The art of Islamic nasheed is met with great enthusiasm in the UAE and the Arab world in general, as many believe that it encourages good values, especially among the youth. Nasheed singer Ahmad Bukhater, who started singing in 1989, is a shining beacon of this spiritual artform.
He found his calling at 14, and made it to success and fame in a very short time, producing many best-selling albums before he turned 30.
Born in 1975 to a highly reputable Emirati family from Sharjah, Bukhater graduated in 1999 with a degree in administration. He runs his group of companies and is a board member of the Bukhater Group. He is also du’s brand ambassador.
In 1993, Bukhater composed his first nasheeds called Ya man yara (oh, you who can see), Hijab (the Islamic head cover) and Ummi (my mother), which were very well received. His first album was produced in 2000, titled Intisaf Al Lail (midnight), and within a few years, five more albums followed.
Bukhater’s third album, Fartaqi (step up), sold more than 100,000 copies, while in his fourth album, titled Samtan (silence), he introduced his first English song, The Last Breath, which introduced him to a new audience of non-Arabic speakers. He followed this up with many songs in English and French.
From this point on, there was no return, and when the time Bukhater produced his sixth album titled Hasanat (good deeds) in 2007, the album sold more than 250,000 in the first year.
The singer gained more international exposure when a Muslim woman from Germany told the story of how she embraced Islam and played his nasheed, The Last Breath in a television interview. The woman said it was the thought of eternal life, as described in this song, that made her pause to think of how important good deeds are.
While managing his businesses, concerts, work and his family life, Bukhater is always on the lookout for new ideas to sing about. His next production, he promises, will be out soon.
