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Vol. 10 No. 3 (2025)

Articles

Youth, Islamic Social Movements, and Religious Moderation in Indonesia’s Digital Public Sphere: The Case of Gerakan Islam Cinta

https://doi.org/10.55831/ajis.v10i3.909

Published 12.12.2025

  • Zulfan Taufik
Zulfan Taufik
Universitas Islam Negeri Sjech M. Djamil Djambek Bukittinggi

Abstract

In post-Reformasi Indonesia, the digital public sphere has become a key arena for the circulation and negotiation of Islamic ideas, particularly among young Muslims. While existing studies tend to focus on institutional actors and state-led programs of religious moderation, less attention has been paid to youth-led initiatives operating through informal and digitally mediated networks. This article examines Gerakan Islam Cinta (GIC) as a non-institutional Islamic social movement and asks how it articulates religious moderation and engages youth in contemporary public discourse.
This qualitative case study draws on 15 semi-structured interviews with organisers and youth participants, longitudinal participant observation (2018–2024), and analysis of selected digital content. The findings indicate that GIC advances an ethical approach to da’wah (preaching) centred on compassion, relational engagement, and cultural expression. Its initiatives combine offline activities—such as literacy programs, interfaith dialogue, and training—with digital communication practices that enable participatory and network-based engagement. These findings suggest that youth-led Islamic initiatives shape public religious discourse through culturally embedded and digitally mediated practices. Rather than relying on formal religious authority, such initiatives operate through everyday interactions that reframe religious moderation within Indonesia’s evolving digital public sphere.

Keywords

Islamic social movements, youth activism, religious moderation, digital public sphere, Indonesia

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