Digital Populism in Islamic Da’wah: A Rhetorical Analysis of @iqdammuhammad’s Instagram Communications

Authors

  • Siti Waqiatul Hasanah Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel, Surabaya
  • Widadi Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel, Surabaya
  • Danil Kiromah Universitas Annuqayah, Sumenep
  • Syifa Aghniya Ridwan Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel, Surabaya
  • Abdullah Sattar Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel, Surabaya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.38073/wasilatuna.v9i1.3728

Keywords:

Dakwah Digital, Ethos Pathos Logos, Instagram Account @iqdammuhammad, Public Communication, Retorika

Abstract

This study discusses the process of public communication in da'wah conducted through the Instagram
account @iqdammuhammad, focusing on the application of Aristotle's rhetorical strategies, which
include ethos, pathos, and logos. The background of this research stems from the phenomenon of
persuasive communication strategies in accordance with the characteristics of social media and
audience preferences, particularly among young people. This study aims to analyze how these three
rhetorical elements are implemented in Gus Iqdam's da'wah content and how their application affects
the effectiveness of public communication in disseminating religious messages. The research method
used a descriptive qualitative approach with content analysis techniques on several posts that
represent the preaching communication strategy on the account. The results of the study show that
ethos is reflected through scholarly credibility, a religious image, and consistency in delivering
messages. Pathos is seen through a communicative delivery style, use of humor, and engaging
visuals, creating an emotional connection with the audience. Logos appears through arguments based
on religious texts and rational explanations relevant to daily life. The integration of these three
rhetorical aspects contributes to increased audience engagement and the cognitive and affective
reception of preaching messages. In conclusion, the study affirms that utilizing Aristotle's rhetorical
strategies in digital preaching can enhance the effectiveness of public communication on Instagram.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Aisyah, M. (2022). Ethos, pathos, logos dan komunikasi publik: A systematic literature review. Jurnal Darma Agung, 30(3), 442–469. http://jurnal.universitasdarmaagung.ac.id/jurnaluda/article/view/2066

Aziz, A., Rahmah, M., & Afifah, N. (2025). Da’wa Communication Model in Indonesia and Malaysia. Jurnal Dakwah Risalah, 36(1), 16–36. https://ejournal.uin-suska.ac.id/index.php/risalah/article/view/29936

Baker, S. A., & Rojek, C. (2020). The Belle Gibson scandal: The rise of lifestyle gurus as micro-celebrities in low-trust societies. Journal of Sociology, 56(3), 388–404. https://doi.org/10.1177/1440783319846188

Bambang Arianto, S. E., Ak, M., Anggraini, A. D. O., & SIP, S. P. (2025). Riset Content Analysis Pendekatan Teori dan Praktik. https://www.academia.edu/download/121694983/1._Arianto_dkk_Content_Analysis_ISBN.pdf

Cheong, P. H. (2014). Tweet the message? Religious authority and social media innovation. Journal of Religion, Media and Digital Culture, 3(3), 1–19. https://brill.com/view/journals/rmdc/3/3/article-p1_1.xml

Huda, M. K. (2025a). Living Hadith and Character Inculturation in Contemporary Preaching: A Case Study of Gus Iqdam’s Da’wah in Indonesia. Religia, 28(1), 154–171. https://e-journal.uingusdur.ac.id/Religia/article/view/7187

Huda, M. K. (2025b). Living Hadith and Character Inculturation in Contemporary Preaching: A Case Study of Gus Iqdam’s Da’wah in Indonesia. Religia, 28(1), 154–171. https://e-journal.uingusdur.ac.id/Religia/article/view/7187

Ingraham, C. (2013). Talking (about) the elite and mass: Vernacular rhetoric and discursive status. 46(1), 1–21. https://scholarlypublishingcollective.org/psup/p-n-r/article-abstract/46/1/1/291227

Ismail, A. I. (2018a). The True Da’wa: Menggagas Paradigma Baru Dakwah Era Milenial: Edisi Pertama. Prenada Media. https://www.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=E_u2DwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Ismail,+A.+I.+(2018).+The+True+Da%E2%80%99wa:+Menggagas+Paradigma+Baru+Dakwah+Era+Milenial:+Edisi+Pertama.+Prenada+Media.&ots=nWwahDJCLJ&sig=14ATt2ZRW3xCjrerG5CdE2inevw

Ismail, A. I. (2018b). The True Da’wa: Menggagas Paradigma Baru Dakwah Era Milenial: Edisi Pertama. Prenada Media. https://books.google.com/books?hl=id&lr=&id=E_u2DwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Dapatkan+versi+cetak+buku+ini%E2%96%BC++Sampul+Depan%09+The+True+Da%E2%80%99wa:+Menggagas+Paradigma+Baru+Dakwah+Era+Milenial:+Edisi+Pertama+Oleh+Dr.+A.+Ilyas+Ismail,+M.A.&ots=nWvbjDDAJH&sig=Rld_dEvirCN8JIozlnKnjRLIs44

Jong, A. (2025). The post-secular cosmopolitanization of religion. Religions, 16(3), 334. https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/3/334

Kahfi, A., & Mahmudi, K. A. (2024). Transformation of da’wah in the digital era: Modern strategies in optimizing technology based da’wah management. Jurnal Dakwah Dan Komunikasi, 9(2), 63–79. https://journal.iaincurup.ac.id/index.php/JDK/article/view/11611

