Abdullah Gymnastiar, more commonly known as “Aa Gym” (“Elder Brother Gym”), was for a long time Indonesia’s most popular preacher. With his style of modern, youthful, enjoyable preaching, he built a substantial following and a large media empire. His regular audience boasted over 80 million Indonesians and had an approval rating that peaked at 91 percent, leading to Gymnastiar being courted by several political parties as a potential vice presidential nominee. In 2006 Gym announced a polygamous marriage and immediately saw a huge backlash from his mainly female audience: his ratings dropped and his commercial enterprises took a huge hit. Over the past several years, Gymnastiar has been slowly regaining his popularity using his unique preacher/performer style. He is an attractive, funny, and charismatic man who tells engaging stories and sings nasheeds (religious songs). He has over 18 million fans on social media.
Source of Influence: Preachers & Spiritual Guides
Status: Featured in current year