Strategic Da‘wah Communication in the Digital Age: A Critical Analysis of Media Narratives in Addressing Religious Liberalism in Malaysia

The digital sphere has evolved from a platform of open discourse into a contested battlefield where religious liberalism increasingly infiltrates traditional Islamic narratives. In Malaysia, this phenomenon has eroded the hegemony of institutional religious authority, creating societal friction that official bodies struggle to manage. While existing literature acknowledges this shift, there is a critical lack of strategic frameworks that dissect the communicative failures of da'wah institutions. This conceptual paper employs a rigorous, library-based critical analysis—likened to an intellectual archaeology—to examine the rhetorical strategies within state-sanctioned policy papers, digital sermons, and theological academic discourse. By synthesizing critical media theory with Islamic da'wah principles, this study diagnoses three systemic failures in current da'wah efforts: (1) a reactive modus operandi where institutions merely respond to liberal controversies rather than setting the agenda; (2) an epistemological mismatch between the nuance required for theological rebuttal and the superficiality rewarded by social media algorithms ; and (3) a failure to navigate algorithmic echo chambers which isolate orthodox narratives from target audiences. The findings indicate that religious liberalism succeeds online not merely as an ideology, but as a sophisticated communication strategy that leverages emotional resonance and personal autonomy—elements frequently absent in the rigid, top-down approach of official institutions. Consequently, this paper argues for a paradigm shift from a purely theological critique to a socio-digital da'wah strategy. This entails adopting decentralized, platform-specific narratives that prioritize digital literacy and psychological engagement over authoritative dictation. Acknowledging the limitations of this conceptual approach, the authors strongly recommend a follow-up mixed-methods study to validate this framework. Future research must integrate quantitative content analysis of online narratives with qualitative interviews of da'wah practitioners to empirically map the barriers to effective digital engagement. This roadmap offers a theoretical foundation for policymakers to reconstruct religious authority, ensuring it is pedagogically sound and resilient against the simplistic allure of digital liberalism.

Da'wah, Religious Liberalism, Digital Narratives

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