The body of the late singer arrived in Cairo on Tuesday evening aboard a flight from Paris, where he had been receiving his final course of medical treatment.
The coffin carrying the late singer was draped in the Egyptian flag as mourners paid their respects.
Among those in attendance were Mostafa Kamel, head of the Musicians’ Syndicate, who had also received the body upon its arrival in Cairo, and Mohamed Tharwat, a close friend and longtime collaborator, alongside a wide range of cultural figures and media personalities.
Shaker passed away on 3 May after a prolonged illness following complications related to a serious health condition that required treatment abroad. In the final days of his life, he underwent major surgery in Paris, after which his condition deteriorated despite brief signs of improvement.
Since the early morning hours, mourners had gathered at the mosque, reflecting the breadth of his popularity across generations.
Following the funeral prayer, the procession moved to his family burial site on Al-Wahat Road in 6th of October City.
The wake ceremony is scheduled on Thursday in Sheikh Zayed.
Prince of Arab Singing
Known as the Prince of Arab Singing, Shaker was one of Egypt’s most influential modern musical figures.
Born in Cairo in December 1952, he built a career spanning over five decades, releasing hundreds of songs that gained widespread popularity across the Arab world.
He began studying music early, learning piano before enrolling at the Cairo Conservatoire in the 1970s. His breakthrough came in 1972 with Helwa ya Donia, composed by Mohamed El-Mougi, and his artistic path was shaped alongside icons like Abdel-Halim Hafez, Umm Kalthoum, and Mohamed Abdel Wahab.
Over the years, he collaborated with leading composers such as Baligh Hamdy and Ammar El-Shereei, building a repertoire that blends classical Arabic traditions with contemporary styles, creating lasting popularity across generations.
In addition to his music career, Shaker worked in cinema and served as the head of Egypt’s Musicians’ Syndicate from 2015 to 2022.
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