au hi id ▁P ond ok ▁P es ant ren ▁in ▁Band ung . ▁G ymn ast iar ▁became ▁popular ▁by ▁introdu cing ▁a ▁unique ▁way ▁of ▁pre aching ▁by ▁the atr ical ▁style ▁with ▁practical ▁messages ▁of ▁Islam ic ▁propag ation ▁that ▁can ▁be ▁commonly ▁applied ▁to ▁every day ▁life . ▁ ▁His ▁ser m ons ▁revol ve ▁around ▁self - control , ▁conscience , ▁toler ance , ▁and ▁pers istence ▁of ▁faith . ▁G ymn ast iar ▁is ▁considered ▁fav ored ▁by ▁its ▁audience ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁construction ▁of ▁image ▁as ▁a ▁religious ▁figure ▁different ▁from ▁other ▁sch ol ars . ▁While ▁conventional ▁sch ol ars ▁pre ach ▁about ▁the ▁virt ues ▁of ▁pray ers , ▁fast ing , ▁and ▁the ▁spl endor ▁of ▁heaven , ▁G ymn ast iar ▁cho oses ▁to ▁tell ▁about ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁sin cer ity , ▁peace , ▁and ▁ser en ity ▁( sak ina ) ▁of ▁family , ▁using ▁every day ▁language ▁that ▁is ▁accessible ▁and ▁affection ate . ▁At ▁the ▁peak , ▁he ▁had ▁a ▁substantial ▁number ▁of ▁follow ings , ▁and ▁his ▁media ▁enter prise ▁had ▁regular ▁audience ▁of ▁more ▁than ▁ 8 0 ▁million ▁people . ▁ ▁The ▁topic ▁of ▁discussion ▁about ▁the ▁family ▁is ▁concentr ated ▁on ▁the ▁house w ives , ▁to ▁the ▁point ▁that ▁he ▁is ▁referred ▁as ▁" ust ad ▁of ▁the ▁happy ▁family ." ▁This ▁image ▁became ▁controvers ial ▁when ▁the ▁media ▁announced ▁G ymn ast iar ' s ▁pol yg am ous ▁marriage ▁with ▁Alf