The Use of Religious Memes on the Internet in Islamic Preaching by Millennial Da’i in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract

Digital media development has encouraged religious scholars to utilize memes for religious teaching distribution. Muslim scholars or Ulama have also used memes to disseminate Islamic teaching in their preaching activities. This study, therefore, discusses the use of religious memes in Islamic preaching by millennial Ulama in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. This study used a qualitative approach, and the data was gathered through focus group discussion, in-depth interviews with millennial Ulama, and the netnography approach. The use of netnograpgy was intended to examine the millennial ulama activities in online space when they use social media sites for their interaction while they deliver Islamic preaching. The results of this study show that millennial Ulama has intensively used memes to provide Islamic teachings. Islamic teaching that is distributed through memes can be categorized based on five Islamic pillars. The content of the memes includes Islamic teaching relating to tawhid, the invitation to perform five times daily prayer, fasting during Ramadhan month, paying zakat or alms, and performing Hajj. The millennial Ulama also shares memes that contain various Dua that can be recited in Muslim daily life. We conclude that the distribution of Islamic teaching through the use of memes has supported the distribution of Islamic teaching wider geographically, and the memes also help the spread of Islamic teaching across geographic.