By Adam Wolfer
Islam Online, Washington DC

For most music listeners in America, the group "Raihan" is unknown. But for those in far-off lands like Malaysia, this up-and-coming group is rapidly becoming a sensation and somewhat of a phenomenon on the music scene. Five young Muslim men and their producer have ascended from just another local act to one of the most popular music groups in Southeast Asia. To date, they have sold over 1 million copies of their two albums, "Puji Pujiyan" and "Shukur."

Azhari Ahmad, Che Amran Idris, Abu Baker Md Yatim, Amran Ibrahim and Nazrey Johani have achieved these incredible heights with a unique sound that combines percussion instruments with the melodious sound of their voices. "We are new in the market. Ours is a new kind of sound," says Ahmad. (To see and hear what we mean, click on the link below.) Although their music is classified as "nasheed" (Islamic song), the rhythmic, modern beats and sounds have compelled a mainstream audience to take notice. And the results are nothing short of staggering.

Shortly after forming the group in 1996, Warner Records Asia, vying with other major labels, signed the promising young quintet to a recording and distribution contract. Since then, Raihan has topped the charts in their homeland, won four Malaysian Music Industry Awards - including Best New Artists and Album of the Year - and have successfully toured with wide appeal, performing at events and concerts from Singapore to England.

Moving West into Europe and even America to establish an international fan base only provides the group with countless opportunities on both a business and personal level. Warner Records' regional managing director Tony Fernandes says, "For the first time, a local act has been taken seriously abroad." So much is the case that distributors in America and other overseas markets are quickly selling out of Raihan's products and can't seem to keep enough stock on-hand. Perhaps this can be attributed to the distinctive sounds produced by the group, which many would argue are at the same level of quality of the more established mainstream artists in the West.

The group worked with Hassan Steve Thornton, a Muslim convert who once played for Toto and Madonna, to produce a rich and professional sound that can be appreciated by those who have high expectations of quality. Despite Raihan's newfound success and seemingly unlimited potential for growth and prosperity, money is not the group's priority. "Ever since we formed the group, our intention has been the same. We want to spread the religious message," says Ahmad. "It has never been for money or fame."

That message begins with the name of the group itself. "Raihan" is an Arabic word that literally means "sweet basil," but has been connected in the Holy Qur'an to the scent of paradise." Lyrics in Arabic, English and Malay express belief in God and doing good deeds.

"We are not happy because our album sold 500,000 copies if people don't get anything from our songs. We hope our songs convey the teachings of God, like faith and prayer," says Ahmad. "In the medium of music and song, it's easy to convey something." Their efforts to subtly convey the message of Islam, which is the message of peace, takes place in a society that views Islam negatively due to media misrepresentations, biases or ignorance.

One of the challenges for Raihan early on was not crossing that fine line of conveying the message to flat-out preaching. "We decided that the message must be simple for people to accept," says Ahmad. Exemplified in their collaboration with Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens) on several songs like "God Is The Light," their music conveys general religious themes that people of any faith can relate to.

Moreover, the group would also like to convey the message of spirituality to Muslims themselves, especially youngsters. In this MTV generation of mass media commercialization and consumption, it seems like the prevailing theme in most programming is that of promiscuity, materialism and/or violence. What Raihan offers to these impressionable youth and society in general is a wholesome alternative that is able to not only entertain but also inspire and educate.

Many prominent figures are recognizing this. Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the minister of youth and sport in Malaysia, says, "Music and musical concerts have been found to be an effective way of attracting youth and getting across Islamic values to them."

By listening to their music, Muslims of all ages should not feel as if they are being compelled to learn religious or moral principles, but instead should find themselves moved by the beautiful melodies while subconsciously humming the praises of God. What better way to combat the negative influences dominating the airwaves than to instill values through a package that people want? "People are not forced to listen to us, they do it willingly," Ahmad notes.

Besides conveying the message, Raihan also wants to live the message. They believe that living the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who for Muslims is the primary role model, can be the greatest influence they have on others. "We are just like any other ordinary people. We take public buses. We wear what ordinary people wear when we are not singing or doing promotions. We don't wear Armani or Pierre Cardin," says Ahmad. "We want to practice what we sing in our songs."

As a unique and attractive message of Islam for the mainstream, Raihan is poised to open many millions of eyes and hearts, by God's will, to the wonderful teachings of this universal way of life. "We are glad more and more people are ready to accept [this kind of] music and the messages that come with it," says Ahmad. It has been a long-time coming, but the Muslim Ummah can be proud of their efforts and should encourage others to follow in their footsteps as we all try to practice and propagate this religion amongst our community

Link for the Raihan video:
www.islamazon.com/realvideo/salatwasalam.ram