Digital Da’wah and the Transformation of Religious Social Relations: A Systematic Literature Review from the Perspective of Islamic Communication Sociology

Abstract

The rapid acceleration of digital technology has fundamentally transformed how Muslim societies practice da’wah and construct religious social relations. Da’wah, which was once rooted in face-to-face interactions and the authority of local religious leaders, has evolved into an Islamic communication ecosystem that transcends geographical boundaries through digital platforms. This transformation extends beyond the medium of message delivery, reshaping the very structure of religious social relations that were traditionally formed through direct engagement in places of worship and religious study circles. This study aims to systematically examine how digital da’wah drives transformations in the religious social relations of Muslim communities from the perspective of the sociology of Islamic communication. Employing a systematic literature review, this research synthesizes and analyzes scholarly works from reputable books and academic journals published over the past five years. The findings reveal three significant relational transformations: first, the shift of religious authority from traditional ulama to digital religious figures; second, the emergence of virtual religious communities that perform the social functions of conventional religious gatherings; and third, the formation of a hybrid and fluid digital Islamic identity. These findings demonstrate that digital da’wah is not merely a shift in communication medium, but a comprehensive reconstruction of religious social relations. As such, it calls for serious scholarly attention from Islamic thinkers and communication practitioners in responding to the evolving dynamics of religious life in the digital age.