Digital Da’wah: Effective Strategies in Spreading Islam through Social Media

Abdul Chalim (1), St. Rahmah (2), Randi Rudiana (3), Jasafat Jasafat (4)
(1) Politeknik Negeri Malang, Indonesia,
(2) Universitas Islam Negeri Antasari Banjarmasin, Indonesia,
(3) Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Al-Ruzhan Tasikmalaya, Indonesia,
(4) Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry, Aceh, Indonesia

Abstract

The rise of social media has revolutionized communication and presented new opportunities for Islamic propagation (da’wah). As digital platforms become integral to modern life, they offer unprecedented potential for disseminating Islamic teachings to a global audience. However, the effectiveness of digital da’wah depends on strategic engagement, content quality, and adaptability to diverse audiences. This study aims to explore effective strategies for spreading Islam through social media, identifying key factors that influence reach, engagement, and impact. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining content analysis of 200 da’wah-related posts across major social media platforms with surveys and interviews of 150 Islamic content creators and their audiences. Quantitative data measured engagement metrics, while qualitative insights explored perceptions of effectiveness and challenges faced by content creators. The findings indicate that successful digital da’wah strategies prioritize authenticity, audience interactivity, and relevance to contemporary issues. Visual storytelling, short video formats, and consistent posting schedules were identified as highly effective tactics. Challenges such as combating misinformation and addressing audience diversity were also highlighted. The study concludes that social media can be a powerful tool for Islamic propagation if utilized with strategic planning and cultural sensitivity. Future efforts should focus on capacity-building for content creators and fostering collaborative networks.


 

Full text article

Generated from XML file

References

Alhassan, F. M. (2021). The saudi ministry of health’s twitter communication strategies and public engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic: Content analysis study. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 7(7). https://doi.org/10.2196/27942

Anshory, A. (2023). Exploring the Paradigms of Islamic Propagation of ‘Ulul Azmi Prophets: An Analysis from Islamic Historical Perspectives. Journal of Al-Tamaddun, 18(2), 153–172. https://doi.org/10.22452/JAT.vol18no2.11

Bauer, G. R. (2021). Intersectionality in quantitative research: A systematic review of its emergence and applications of theory and methods. SSM - Population Health, 14(Query date: 2024-12-01 09:57:11). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100798

Bossetta, M. (2023). Cross-Platform Emotions and Audience Engagement in Social Media Political Campaigning: Comparing Candidates’ Facebook and Instagram Images in the 2020 US Election. Political Communication, 40(1), 48–68. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584609.2022.2128949

Chen, V. Y. (2021). News on Facebook: How Facebook and Newspapers Build Mutual Brand Loyalty Through Audience Engagement. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, 98(2), 366–386. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077699019876634

Chung, J. J. (2023). I Really Know You: How Influencers Can Increase Audience Engagement by Referencing Their Close Social Ties. Journal of Consumer Research, 50(4), 683–703. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucad019

Degan, Z. (2023). A content distribution method of internet of vehicles based on edge cache and immune cloning strategy. Ad Hoc Networks, 138(Query date: 2025-01-08 23:28:19). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adhoc.2022.103012

Fan, F. (2023). How influencers’ social media posts have an influence on audience engagement among young consumers. Young Consumers, 24(4), 427–444. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-08-2022-1588

Fraser, T. (2021). “Music Has No Borders”: An Exploratory Study of Audience Engagement With YouTube Music Broadcasts During COVID-19 Lockdown, 2020. Frontiers in Psychology, 12(Query date: 2025-01-09 06:29:09). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.643893

Garg, M. (2021). Vitamins in Cereals: A Critical Review of Content, Health Effects, Processing Losses, Bioaccessibility, Fortification, and Biofortification Strategies for Their Improvement. Frontiers in Nutrition, 8(Query date: 2025-01-08 23:28:19). https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.586815

Halpin, D. R. (2021). Which Audiences Engage With Advocacy Groups on Twitter? Explaining the Online Engagement of Elite, Peer, and Mass Audiences With Advocacy Groups. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 50(4), 842–865. https://doi.org/10.1177/0899764020979818

Hiaeshutter-Rice, D. (2021). Understanding Audience Engagement with Mainstream and Alternative News Posts on Facebook. Digital Journalism, 9(5), 519–548. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2021.1924068

Hu, T. (2021). Movable oil content evaluation of lacustrine organic-rich shales: Methods and a novel quantitative evaluation model. Earth-Science Reviews, 214(Query date: 2024-12-01 09:57:11). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2021.103545

Karnchanapayap, G. (2023). Activities-based virtual reality experience for better audience engagement. Computers in Human Behavior, 146(Query date: 2025-01-09 06:29:09). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.107796

Kayane, Y. (2022). Historical formation of Islamist ideology in Indonesia: The role of the Indonesian Islamic Propagation Council (DDII). Critical Asian Studies, 54(1), 47–66. https://doi.org/10.1080/14672715.2021.2008261

Kim, H. S. (2022). Fact-Checking and Audience Engagement: A Study of Content Analysis and Audience Behavioral Data of Fact-Checking Coverage from News Media. Digital Journalism, 10(5), 781–800. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2021.2006073

