M. Yaser Arafat was born in Tanjung Pura on September 30, 1983. Since 2013, he has served as a lecturer in the Department of Sociology of Religion, Faculty of Ushuluddin and Islamic Thought, Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University (UIN) Yogyakarta. He is also active in the community, delivering religious lectures, providing guidance, and offering assistance related to the strengthening of Islamic culture as well as the preservation, mapping, and documentation of ancient tombs. His academic works include Nisan Hanyakrakusuman: Batu Keramat dari Pasarean Sultanagungan di Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta: Sukapress, 2021; 2nd edition, 2023) and Nisan Hamengkubuwanan: Artefak Makam Islam Abad XVIII–XIX di Yogyakarta, Jawa Tengah, dan Sekitarnya (Yogyakarta: MJS Press, 2025). He also researches music and vocal arts. His published book in this field is Slank, Politik, Kebudayaan, dan Musik Rock di Indonesia (Yogyakarta: Sukapress, 2020). In 2015, he was invited by President Joko Widodo to recite the Qur’an in the Javanese melodic style at the State Palace during the commemoration of Isra Mi’raj of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). To this day, he continues to preserve and record Qur’anic recitations in the Javanese melodic tradition.
