Jurnal SMART (Studi Masyarakat, Religi, dan Tradisi)
Vol 11, No 2 (2025): Jurnal SMaRT : Studi Masyarakat, Religi, dan Tradisi

Shifting Authority, Shaping Spirituality: A Qualitative Digital Survey of Religious Practices among the Indonesian Muslim Students

Mohammad Muafi Himam (STAI Al-Anwar Sarang Rembang)
Ahmad Nadhif Abdul Mujib (STAI Al-Anwar Sarang Rembang)
Dina Dina (Institute of Social Sciences, Ankara University)
Muhaddibul Irfani (STAI Al-Anwar Sarang Rembang)



Article Info

Publish Date
31 Dec 2025

Abstract

The digital transformation has reshaped how digital-native university students experience religious life. This study examines how Muslim students in Indonesia engage with, interpret, and negotiate their religious practices in digital spaces. Using a qualitative digital survey design with narrative prompts, data were collected between April 15 and May 1, 2025 through an online narrative-style questionnaire completed by 84 Muslim students from STAI Al-Anwar Sarang Rembang, an Islamic college rooted in the pesantren tradition. Thematic analysis was employed to identify key patterns in spiritual transformation, online community participation, and the dynamics of authority and affect in digital religiosity. Findings indicate that digital media not only facilitates access to Islamic knowledge but also structures new patterns of hybrid worship and emotional engagement. Students demonstrate reflective agency in filtering online religious content and building virtual connections with fellow Muslims across diverse regions, while also facing challenges such as authority confusion, polarized viewpoints, and religious anxiety triggered by online exposure. The study concludes that the digital realm functions as an alternative and complementary arena for religious life among students and underscores the urgent need for critical, inclusive, and context-sensitive religious digital literacy to guide spiritual development in an increasingly mediatized society.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

smart

Publisher

Subject

Arts Humanities Education Social Sciences

Description

JURNAL SMART is a peer-reviewed journal which is published by Balai Penelitian dan Pengembangan Agama Semarang, as a medium for disseminating and exchanging ideas on socio-religious discourse. This Journal publishes current original research on the field of religious life, religion and religious ...