Sami Yusuf was born in 1980 to Azerbaijani parents in Tehran, Iran. However, he was brought up in the United Kingdom.
Yusuf learned to play multiple instruments at a young age, and later studied at several music academies. He also learned from renowned musicians, including composers from the Royal Academy of Music of London.
Yusuf's first two albums ('al-Mu'allim' and 'My Ummah') have sold five million copies worldwide, according to a biographer on the Sami Yusuf website. His fan base spans Europe, the Middle Ease and the United States.