Voices of scripture
Written
to be heard
Each of the three scriptures is marked so that it can be sung aloud. Here are the voices that carry them: a reciter from Egypt, a cantor from Ukraine, a chapel choir in Cambridge and the monks of a French abbey.
Recitation, chant and song in each faith's own sound, every one of them addressed to the One God.
The idea
The Qur'an carries signs for tajwīd and for where to stop. The Hebrew Bible carries taʿamei ha-mikra, the cantillation marks, above and below every word. Greek Gospel books carry ekphonetic signs so the deacon could chant the reading. Three scriptures, each written to be heard. Each tradition describes its own practice here, in its own words.
“O sing unto the LORD a new song; Sing unto the LORD, all the earth.”Psalm 96:1 · JPS 1917
“…singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.”Colossians 3:16 · World English Bible (British Edition)
“…and chant the Qur'an in measure.”Qur'an 73:4 · Pickthall (1930)
Five doors
Meet the voices
Qur'an · EgyptSheikh Abdul Basit“The Golden Throat”: the voice that carried the Qur'an around the world.
Qur'an · the craftThe art of recitationThree styles, the rules of tajwid, the ten readings and the maqamat.
Torah and prayerYossele RosenblattThe cantor they called the Jewish Caruso, on records from 1913.
Bible · CambridgeNine Lessons and CarolsNine readings, nine voices, every Christmas Eve since 1918.
Bible · chantThe monks of SolesmesGregorian chant restored, and Byzantine chant from the East.How we choose recordings
Every film on these pages comes from the rights-holder's or the institution's own channel, and loads from YouTube's privacy-enhanced player only when you press play. Recitation audio streams from Quran.com and mp3quran.net and is not stored here. Yossele Rosenblatt's recordings from 1913 and 1920 are in the public domain in both the UK and the US, so we host them, with thanks to the Library of Congress National Jukebox. We show places and manuscripts, never photographs of the reciters and singers themselves.
Picture credits
- Mamluk Quran, Cairo, 14th century (2), Prof. Mortel, CC BY 2.0
- Al-Hussein Mosque, Cairo, Terrazzo, CC BY 2.0
- Sultan Hassan mosque, neil cummings, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Bevis Marks Synagogue - London, England, Emmanuel Dyan, CC BY 2.0
- King's College Chapel Ceiling, mrdannynavarro, CC BY-SA 2.0
Watch more: Written to be heard
8 films and talks, chosen for this page. They play here.
الشيخ عبد الباسط - سورة الرحمن (مرتل)
القناة الرسمية للشيخ عبد الباسط عبد الصمد · 10 min
Sheikh Abdul Basit recites Surah ar-Rahman.
Intro to Maqamat | Ep. 1 | The Art of Quran Recitation with Qari Ibrahim Bakeer & Nouman Ali Khan
Nouman Ali Khan - Official - Bayyinah · 11 min
The art of Qur'an recitation: an introduction to the maqamat.
Avinu Malkeinu (Janowski) by Park Avenue Synagogue's Cantors
Azi Schwartz · 4 min
Hasidic Kaddish - Cantor Azi Schwartz at Park Avenue Synagogue, 2014
Azi Schwartz · 3 min
Amar Rabbi Elazar
Yossele Rosenblatt - Topic · 5 min
Yossele Rosenblatt sings "Amar Rabbi Elazar", from his early recordings.
Once in royal David's city | Nine Lessons & Carols Centenary
KingsCollegeChoir · 1 min
King's College Choir: "Once in royal David's city", which opens Nine Lessons and Carols.
Psalm 150 (chant: Stanford) | The Choir of Trinity College Cambridge
The Choir of Trinity College Cambridge · 2 min
Procession des rameaux
Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Solesmes · 2 min
The monks of Solesmes: the Palm Sunday procession, from the abbey's own channel.
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Finding faith: in their own words
10 films and talks, chosen for this page. They play here.
Dave Chappelle on being muslim. - My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.
