Hussain Najjar
Hussain Najjar, a Saudi media personality and broadcaster, spent about forty years in the field of media and broadcasting, starting in 1965. He was distinguished by his voice accompanying the live transmission of prayers from inside the Grand Mosque, especially the Maghrib prayer during Ramadan.
Education
Hussain Najjar grew up in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, where he completed his primary education and one year of middle school, then joined the Teachers' Institute in Makkah Al-Mukarramah and graduated from it. He then worked as a primary school teacher at Al-Nassiriya School (the same school he graduated from), and his services were transferred from education to broadcasting. He was appointed as an outgoing and incoming correspondence clerk in the radio station for a period before becoming a broadcaster and newsreader.
He completed his night education until he obtained his secondary certificate, then he joined King Abdulaziz University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. He continued his postgraduate studies in America and obtained his master's and doctorate degrees from the University of Missouri. He also taught at King Abdulaziz University, the Diplomatic Institute in Jeddah, and participated in teaching at the Arab Center for Radio and Television Training affiliated with the League of Arab States in Damascus.
Career
Hussain Najjar participated in presenting a sports event in 1964, and his talent was discovered by Zahed Qudsi (a Saudi sports commentator), who offered him the opportunity to present on Jeddah Radio. During an audition in Jeddah, he was listened to by Ali Al-Tantawi, who encouraged him.
He was mentored by a group of media professionals, including Badr Karim, Mutlaq Al-Dhiyabi, Yahya Katoua, Abdulrahman Yagmoor, and Abdullah Rajah. He did not undergo performance training in the broadcasting field until later when the General Directorate of Broadcasting at the time made a practical training agreement in the field of media with Lebanese Radio for six months.
Najjar's radio career began with reading the news bulletin on Neda Al-Islam Radio, and his first external broadcast was during the visit of US President Richard Nixon to Saudi Arabia in 1974, where Najjar conveyed the events of the visit live. He was also the main commentator on Saudi TV during the Juhayman terrorist attack on the Grand Mosque in 1979.
Achievements
Hussain Najjar presented several diverse programs, including: "With the Students", a weekly program concerned with top students, relying on external broadcasting. He also presented "The Journey of the Letter Through the Airwaves", where literary contributions from listeners from all Arab countries were received, as well as "Hobby Club", which attracted singing voices and musicians with musical instruments. He presented "Good Morning", a program broadcast on Saturdays, and "Evening with an Artist", which aired during Ramadan.
Award
Hussain Najjar was awarded the Media Personality of the Year award at the Saudi Media Forum in 2026.