophet’s Mosque, Medina)

The Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, the second holiest site in Islam, has its own imams. Prominent voices as of 2026 include:

• Sheikh Ali Al-Hudhaify: the most senior imam and khatib of the Prophet’s Mosque, where he has led prayers since 1979. Known for a slow, deep and precise recitation, and he holds ijazahs in the ten readings.
• Sheikh Abdulbari Al-Thubaity: born in Makkah in 1380 AH (1960/61), one of the longest-serving imams and khatibs of the Prophet’s Mosque.
• Sheikh Hussain Al Sheikh: an imam and khatib of the Prophet’s Mosque since 1997, and a judge by training.
• Sheikh Salah Al-Budair: an imam and khatib of the Prophet’s Mosque since 1998, recognised for a soft, measured voice. He also serves as a judge at the Madinah court.
• Sheikh Abdullah Al-Bu’ayjan: appointed an imam and khatib of the Prophet’s Mosque in 2013, and a faculty member at the Islamic University.
• Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hudhaify: appointed in 2019 after leading the mosque’s Taraweeh prayers, and the son of Ali Al-Hudhaify.

The legends who came before

The current roster stands on the shoulders of earlier Haramain imams whose recordings are still widely heard. Most notably, Sheikh Saud Al-Shuraim served as an imam and khatib of the Grand Mosque from 1412 AH (1991–92) until he stepped down in 2022, about three decades in the role. His deep voice, often heard alongside Al-Sudais in recorded Ramadan prayers from the Grand Mosque, is still familiar to many listeners. Generations of imams before him shaped the sound of the Haramain, among them Sheikh Abdullah Al-Khayat, an imam and khatib of the Grand Mosque for decades until he retired in 1404 AH (1983/84), and Sheikh Ali Jaber, who led prayers there in the 1980s. In Medina, Sheikh Muhammad Ayyub, who died in 2016, served as an imam of the Prophet’s Mosque in the 1990s, and Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Akhdar led prayers there for nine years from 1986.

For many Muslims, the sound of the Grand Mosque in Ramadan is the sound of the Quran itself. That sound is these voices.

Both mosques have more imams than any single list captures, and appointments are updated from time to time by the Saudi authorities. The names above are among the most prominent and widely heard as of 2026, not an exhaustive roster.

Hearing — and identifying — the Haramain voices

Because these imams share a schedule and a broadly similar Saudi murattal style, telling them apart by ear takes practice. Al-Sudais’s deep gravity, Al-Muaiqly’s emotional swells and Al-Dosari’s brighter, modern line are distinct once you know them. Our guide on how to identify a reciter by voice walks through cues like these.

If you hear a recitation from the Haramain (a Ramadan livestream, a clip a friend sent, taraweeh at your local masjid streaming Mecca) and are not sure who is leading, RecitID can name the reciter from a few seconds of audio, along with the exact surah and verse. You can also browse voices on the reciters page and see our ranked pick of the best reciters.