The Sanad Chains of Quran Ijazah: Sheikh Muhammad Yunus Al-Ghalban and Sheikh Misbah Al-Dessouky
Key Takeaways
- •A sanad is a real chain of transmission, not just a historical list of names.
- •Aisha Academy grants its Ijazah through two chains: the sanad of Sheikh Muhammad Yunus Abd Al-Ghani Al-Ghalban, and the sanad of Sheikh Misbah bin Ibrahim Al-Dessouky.
- •According to published sources, both sheikhs' chains connect via the Shatibiyyah path through a number of qira'at scholars, up to Imam Ibn Al-Jazari.
- •Knowing a sheikh's name alone isn't enough — what matters most is the type of Ijazah, the riwayah or qira'ah, and the Ijazah's actual requirements.
Editorial note: the information in the two chains below is reproduced from published sources and from a document held by the academy, as given, without addition or alteration. We're currently working on completing this article with photos of the original ijazah documents and a documented sanad diagram, so it becomes a fully verified reference rather than relying on text alone. We'll also say plainly: a sanad isn't a marketing category. You won't find phrases like "the strongest sanad in the world" here — we'd rather present the chain as it is, be precise about the Ijazah type, qira'ah, riwayah, and path, and leave any judgment of its standing to the reader and to specialists.
The Sanad in the Quran: A Chain of Transmission
When we talk about a Quran Ijazah "with sanad", we're talking about a chain of transmission and recitation passed down across generations of Quran and qira'at scholars. A sanad isn't just a list of historical names — it represents the actual path of transmission linking a reciter to her teachers, and to those before them.
Aisha Academy offers Quran Ijazah programs through teachers and sanad chains connected to the science of Qira'at, including Sheikh Muhammad Yunus Abd Al-Ghani Al-Ghalban and Sheikh Misbah bin Ibrahim Al-Dessouky.
First: The Sanad of Sheikh Muhammad Yunus Abd Al-Ghani Al-Ghalban
Sheikh Muhammad Yunus Abd Al-Ghani Al-Ghalban is a reciter (muqri') from the city of Disuq. Published sources about him state that he received the seven qira'at via the Shatibiyyah path from Sheikh Al-Fadali bin Ali Abu Laila Al-Dosouky.
This chain continues through a number of leading qira'at scholars. Among the most notable names it includes:
- Muhammad Yunus Abd Al-Ghani Al-Ghalban
- Al-Fadali bin Ali Abu Laila Al-Dosouky
- Abdullah bin Abd Al-Azim Al-Dosouky
- Ali Al-Haddadi Al-Azhari
- Ibrahim Al-Obeidi Al-Maliki Al-Azhari
- Abd Al-Rahman bin Hassan bin Omar Al-Ajhouri
- Abu Al-Sammah Ahmad Al-Baqari
- Muhammad bin Qasim Al-Baqari
- Abd Al-Rahman Shahadah Al-Yamani
- Ali bin Ghanem Al-Maqdisi
- Muhammad bin Ibrahim Al-Samadisi
- Ahmad bin Asad Al-Amyouti
- Imam Muhammad bin Muhammad Ibn Al-Jazari
The chain then connects, via the Shatibiyyah path, to the leading scholars of this field, tracing the line of transmission back to the earliest reciters and the Companions, and ultimately to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
How Does This Sanad Relate to the Seven Qira'at?
Sources that discuss Sheikh Al-Ghalban state that his transmission was in the seven qira'at via the Shatibiyyah path. It's important here to distinguish between a riwayah, a qira'ah, a tariq (path), and a sanad — these terms are not interchangeable. This is one of the most important things a student pursuing an Ijazah should understand before starting to study the qira'at.
Second: The Sanad of Sheikh Misbah bin Ibrahim Al-Dessouky
Sheikh Misbah bin Ibrahim bin Muhammad Al-Sheikh Ali Wadan Al-Dessouky is connected to a chain of qira'at scholars. Published sources about him state that he received the ten minor qira'at (al-'ashr al-sughra) via the Shatibiyyah and Al-Durrah paths.
