Sharafat Hussain was born in a small village called Atrauli in Uttar Pradesh. Many maestros from Atrauli have made their mark in the world of music. To name a few, Ustad Mehboob Khan ‘Daras Piya’ of the Atrauli Gharana, Ustad Alladiya Khan of Jaipur Gharana and Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan ‘Pran Piya’ of Agra Gharana. These and many other notable musicians had settled down in a locality in Atrauli called Mousiki Mohalla (Music Street).

Sharafat Hussain Khan was born in July, 1930, to Ustad Liaquat Hussain Khan, a court musician in the erstwhile Jaipur State, and Alla Rakhi Beghum. From his father's side, Sharafat was a descendant of Inayet Hussain Khan (1845 - 1936), founder of Atrauli Gharana, and from his mother's side, and of his maternal grandfather Mehboob Khan (Daras Piya), also of the Atrauli Gharana, but whose music was greatly influenced by the Rangile Gharana of his mother's family, founded by Ramzan Khan (1759 - 1806). In early childhood, Sharafat was trained by his father. When Sharafat was only eight years old, his prodigious talent impressed the legendary Faiyyaz Khan (1886 - 1950) during one of his visits to Atrauli. The maestro, without a son despite three marriages, adopted Sharafat, and took him away forthwith to Baroda to groom him as his heir. Ustad Faiyaz Khan, who happened to be the maternal grand-uncle of Sharafat Hussain, took him under his wings and taught him the intricacies of art music. As a result of incessant Riyaz, Sharafat Hussain gained a deep insight into music. During this time he used to accompany Ustad Faiyaz Khan on the Tanpura in many concerts and gained valuable experience in gauging the pulse of the listeners and creating the right atmosphere towards the commencement of a Mehfil. Sharafat was a child prodigy, who rose meteorically after his adoption by Faiyyaz Khan. At the age of eight, he made a stunning debut at the influential Matunga Music Circle in Mumbai. When he was eleven, he was hailed as the "Rising Sun" of vocalism at the Gaya Conference. By the age of twelve, he has made his first disc with HMV/ EMI, and topped the prestigious Baroda State Music Competition.

Sharafat was only 20, when Faiyyaz Khan died. Thereafter, he started studying with his maternal uncle, Ustad Ata Hussain Khan of the allied Atrauli - Rangile Lineage. Soon thereafter, he acquired a third guide - his scholarly father-in-law, Vilayat Hussain Khan of the Agra Lineage. Thus, like his foster-father, Sharafat Hussain came to represent a magnificent confluence of three intimately connected lineages - Agra, Atrauli, and Rangile. Due to certain reasons, Ata Hussain parted company with Faiyaz Khan and settled down in Culcutta along with Sharafat Hussain.

In due course, Sharafat Hussain gained the stature of an independent vocalist and gave numerous delightful concerts, some of which were memorable. He had a vast repertoire of compositions and used to sing many rare Ragas of the Agra Gharana in an authoritative manner. He was proficient in Thumris and Dadras as well.

He was made an Honorary Fellow of the Performing Arts Academy of Uttar Pradesh (Northern Provinces) and was honored with the “PadmaShree” by the President of India. In 1985, Sangeet Natak Akademi held a special ceremony to honour him shortly before he succumbed to lung cancer at the age of 55. He also got a Tansen Award.
During latter years of his life, Sharafat Hussain settled down in Atrauli. He preferred its quiet atmosphere and the surrounding countryside to the glamour of the big cities. He was also extremely fond of hunting and fishing. In 1984, Sharafat Hussain was stricken with lung cancer and he died on July 7.