Intifada ("Uprising") is the fourth studio album by Malaysian Nasheed group Rabbani. It was released in 20 December 2000 by Permata Audio and EMI Music Malaysia. The album sold over 70,000 copies, with the title track âÂÂIntifadaâ becoming one of RabbaniâÂÂs signature songs.
Following the commercial success of Pergi Tak Kembali, Rabbani began work on Intifada with the intention of broadening their musical direction. According to the group, the albumâÂÂs titleâÂÂmeaning âÂÂuprisingâÂÂâÂÂwas inspired by the struggles for justice of Palestinians during the Second Intifada, which had begun a few months earlier that year, and symbolized a their renewal in sound while blending progressive and contemporary influences with traditional nasheed values.
The album incorporates a diverse range of musical styles, including dance music, Middle Eastern and Latin influences, Malay traditional music, R&B, and rap. Recording sessions were conducted across five studios: Nada Studio, Studio 21A, Pro Studio, Nova Studio, and Bumble Bee Studio.
The title track, âÂÂIntifadaâÂÂ, was composed by Malaysian boy band KRU with lyrics written by B. Nury. Azmeer contributed two tracks, âÂÂLailatul Qadarâ and âÂÂKawanâÂÂ, while Pak Ngah composed âÂÂCari PasanganâÂÂ, a song influenced by Malay traditional music with lyrics also by B. Nury. âÂÂ7 HariâÂÂ, written and composed by Mohd. Zaid Yusoff, incorporates world music elements and features a rap verse delivered in the Kelantan dialect. The album also includes âÂÂNawaituâ and âÂÂCahaya" composed by Bong, a songwriter and producer known for his work with Cromok and Amuk.
Intifada was released in 20 December 2000, with the title track serving as the albumâÂÂs lead single. A music video for âÂÂIntifadaâ was produced in collaboration with Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB).
The album received positive reviews upon release. Writing for Berita Minggu, reviewer Roslen described Intifada as a well-arranged and high-quality album with appeal extending beyond Malay-speaking audiences. Commercially, the album sold more than 70,000 copies.
At the 9th Anugerah Industri Muzik, held on 20 April 2002, Intifada won the award for Best Nasheed Album.
Credits adapted from the album liner notes.