The chain includes:
- Sheikh Misbah bin Ibrahim Al-Dessouky
- Sheikh Al-Fadali Ali Abu Laila Al-Dosouky
- Sheikh Abdullah bin Abd Al-Azim Al-Dosouky
- Sheikh Ali Al-Haddadi Al-Azhari
- Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Obeidi Al-Maliki Al-Azhari
- Sheikh Abd Al-Rahman Al-Ajhouri
- Abu Al-Sammah Ahmad Al-Baqari
- Muhammad bin Qasim Al-Baqari
- Abd Al-Rahman bin Shahadah Al-Yamani
- Ali bin Muhammad bin Ghanem Al-Maqdisi
- Muhammad bin Ibrahim Al-Samadisi
- Ahmad bin Asad Al-Amyouti
- Imam Ibn Al-Jazari
The chain then extends through leading qira'at scholars to Imam Al-Shatibi, Abu Dawud Sulaiman bin Najah, and Abu Amr Al-Dani, then through the generations transmitting the reading of 'Asim, back to the Companions and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The document held among Aisha Academy's materials also states, explicitly, a chain that begins with the certified female teacher, passing through Sheikh Misbah bin Ibrahim Al-Dessouky, then Al-Fadali bin Ali Abu Laila, Abdullah bin Abd Al-Azim Al-Dosouky, Ali Al-Haddadi Al-Azhari, and Ibrahim Al-Obeidi, with the remainder of the chain continuing within that document.
What Makes Studying an Ijazah Through a Sanad Different?
The point isn't simply knowing the names of the sheikhs in a chain. A student in an Ijazah program needs to learn, recite, and be corrected until she reaches the level required for Ijazah. That's why an Ijazah combines transmission, recitation, correction, mastery, and — depending on the type of Ijazah — permission to transmit or teach.
What Is Ibn Al-Jazari's Connection to This Science?
Imam Ibn Al-Jazari is one of the most prominent names in the science of Qira'at, known for important works in this field. Both sheikhs' chains, as they appear in these sources, pass through generations of qira'at scholars leading to him. This shows students that studying for an Ijazah isn't a modern practice detached from tradition — it's an extension of a long chain of scholarly transmission.
Ijazah at Aisha Academy
Aisha Academy offers Quran Ijazah programs and aims to build each student's study on correct transmission, gradual progress, and mastery. Depending on the program, her level, and the type of Ijazah, a student's journey includes studying the Quran, recitation correction, mastering Tajweed, and then preparing for Ijazah according to its requirements. Among the sanad chains connected to the academy's Ijazah programs are the sanad of Sheikh Muhammad Yunus Abd Al-Ghani Al-Ghalban and the sanad of Sheikh Misbah bin Ibrahim Al-Dessouky.
Why Should a Student Know the Sanad of the Sheikh She's Learning From?
Knowing the sanad helps a student understand the nature of what she's studying, and see the difference between studying the Quran in a general sense versus studying it through the path of transmission and Ijazah. But more important than a long list of names is knowing: who is the sheikh? What type of Ijazah is it? What riwayah or qira'ah does it cover? What are its requirements? How is the final exam (khatmah) conducted? These are the questions a student should have answered before she begins.
In Summary
A Quran Ijazah is not simply a certificate a student receives after finishing a course. It's a stage of transmission, mastery, and authorization, tied — in the science of Qira'at — to chains of Quran and qira'at scholars. Aisha Academy offers Ijazah programs connected to sanad chains that include those of Sheikh Muhammad Yunus Abd Al-Ghani Al-Ghalban and Sheikh Misbah bin Ibrahim Al-Dessouky. Learning about these chains makes a student more aware of the nature of what she's receiving, and of the scholarly lineage that stands behind Quran and qira'at education.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the chain shown here complete and final?
The names given are reproduced from published sources and from a document held by the academy. We're working on adding photos of the original ijazah documents and a fully verified sanad diagram to make this article a complete reference.
What's the difference between a riwayah, a qira'ah, and a tariq?
A qira'ah is a leading qira'at scholar's overall method of reciting the Quran; a riwayah is what was transmitted from one of that scholar's narrators; a tariq (path) is the specific route that riwayah took through one of the narrator's own students. Each term has a precise meaning a student pursuing an Ijazah needs to know.
Where can I find a general explanation of what Ijazah and sanad mean?
See "Quran Ijazah and the Connected Sanad: Meaning, Requirements, and Types" for a full explanation of both concepts.
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