TAJDID Jurnal Ilmu Ushuluddin
Vol. 25 No. 1 (2026): Ushuluddin and Religious Studies

HADITH-BASED ALMS ADVOCACY THROUGH INSTAGRAM MEMES: A Content Analysis of @ustadzabdulsomad_official

Zulfirman Manik (Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara Medan, Indonesia)
M. Jamil (Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara Medan, Indonesia)
Junaidi Junaidi (Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara Medan, Indonesia)
Mohammad Suhairi Bin Abbas (Universiti Malaya Malaysia, Malaysia)



Article Info

Publish Date
29 Jun 2026

Abstract

The development of social media has driven a transformation in Islamic preaching, moving from conventional lectures to fast, concise, and persuasive visual communication via digital memes. This phenomenon has attracted attention because memes no longer function merely as virtual entertainment but have become instruments for shaping religious opinion and driving social participation fueled by religious emotions. Ustaz Abdul Somad’s Instagram account is an example of digital preaching that actively spreads memes calling for charity, citing the Prophet’s hadiths. This study aims to analyze the representation of calls for charity in Instagram memes and to identify the relevance of these visual messages to the Prophet’s hadiths, which serve as the basis for the legitimacy of his preaching. The study uses a qualitative approach, employing content analysis of memes on the theme of charity uploaded to the account @ustadzabdulsomad_official. Data are analyzed thematically by comparing the meme narratives to the hadiths related to charity. The results of the study indicate that the published Islamic preaching memes contain a religious message that emphasizes the virtue of ongoing charity, a respectful attitude in sharing, belief in the reward and provision from Allah, and trust in divine destiny. The message is presented through a combination of hadith quotations, motivational sentences, and simple visuals that can strengthen the audience’s persuasive power. On the other hand, there is a tendency for the charity meme to be used as a digital Islamic preaching marketing strategy to support donation activities at foundations associated with Ustaz Abdul Somad. These findings confirm that Instagram memes serve dual functions: as a medium for Islamic preaching and as an instrument for mobilizing donations through religious authority in the digital space.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

tajdid

Publisher

Subject

Description

TAJDID Jurnal Ilmu Ushuluddin focuses on the renewal of Islamic scholarship through critical, contextual, and integrative studies that bridge classical texts, Islamic thought, social and cultural Muslims to contemporary realities and issues. The journal welcomes literature and empirical research in ...