Sheikh Imam

Sound • 1918-07-02 • Abu An-Numros, Egypt

Imam Mohammed Ahmed Issa (Arabic: إمام محمد أحمد عيسى), born July 2, 1918 in the village of Abu An-Numros (Gîza) and died June 7, 1995, was an Egyptian singer-songwriter. He was born into a poor family and was the first boy to survive after the death of seven of his brothers before him. He has a brother and a sister younger than him. At the age of 1, he became blind following poorly treated ophthalmia. In 1962 he met Ahmad Fouad Nadjm with whom he became friends. He worked with him until his death. After the Six-Day War in 1967, he began writing revolutionary songs and criticizing those responsible for the defeat, which earned him numerous stays in prison. He was only released after the assassination of Anwar al-Sadâte in 1981. In the 1980s, he was invited by the French Ministry of Culture to give concerts and toured Europe.