In Indonesia, many Muslim preachers cater to the larger urbanised audience by typically conversing in Bahasa Indonesia, the national language. Those who appeal to the social media crowd do the same. The preaching scene in Indonesia is male-dominated, with female preachers typically catering to female-only audiences. However, one fresh graduate who is a female preacher (muballighoh) is making her mark in the largely saturated offline and online domains of Islamic preaching (dakwah). Mumpuni Handayayekti, 29, from Cilacap, Central Java, uses these strategies: being lighthearted even when delivering sermons on serious subjects and avoiding red tape from traditionalist groups, which believe that men should have superior roles associated with religious authority.
Born in 1995, Mumpuni did not receive formal religious education at a pesantren (Islamic boarding school). Her first experience with dakwah was in 2014, when she won a competition organised by a commercial TV station. Her preaching style blends humour with a distinct Javanese dialect (ngapak), attracting over 87,000 followers on social media. Some YouTube channels like TV UMUM CHANNEL and Dakwah Islam Channel broadcast her sermons to boost their own popularity and ratings.
Observing one of Mumpuni’s public engagements in Madiun, East Java, the author notes that her mixing of humour and ngapak mesmerised hundreds of congregants. She impersonated an old man while telling a story about a man who promised to donate all his wealth to the Prophet Muhammad. One is reminded of a Javanese theatrical performance (ketoprak) by Mumpuni’s style, as her audience frequently bursts into laughter. This dakwah “performance” lasted two hours.
Using her sense of humour and localised preaching style, Mumpuni has subtly challenged patriarchy. As noted, the majority of Indonesian female preachers choose to propagate religion to female-only audiences, citing the women’s voice as aurat (a part of their modesty). Mumpuni uses her oratorical skills to cast a wider net, and the local Javanese dialect as her language medium, which combines humour and Javanese cultural elements to effectively capture the hearts of rural audiences across generations and genders. Her messages are seen as relatable and apolitical.
To be sure, applying humour and localised dialects in preaching is not novel in Indonesia but Mumpuni is one of the few female preachers to do so confidently. She follows in the footsteps of her male counterparts in Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), such as Gus Iqdam (Agus Muhammad Iqdam Khalid), Gus Muwafiq (Ahmad Muwafiq), Abah Anza (Anwar Zahid), or Das’ad Lathif. Mumpuni’s focus on preaching at the rural population also reflects NU’s longstanding tradition of local dakwah movements.
For rural preachers like Mumpuni, it is not just about the content, but how they deliver it. The real success of their preaching comes from how much they can make the audience laugh.
Mumpuni’s popularity among local Muslim men and women challenges anthropologist Julian Millie’s argument that any oratorical religious event is a feminised domain enjoyed mostly by female attendees. Mumpuni unequivocally demonstrates her deep understanding of the profile of rural audiences and what they would perceive as effective dakwah, which involves laughter. Unlike the more contemplative preaching style in urban settings centred on provoking tears through deep reflection on one’s sins, Mumpuni focuses on blending preaching with performance to create a joyful and comforting atmosphere that encourages participation and enjoyment. Her style excites most rural audiences who enjoy events that offer surprises, a sense of comfort and belonging.
For rural preachers like Mumpuni, it is not just about the content, but how they deliver it. The real success of their preaching comes from how much they can make the audience laugh. Although the incorporation of humour risks diluting the seriousness of a religious message or offending certain listeners, it never lacks an audience.
Mumpuni and her contemporaries prefer to speak on topics that deal with charity (sadaqah), marital relationships and neighbourly relations, and the importance of prayer (salat) and fasting (sawm). They share stories packed with wisdom and valuable lessons from the life of the Prophet Muhammad. These topics hit home with rural communities, especially when explained with relatable everyday examples. In a rural setting, religious events such as the one the author had attended are often organised by prominent local families or individuals. The events are informal and free of charge, with street vendors lining up outside the venue, providing a family-friendly environment.
In contrast, physical and face-to-face religious events organised for urban preachers are more structured, rigid, and formal. Popular urban female preachers, such as Halimah Alaydrus, who is based in Jakarta and has an extensive social media outreach, preach mostly at mosques or hotels at professionally organised events. The organisers handle the logistics and marketing, often with clear announcements on fees or costs required, and featuring celebrities and other famous individuals to draw large crowds and add prestige. Urban preachers attract middle-class audiences by covering topics such as Muslim mannerisms, self-contemplation, and women’s empowerment.
A figure like Mumpuni shows scholars the importance of not drawing a bright line between rural and urban Islamic preaching. Her style highlights that urban religious preachers, despite their visibility online and offline, do not necessarily represent the full spectrum of Islam in Indonesia. Rural preachers also contribute to diverse and complex grassroots practices, which need to be better understood in the context of the world’s largest Muslim country.
* Haula Noor is a Visiting Fellow in the Regional Social and Cultural Studies Programme at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, a lecturer at the Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII), and a researcher at the Center for the Study of Islam and Society (PPIM) UIN Jakarta.
(26/9/2024)
Writer: Haula Noor
Published on https://fulcrum.sg/lessons-from-a-young-female-preacher-on-islamic-preaching-in-rural-central-java/