Born in al-Khalil (Hebron), al-Shareef started learning the Quran and mastered a number of Quran recitation styles by the age of 18.
He soon was famous across Palestine with his unique style of reciting the Quran.
In 1941 Rashad Sharif was invited to recite the Quran in al-Quds Radio and in 1966 he was appointed the Qari of al-Aqsa Mosque.
In his later years, he taught Quran at a mosque in the Jordanian capital and led prayers at the mosque.
He passed away on September 26, 2016, in Amman, at the age of 91.