Indonesian group Da’i Nada captivates Al Bader Festival

A group of eight millennials and two Gen Zs has been singing nasyids (hymnals) for years and shall be doing so again and again.

Known as the Da’i Nada, they are 10 from various parts of Indonesia, either alumni or current students at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt.

Led by Nur Akhyari, who birthed the a capella ensemble in 2001 while studying at the Darunnajah 2 Islamic Boarding School in Bogor, West Java, the nine who came in two years later, for the practice and performance of Islamic devotional songs and nasyids to Allah and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) are teacher/preacher Yaskur Bin Sriyono, 37 from Semarang, Java; Islamic Boarding School head Hidayatullah Yahmad Harist, 34 from Palembang, South Sumatra; Master’s Programme student/travel agent Mukhtar Athorid Jamaludin, 32 from Bogor; teacher/preacher Fahmi Muhammad Faisal, 32 from Bogor; motivator/entrepreneur Miqdad Robbani, 32 from Kediri, East Java; teacher/preacher Ihsan Mushthafa Khalil, 31 from Jakarta; Master’s Programme student/entrepreneur Muhammad Saifulloh Mumtaz, 27 from Bandung, West Java; teacher/preacher Reksian Saputra, 29 from Palembang; and teacher/entrepreneur Muhammad Jundi Masud, 26 from Riau, Sumatra.

“To become a member, one must possess more than just a good singing voice. Strict criteria are applied, requiring mastery of vocal parts one, two and three,” school principal/preacher Akhyari told Gulf Today.

“These skills form the fundamental basis for the choir and harmonies. Achieving this level of proficiency demands unwavering commitment to disciplined, routine practice and patient dedication to continuous learning. Furthermore, a strong understanding of music theory is essential,” he also said.

The spotlight was on them on September 13 (Saturday). Direct from their homeland, they represented not only the 55,000 of their countrymen across the UAE, but the rest of Indonesians the world over at the Al Bader Festival – ongoing at the Fujairah Creative Centre until September 25 (Thursday), whereby Arabic calligraphy, ornamentation and painting take centre stage alongside panel discussions and seminars on the Prophet’s biography and its relevance in this modernising world.

Pulled out from their respective home provinces for overseas studies and eventually finding themselves trekking their respective careers, holding degrees in various disciplines like Ushuluddin or Principles of Religion, these men said that being in a group has not only taught them “elements specifically related to melody and the Arab music;” but also “how to combine elements to create harmonious music and distinctive nasyid, even without using instruments.”

Continued Sriyono: “Yes. We have gained a wealth of lessons. Many advantages gained. It is not just about the musical experience. We have become a family within Da’i Nada, constantly offering positive contributions to one another.”

They, who are not atypical to go through the weekly two-hour rehearsals, with or without performances that may be adjusted to a “few more days each week prior to a performance.”

Like what they did before their “Al Bader Festival” appearance wherein they delivered 15 hymnals, that included “Mali Robbun Siwah.”

“Mali Robbun Siwah” which in English, is “I have no Lord but Allah,” very dear to them. Very dear to Akhyari, Sriyono, Harist, Jamaludin, Faisal, Robbani, Khalil, and Saputra who were able to penetrate the Egyptian Islamic entertainment industry during their university days in Egypt.

“The Da’i Nada distinct approach to the combination of voices and harmonies; the musical arrangements capable of creating music using only human voices, were deemed unique and innovative.This distinctiveness led to the release of the “Mali Robbun Siwah” album with Egyptian producer Ehab Hamed, along with several well-known singles in the Arab nations,” recalled Akhyari.

Back then, they were among the crowd drawers to “significant and historical concert venues” in the Land of the Pharoahs: such as the Luxor Temple, and the Sound and Light Theatre at the Pyramids.

They were invited to join the Egyptian Risalah Salam (Message of Peace) of “prominent Egyptian cultural expert Dr Entessar Abdel Fattah” for the promotion of peace – Da’i Nada’s core. Annual overseas appearances from 2010 to 2017 included the “Peace Message Concert’” in Vienna, Austria, and “Shanghai Expo” in China.

Consul General in Dubai and the Northern Emirates Denny Lesmana was hopeful that the presence and performance of the Da’i Nada in Fujairah reinforce both the relevance of Indonesian diaspora and their solidarity among peoples in all four corners of the world.