Abdullah ‘Aa Gym Gymnastiar
Abdullah ‘Aa Gym Gymnastiar

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%, leading to Gymnastiar being courted by several political parties as a potential vice presidential nominee. 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 16 million fans on social media.

Source of Influence: Preachers & Spiritual Guides

Status: Featured in current year