Ahmed Bukhatir, the renowned singer of anasheed, lives by a simple credo: make people feel good about themselves. He does this through his peaceful Islamic music … and the odd book on dragons.
Some time in the 1980s in a boys' school in Sharjah, there was a lad who was picked on by the teacher and made to sit in the corner of the class for the rest of the day.
Humiliated, he sat with his head down, doing his work. A fellow pupil by the name of Ahmed Bukhatir, sitting just a few rows away, decided to misbehave so he would be sent to sit next to his classmate in the corner.
"I felt bad for him. I don't like for anyone to be abused or feel alone," recalls Bukhatir, 37. "I like peace and I like people to feel good inside."
One of the most famous Emirati anasheed singers, his Islamic songs and unique voice have carried this message of peace to millions of fans worldwide.
"People miss simple, peaceful songs," he says. "I hope they find what they are looking for in my work."
Anasheed, or Islamic songs or chants that rely historic and religious sentiments, have gained a new following in recent years, with some artists turning to digital remastering and remixing to keep up with the trends.
One of the earliest anasheed is Tala Al Badru Alayna (the full moon has come and risen over us), more than 1,400 years old and sung for the Prophet Mohammed as he arrived in Medina.
Anasheed generally do not contain any musical instruments except for drums. There have been several fatwas released against allowing non-percussion instruments.
Women are generally not allowed to sing anasheed, with some Muslim scholars defining their voices as awara (nakedness), an intimate characteristic not to be shared in public.
"I am not convinced of any musical instruments to be halal and so I just rely on my voice," says Bukhatir, who defines his singing as solo a cappella, using the different ranges of his voice remixed into the piece to create the effect of a backing choir.
At first, the father of four, reveals: "Many didn't believe in me and my voice. They felt it was too nasal and noisy."
But that didn't stop him from pursuing the music he heard in his heart, and over the past 13 years Bukhatir has released six albums, sung in Arabic, English and French and performed live around the world.
"Al Hamdallah (thanks to Allah) I have been blessed," he says.
Bukhatir arrives for a chat with a big smile and a red bag carrying a freshly brewed dallah pot of karak tea.
He cracks jokes as he pours the tea, and says: "I honestly love to make people smile and laugh."
Making people feel good about themselves and making them aware of others' feelings is one of the mottos by which Bukhatir says he lives.
He has songs dedicated to Prophet Mohammed, such as the latest, Prophet of Peace, with words written by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
Others are dedicated to mothers, the relationship between a husband and a wife, and the handicapped and underprivileged.
In 2006, Bukhatir also performed at the Global Peace and Unity event in the UK, one of the largest Muslim, interfaith, multicultural events of its kind in Europe, with more than 55,000 visitors.
"I want now to hit the US," he says. "I will go there and try my luck and show them my singing and see where it takes me. It will be a challenge, of course, but why not try?"
The singer had also been a regular judge on the Monshed Al Sharjah, an annual competition for the best nasheed singer.
"It the Islamic version of Arab Idol," Bukhatir says. "It is harder than you think. The voice has to be pure enough to enter people's hearts, and be complex enough to carry different ranges and be able to keep the listener interested."
When he is not singing, he runs the family business and does charity work.
But recently, he has ventured into a completely new genre, books.
"Until 2010, I had never read a book except the Quran," he said.
Then on a flight to Canada he saw the animated film How to Train your Dragonand saw in the credits that it was based on a 2003 book by Cressida Cowell.
"I was fascinated with how a book inspired such a great film, so I went in search of the book and discovered a whole new world in the bookstores," he says with a laugh.
Bukhatir wrote and published his own book. Released last year in English by Xlibris, Dragon Boy and the Witches of Galza is the first in a series he hopes his fans accept as a different side of him.
"From waking up as a dragon, to butterbaby fairies, to facing mystical creatures and challenges, the book has a bit of everything and I hope the public likes it," he says.
An Arabic version will also be released soon, with the books to receive a major launch this year.
"I know it is completely different to what people are used to seeing me do, but I really enjoyed writing this book."
Fans can view and listen to Bukhatir's videos on YouTube. Some feature two of his children.
"I have one of the best jobs in the world: I get to make people relax and smile," he says. "I am truly blessed."
rghazal@thenational.ae
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test Thursday-Monday at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
RACE CARD
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 (PA) Listed Dh230,000 1,600m
6.30pm: HH The President’s Cup (PA) Group 1 Dh2.5million 2,200m
7pm: HH The President’s Cup (TB) Listed Dh380,000 1,400m
7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh70,000 1,200m.
INFO
What: DP World Tour Championship
When: November 21-24
Where: Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Family reunited
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was born and raised in Tehran and studied English literature before working as a translator in the relief effort for the Japanese International Co-operation Agency in 2003.
She moved to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies before moving to the World Health Organisation as a communications officer.
She came to the UK in 2007 after securing a scholarship at London Metropolitan University to study a master's in communication management and met her future husband through mutual friends a month later.
The couple were married in August 2009 in Winchester and their daughter was born in June 2014.
She was held in her native country a year later.
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
'Saand Ki Aankh'
Produced by: Reliance Entertainment with Chalk and Cheese Films
Director: Tushar Hiranandani
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Bhumi Pednekar, Prakash Jha, Vineet Singh
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
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