The Atib Koambai Tradition in Riau and the Ethos of Dhikr: A Phenomenological Study of Local Islamic Interpretation

Abstrak

The Atib Koambai tradition is a communal dhikr ritual practiced by the Malay Muslim community of Kubu, Rokan Hilir, Riau, originating in the seventeenth century as a spiritual response to a devastating cholera outbreak. Performed annually on the third day of Shawwāl, the ritual encompasses pilgrimage to the tomb of Shaykh Abdullah Pasai, responsorial adhān, collective dhikr conducted on boats, and the symbolic release of prayers into the river. This study investigates the ritual structure and the lived religious experiences of its participants using Alfred Schutz’s phenomenological framework, complemented by a thematic exegetical analysis of Qur’anic teachings on dhikr, particularly Qur’ān 33:41–42 and Qur’ān 2:152. Employing qualitative methods, data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and field documentation involving four male informants selected via purposive-snowball sampling. The findings reveal that Atib Koambai constructs a shared religious lifeworld that reinforces intimate relationships between humans, God, nature, and the community. Collective dhikr along the river fosters feelings of safety, emotional reassurance, and social cohesion, while the act of entrusting prayers to the water symbolizes surrender and reliance on divine protection. The community perceives Atib Koambai as a non-syncretic practice grounded in normative dhikr principles and sustained through internal religious discourse. This study argues that Atib Koambai represents a living expression of Islam Nusantara, wherein Qur’anic remembrance is actualized through culturally embedded practices that strengthen religious identity, communal resilience, and the continuity of local Islamic heritage.