Leow, F. T. (2021). Analysing narrative engagement with immersive environments: Designing audience-centric experiences for cultural heritage learning. Museum Management and Curatorship, 36(4), 342–361. https://doi.org/10.1080/09647775.2021.1914136

Li, Z. (2020). From community-acquired pneumonia to COVID-19: A deep learning–based method for quantitative analysis of COVID-19 on thick-section CT scans. European Radiology, 30(12), 6828–6837. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-020-07042-x

Liang, J. (2022). Quality and Audience Engagement of Takotsubo Syndrome-Related Videos on TikTok: Content Analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(9). https://doi.org/10.2196/39360

Lin, Y. (2023). A FDEM approach to study mechanical and fracturing responses of geo-materials with high inclusion contents using a novel reconstruction strategy. Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 282(Query date: 2025-01-08 23:28:19). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfracmech.2023.109171

Miharja, D. (2022). Rediscovering the way of Islamic propagation by continuing the tradition of religion-based agriculture. HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 78(4). https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v78i4.7203

Mihelj, S. (2022). Audience Engagement with COVID-19 News: The Impact of Lockdown and Live Coverage, and the Role of Polarization. Journalism Studies, 23(5), 569–587. https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2021.1931410

Muca, E. (2023). Reaching a Wider Audience: Instagram’s Role in Dairy Cow Nutrition Education and Engagement. Animals, 13(22). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13223503

Narang, U. (2022). The “Idea Advantage”: How Content Sharing Strategies Impact Engagement in Online Learning Platforms. Journal of Marketing Research, 59(1), 61–78. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222437211017828

Nauta, M. (2023). From Anecdotal Evidence to Quantitative Evaluation Methods: A Systematic Review on Evaluating Explainable AI. ACM Computing Surveys, 55(13). https://doi.org/10.1145/3583558

Nelson, J. L. (2021). The next media regime: The pursuit of ‘audience engagement’ in journalism. Journalism, 22(9), 2350–2367. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884919862375

Nurliah. (2023). Streamlining Religiotainment: The Influence of Da’wah Content in Digital Space on the Life of the Samarinda Muslim Community in Indonesia. Manchester Journal of Transnational Islamic Law and Practice, 19(3), 128–137.

O’Brien, W. (2020). Does telecommuting save energy? A critical review of quantitative studies and their research methods. Energy and Buildings, 225(Query date: 2024-12-01 09:57:11). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2020.110298

Podara, A. (2021). Digital storytelling in cultural heritage: Audience engagement in the interactive documentary new life. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(3), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031193

Qiu, X. (Christy). (2021). Stance and engagement in 3 MT presentations: How students communicate disciplinary knowledge to a wide audience. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 51(Query date: 2025-01-09 06:29:09). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2021.100976

Rennekamp, K. M. (2021). Linguistic Formality and Audience Engagement: Investors’ Reactions to Characteristics of Social Media Disclosures*. Contemporary Accounting Research, 38(3), 1748–1781. https://doi.org/10.1111/1911-3846.12661

Reuter, K. (2021). General audience engagement with antismoking public health messages across multiple social media sites: Comparative analysis. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.2196/24429

Sikumbang, A. T. (2024). Digital Da’wah Indonesia Ulema in the Discourse of Theology. Pharos Journal of Theology, 105(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.46222/pharosjot.1051

Stebner, F. (2022). Transfer of metacognitive skills in self-regulated learning: Effects on strategy application and content knowledge acquisition. Metacognition and Learning, 17(3), 715–744. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11409-022-09322-x

Uchendu, E. (2022). Trends in Islamic Propagation (Da‘wah) in Parts of Eastern Nigeria. Africa(Italy), 4(2), 5–27. https://doi.org/10.23744/4760

Wahab, M. R. (2022). DABIQ MAGAZINE AS MEDIUM OF PROPAGATION FOR THOUGHT OF TAWHID BY ISLAMIC STATE OF IRAQ AND SHAM (ISIS). Afkar, 23(2), 339–404. https://doi.org/10.22452/afkar.vol23no2.10

Wang, P. (2021). What do people “like” on Facebook? Content marketing strategies used by retail bank brands in Australia and Singapore. Australasian Marketing Journal, 29(2), 155–176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ausmj.2020.04.008

Xia, S. A. (2021). Engaging the online audience in the digital era: A multimodal analysis of engagement strategies in tEd talk videos. Iberica, 2021(42), 33–58. https://doi.org/10.17398/2340-2784.42.33

Zayani, M. (2021). Digital Journalism, Social Media Platforms, and Audience Engagement: The Case of AJ+. Digital Journalism, 9(1), 24–41. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2020.1816140

Zhang, G. (2022). A nitrogen fertilizer strategy for simultaneously increasing wheat grain yield and protein content: Mixed application of controlled-release urea and normal urea. Field Crops Research, 277(Query date: 2025-01-08 23:28:19). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2021.108405

Authors

Abdul Chalim
abdulchalim@polinema.ac.id (Primary Contact)
St. Rahmah
Randi Rudiana
Jasafat Jasafat
Chalim, A., Rahmah, S., Rudiana, R., & Jasafat, J. (2025). Digital Da’wah: Effective Strategies in Spreading Islam through Social Media. Journal of Noesantara Islamic Studies, 2(1), 33–42. https://doi.org/10.70177/jnis.v2i1.1844

Article Details