Klein, O. (2024). Anti-immigrant rhetoric of populist radical right leaders on social media platforms. Communications, 49(3), 400–420. https://doi.org/10.1515/commun-2023-0113

Krijnen, E., Van Steensel, R., Meeuwisse, M., & Severiens, S. (2021). Measuring Parental Literacy Beliefs in a Socio-Economically, Linguistically and Ethnically Diverse Sample. Early Education and Development, 32(4), 608–635. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2020.1785227

Krippendorff, K. (2018). Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology. Sage publications. https://www.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=nE1aDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Referring+to+Krippendorff+(2018),+content+analysis+is+understood+as+a+systematic+method+designed+to+generate+replicable+and+context-sensitive+interpretations+of+textual+and+visual+data+&ots=y_eiVseOay&sig=j48W8d2o70pxTfg9SdJbZC4oXBA

Kvist Møller, A. H., & Airoldi, M. (2025). With eyes of a machine: A three-step guide for applying machine learning to visual content analysis in social research. Big Data & Society, 12(2), 20539517251343860. https://doi.org/10.1177/20539517251343860

Meuleman, J. (2011). Dakwah, competition for authority, and development. 167(2–3), 236–269. https://brill.com/view/journals/bki/167/2-3/article-p236_4.xml

Meyer, B. (2006). Religious revelation, secrecy and the limits of visual representation. Anthropological Theory, 6(4), 431–453. https://doi.org/10.1177/1463499606071596

Mohajan, H. K. (2018). Qualitative research methodology in social sciences and related subjects. Journal of Economic Development, Environment and People, 7(1), 23–48. https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=640546

Monaro, S., Gullick, J., & West, S. (2022). Qualitative data analysis for health research: A step-by-step example of phenomenological interpretation. Qualitative Report, 27(4), 1040–1057. https://www.academia.edu/download/90474551/viewcontent.pdf

Oeppen Hill, J. H. (2020). Logos, ethos, pathos and the marketing of higher education. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 30(1), 87–104. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841241.2019.1683120

Rosowsky, A. (2012a). Performance and flow: The religious classical in translocal and transnational linguistic repertoires. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 16(5), 613–637. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9841.2012.00542.x

Rosowsky, A. (2012b). Performance and flow: The religious classical in translocal and transnational linguistic repertoires. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 16(5), 613–637. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9841.2012.00542.x

Santuso, S. (2025). Strategi Retorika pada Buletin Dakwah Kaffah: Analisis Ethos, Pathos, dan Logos Pada Wacana Masalah Sosial. EDUSOS: Jurnal Edukasi Dan Ilmu Sosial. https://www.academia.edu/download/125617875/2._Santuso_FIX_52_61.pdf

Seligman, R. (2023). Metaphor and the politics and poetics of youth distress in an evidence-based psychotherapy. Transcultural Psychiatry, 60(5), 819–834. https://doi.org/10.1177/13634615211066692

Sridharan, V. G. (2021). Methodological Insights Theory development in qualitative management control: Revisiting the roles of triangulation and generalization. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 34(2), 451–479. https://www.emerald.com/aaaj/article/34/2/451/2117

Sultana, S. (2022). Translingual practices and national identity mediated in the semiotized digital spaces. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, 45(2), 175–197. https://doi.org/10.1075/aral.21051.sul

Syamsudin, Sarbini, A., & Solahudin, D. (2026). Islamic Locality and the Failure of the Caliphate Idea: The Role of the Da’wa Movement in Indonesian Islam History. Religions, 17(3), 297. https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/17/3/297

Turner, B. S. (2008). Religious Speech: The Ineffable Nature of Religious Communication in the Information Age. Theory, Culture & Society, 25(7–8), 219–235. https://doi.org/10.1177/0263276408097804

Wickramasinghe, D., Wijethilake, C., & Herath, N. (2025). Counter-accounts of the absent state: Accounting for violence, silence and resistance. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 38(8), 2057–2089. https://www.emerald.com/aaaj/article-abstract/doi/10.1108/AAAJ-11-2024-7547/1297265

Zafar, A. B., & Blackmer, G. C. (2025). Digital Religion in the Public Sphere. 2025(5, 627), 1–16. https://bonndoc.ulb.uni-bonn.de/xmlui/handle/20.500.11811/13632

Zaid, B., Fedtke, J., Shin, D. D., El Kadoussi, A., & Ibahrine, M. (2022). Digital Islam and Muslim millennials: How social media influencers reimagine religious authority and Islamic practices. Religions, 13(4), 335. https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/4/335

Zuhri, A. M. (2021). Beragama di ruang digital; Konfigurasi ideologi dan ekspresi keberagamaan masyarakat virtual. Nawa Litera Publishing. https://www.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Jh_REAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA14&dq=Zuhri,+A.+M.+(2021).+Beragama+di+ruang+digital%3B+Konfigurasi+ideologi+dan+ekspresi+keberagamaan+masyarakat+virtual.+Nawa+Litera+Publishing.&ots=WlxOEpBbMV&sig=vOyD5so3ZsqDOFex0STxD-5LzRE

Гаращук, Д. В., & Соколовський, О. Л. (2025). Digital orthodoxy and political populism in Eastern Europe: How orthodox media facilitate political mobilization. Ocasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe, 45(7), 74–101. https://eprints.zu.edu.ua/44966

Downloads

Published

28-04-2026

Issue

Section

Articles