<![CDATA[Existing studies on Islamic religious authority have been focusing on its construction within Muslim communities and networks. This study offers a contrasting perspective, arguing that Islamic religious authority can be built within a network of different religions, which has been possible thanks to social media algorithms. This study adopts the concept of algorithmic authority coined by Clay Shirky, which is grounded on individuals based on their influence and digital footprint. This study employs Nethnography method to observe the online visibility of Ustadz Dennis Lim through non-Muslim influencers' podcasts. The findings show that Dennis’s presence in the podcasts has played a significant role in building his religious authority. The findings are reinforced by Google Trends data, which indicate an increase in Google searches related to Dennis, aligning with the release of these podcasts. Furthermore, interviews with Dennis, his media team, manager and offline congregants were conducted to understand their views on the podcasts. The interviews reveal that such podcasts do not always reflect the pluralist views of Indonesian Muslims. Rather, they engage with such content in the hope that their idolized non-Muslim influencers will eventually embrace Islam through repeated interactions with a Muslim preacher in the podcasts.]]>
Copyrights © 2025