H · 3 min
Mahershala Ali Found his Faith in a Philadelphia Garage 20 Years Ago
The OBSV Group · 1 min
Muhammad Ali On His Conversion to Islam | I AM ALI
Universal Documentaries · 3 min
Yusuf Islam / Cat Stevens - Interview on 'The Project' (2012)
Yusuf / Cat Stevens · 6 min
Sinead O'Connor on Islam | The Late Late Show | RTÉ One
The Late Late Show · 4 min
Interview with Malcolm X after return from Mecca, Hajj in 1964 Complete
djamaluddin · 6 min
NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar discusses Islam at Milwaukee Theatre
TMJ4 News · 2 min
Sammy Davis, Jr. • Interview (mixed marriage/civil rights/Judaism) • 1963 [RITY Archive]
ReelinInTheYears66 · 11 min
Dr. Francis Collins: From Atheism to Faith
Templeton Prize · 4 min
I Am Second - Brian "Head" Welch
BrianHeadWelch · 8 min
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Jewish voices: faith they live
9 films and talks, chosen for this page. They play here.
Rosh Hashanah with Mayim Bialik | You Know How I Know?
myjewishlearning · 4 min
Leonard Nimoy Explains Origin of Vulcan Greeting | The New York Times
The New York Times · 3 min
Ten Paths to God: An interview with Rabbi Sacks
The Rabbi Sacks Legacy · 7 min
Leonard Cohen on his landscape of religion (Official You Want It Darker press conference)
LeonardCohenVEVO · 2 min
Hassidic rapper Matisyahu Talks Faith & Music
Young Hollywood · 4 min
L'Chayim: The Stars of "Shtisel"
JBS · 74 min
L'Chayim: Henry Winkler
JBS · 63 min
Kirk Douglas in Conversation with Budd Mishkin at the Museum of Jewish Heritage
Museum of Jewish Heritage · 57 min
BBYO IC 2018 Plenary Speaker: Aly Raisman
BBYO Insider · 9 min
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Christian voices: faith they live
10 films and talks, chosen for this page. They play here.
Bono & Eugene Peterson | THE PSALMS
Fuller Seminary · 22 min
Colbert Catechism: Stephen Colbert professes his faith to Fr. James Martin
America - The Jesuit Review · 7 min
‘This Is Spiritual Warfare’: Denzel Washington Declares His Faith, Warns of Selfies and Self-Love
CBN News · 1 min
Mark Wahlberg talks faith, whether he still wakes up at 2AM
TODAY · 6 min
In God's Hands: Simone Biles on the Great Advice that Changed Her Life
CBN News · 5 min
Sir David Suchet in conversation with the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle
Westminster Abbey · 12 min
Johnny Cash on The Gospel
Blank on Blank · 6 min
Francis Collins on The Language of God
The Faraday Institute · 4 min
The prayer that God never fails to answer - Bear Grylls & J.John
J.John · 3 min
Dolly Parton talks about her Christian faith
Knoxville News Sentinel · 1 min
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Muslim voices: faith they live
10 films and talks, chosen for this page. They play here.
"I Was A Total Mess Without Religion"
Mo Farah · 1 min
Ramy Youssef: I Wish Muslims Prayed On Sundays
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert · 6 min
Ramadan Reflections w/ Hasan Minhaj & Rainn Wilson
Soul Boom w/ Rainn Wilson · 7 min
Olympian Ibtihaj Muhammad Shares The Story of Her Hijab and Family | BookTube Jr.
YouTube Originals for Kids and Family · 10 min
England's Muslim Cricketers - BBC News
BBC News · 23 min
Reflections | EP 05 - Sami Yusuf & AR Rahman
Sami Yusuf · 25 min
Khabib Nurmagomedov on how to be a proud Muslim
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Nadiya Hussain on Ramadan, ‘Rooza’, & the most underrated Bengali ingredient | Ramadan On The Road
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What’s Hajj Like? A Comedian Goes To Mecca | AJ+
AJ+ · 3 min
Australia's first Muslim test cricketer | 60 Minutes Australia
60 Minutes Australia · 13 min
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Shia voices
5 films and talks, chosen for this page. They play here.
Seyyed Hossein Nasr - Can Many Religions All Be True?
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Reflections | EP 13 - Sami Yusuf & Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr
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2. How Would You Describe Imam Hussain to a Non-Muslim? | Sayed Ammar Nakshawani | Muharram 2026
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The Story of Karbala | Day of Ashura | EXPLAINED
The Muslim Vibe · 5 min
Shia // Sunni
TrueTube · 10 min
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