ESENSIA: Jurnal Ilmu-Ilmu Ushuluddin

Digital Narratives of Religious Contestation

2024-08-23T14:51:16+07:00

This study investigates the event of a group of Buddhist monks praying during the Vesak holiday in 2024 at the Baiturrahman Mosque in Bengkal, Temanggung, and the subsequent public responses on social media. In Indonesia, where Islam is the predominant religion, there are sometimes interfaith encounters that transcend conventional borders. The monks’ prayer, which was recorded and extensively shared on social media sites including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, provoked a range of responses, from appreciation for religious tolerance to concerns about the sanctity of sacred space. Using mediatization and framing theories, the study explores how the incident was portrayed and how it shaped public perception. A mixed-method approach, combining sentiment and thematic analyses of social media comments, identifies themes of societal harmony, religious identity, and tolerance. Positive sentiments celebrating interfaith tolerance predominated, though some saw it as overstepping religious boundaries. This case highlights social media’s role in framing religious discourse and influencing opinions, emphasizing its impact on interfaith relations and societal tolerance in Indonesia. The study sheds light on how digital media shapes views on interreligious engagement and coexistence.

Religion in the Metaverse Scheme

2025-06-05T12:04:47+07:00

The simulation of religious practices within the metaverse represents a new phenomenon in the discourse of religion and technological adaptation in the era of new media. Through the use of virtual reality technology, spiritual experiences can be presented in immersive forms within digital spaces. However, this phenomenon remains underexplored in existing academic studies. This research aims to address that gap by analyzing the discourse surrounding the simulation of religious practices in the metaverse through a contextual interpretation of Muslim perspectives. The study employs a qualitative descriptive method with a case study approach. The findings indicate that the simulation of worship in the metaverse is generally accepted by Muslims as a form of technological adaptation, functioning as a tool for education and the dissemination of religious knowledge; as long as it does not compromise the theological meaning or orientation of religious practices. The significance of this study lies in its contribution to building a reflective framework for understanding the interplay between religion and technological adaptation in the new media age.

Framing Religious Pluralism as Deviation

2025-05-30T19:07:03+07:00

Digital transformation has changed the landscape of Islamic da'wah in Indonesia, including in the production and dissemination of exclusive religious discourse by Salafi groups. This study analyzes the Instagram account @ittiba_salaf, which consistently frames religious pluralism as a deviation from Islamic creed, by referring to verses of the Qur’an and hadith. This study uses Robert M. Entman's framing analysis approach, which includes four main elements—problem definition, cause diagnosis, moral evaluation, and solution recommendation—combined with Maʿānī al-Ḥadīth analysis to reveal the ideological instruments underlying the use of hadith. The findings show that this account constructs pluralism as a theological and ideological threat, associated with Western liberalism and categorized as a form of kufr. This narrative represents theological reductionism that ignores the complexity of Indonesia’s pluralistic society. This study emphasizes that digital da'wah not only conveys religious messages, but also becomes an arena for contestation over the meaning and authority of Islam, requiring a moderate hermeneutical approach to bridge theological commitments with the reality of societal diversity.

Sacrificial Dilemma

2025-06-10T15:01:23+07:00

The celebration of Eid al-Adha, traditionally a festive and communal expression of Islamic devotion, became a source of public controversy in Indonesia during the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak affecting livestock. At the core of this controversy lies an ethical and theological dilemma: whether sacrificial slaughter should proceed when animal health is compromised. This study explores three main aspects: first, the forms in which the controversy manifested; second, the factors that contributed to public and institutional disagreement; and third, the broader implications for Muslim social and spiritual life. Data were collected from selected online news articles and analyzed using Pan and Kosicki’s framing analysis model, including syntactic, script, thematic, and rhetorical structures. The findings indicate three major forms of controversy: affirmation of slaughter validity, uncertainty due to health risks, and concerns about ritual permissibility. Contributing factors include widespread media coverage, government restrictions, and religious fatwas. The implications range from economic losses in the livestock trade and reduced enthusiasm for sacrifice, to social tensions within communities. This study concludes that the FMD outbreak disrupted not only ritual practice but also the socioreligious harmony surrounding Eid al-Adha, revealing tensions between religious commitment, health concerns, and public discourse.

Philosophical Posthumanism

2025-06-17T08:15:30+07:00

This article examines the ontological foundations of philosophical posthumanism and critically examines its central claims through the lens of contemporary Muslim thought. Rooted in postmodern critiques of Enlightenment humanism, posthumanism challenges conventional ideas of human identity, agency, and moral status by emphasizing hybridity, technological mediation, and the interconnectedness of all forms of life—including animals, machines, and ecosystems. Through conceptual analysis and comparative hermeneutics, the study contrasts these claims with key Islamic metaphysical concepts such as fitrah (innate nature), ruh (soul), and khalifah (vicegerency). Prominent Muslim thinkers, including Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Taha Abdurrahman, Osman Bakar, and Fazlur Rahman, argue that posthumanist ontology undermines the sacred status of the human being, potentially leading to spiritual alienation by denying transcendence and moral responsibility. While acknowledging the ethical and ecological contributions of posthumanism, the paper contends that its core assumptions remain incompatible with the Islamic worldview, which affirms human dignity, metaphysical purpose, and divinely ordained responsibility within the cosmos.

From Concept to Practice

2025-05-30T19:31:51+07:00

This study examines the implementation of religious moderation (MB) in State Islamic Higher Education Institutions (PTKIN) in Aceh, Indonesia, within the context of national policy and local religious dynamics. Drawing on empirical data and institutional analysis, the research identifies key structural and cultural factors that influence the effectiveness of the religious moderation agenda. While the concept of moderation is theologically compatible with Acehnese Islamic traditions, its institutionalization faces challenges, including the absence of integration into strategic planning, limited financial support, and varied cultural reception among academic communities. UIN Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh emerges as a leading institution with a more structured and sustained implementation, demonstrating the importance of leadership commitment and resource allocation. In contrast, other PTKINs show fragmented and ad hoc efforts due to organizational and financial constraints. The study finds that localized approaches—anchored in contextual theology, local customs, and credible religious authority—are more effective in fostering acceptance and operationalization of moderation values. These findings suggest that successful implementation of religious moderation in higher education requires a combination of policy integration, institutional support, and cultural engagement. The study contributes to the broader discourse on how national religious policies can be adapted to diverse local contexts without compromising institutional autonomy or theological integrity.

Attitudes Toward Digital Content on Religious Tolerance

2025-06-22T19:49:55+07:00

In the digital era, religious expression among adolescents is increasingly shaped by content shared on digital platforms. Social media has become a primary source of religious reference for college students, influencing their attitudes toward religious moderation and tolerance. This study quantitatively examines the relationship between digital content on religious tolerance and students’ attitudes, particularly in different academic settings. Drawing on mediatization theory and digital religion theory, this research offers a novel contribution by empirically exploring a relationship that has received limited attention in prior studies. A total of 460 college students from Kuningan, Indonesia, participated in the study, evenly divided between religious and non-religious campuses. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire using purposive sampling. Descriptive statistics, reliability and validity tests, and multiple regression analysis were conducted using SPSS. The results show that students from religious campuses exhibit higher levels of religious moderation and tolerance compared to those from non-religious campuses. These findings suggest that religious academic environments may play a more effective role in fostering these values. The study underscores the importance of integrating religious tolerance into digital media engagement and incorporating religious values into non-religious campus settings to help mitigate the spread of extremism and intolerance online.