OFFSTONE | JUNE 2026 EDITION

34 COMMUNICATING FAITH IN THE DIGITAL ERA: ISLAMIC VALUES, CHALLENGES AND THE WAY FORWARD By: Dr. Eizan Azira Binti Mat Sharif eizansharif@usim.edu.my The writer is a lecturer in the New Media Communications programme at the Faculty of Leadership and Management, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). Her research interests encompass communication technology, gamification, advertising, social media, media studies, and neuroscience. Her research explores the integration of digital technologies in communication, with particular emphasis on media engagement, digital advertising strategies, and evolving communication behaviour in the digital era. ABSTRACT This article, based on Islamic values, captures the challenges and opportunities of communicating faith in a digital age. Covering themes of digital citizenship, ethical communications and responsible technology use, it calls on tabayyun (verification), ikhlas (sincerity) and adab (respect) in the digital domain. This paper highlights that Islamic principles are an important guide for digital faith communication that is meaningful and trustworthy. Introduction The public now communicates digitally and learns digitally, building their relationships through their personalities reflected on social media rather than through conversation. Social media channels, podcasts, streams and apps have now woven their way into the fabric of our day- to-day lives, defining how people search for information and articulate their beliefs. For Muslims, this evolutionary transformation is both exciting and fraught with challenges in faith communication. In this way, digital technology can reach millions at any given time; however, with great power comes the need for believers to embody the ethical ideals of Islam, including honesty, wisdom, compassion and responsibility.