Digital Da'wah Communication Model on Instagram Social Media: A Qualitative Study of Islamic Propagation Strategies in the Digital Age

Abstract

Background: The rapid evolution of digital platforms has fundamentally reshaped the landscape of Islamic propagation, compelling contemporary da'i (Islamic preachers) to reconfigure their communicative strategies within algorithmically governed environments. Instagram, as a visually dominant social media platform, has emerged as a pivotal medium through which da'wah messages are disseminated, negotiated, and consumed across diverse demographic segments. Objective: This study investigates the communication models employed by da'wah content creators on Instagram and examines the strategic, aesthetic, and theological dimensions that shape their digital propagation practices. Methodology: Adopting a qualitative approach grounded in ethnographic content analysis and in-depth interviews, this research engaged with six purposively selected da'wah accounts on Instagram, each with a following exceeding 100,000. Data were gathered through systematic observation of content from January to September 2024, supplemented by semi-structured interviews with content creators and audience representatives. Thematic analysis was employed to distill emergent patterns and construct theoretical propositions. Results: Findings reveal that digital da'wah on Instagram operates through three interrelated communicative layers: visual-textual encoding, platform-adaptive narrative framing, and audience engagement mechanics. Da'wah practitioners demonstrated sophisticated awareness of platform affordances, deploying carousel posts, short-form Reels, and interactive Stories to maximize reach and doctrinal accessibility. The study culminates in the formulation of an integrative Digital Da'wah Communication Model that synthesizes traditional Islamic communicative principles with contemporary digital media logic.