OFFSTONE | JUNE 2026 EDITION

41 DIGITAL MEDIA AND NETWORKED RELIGION: COMMUNICATING FAITH IN THE DIGITAL AGE By: Dr. Kartini Kamaruzzaman & Dr. Norsimaa Mustaffa kartinikamaruzzaman@usim.edu.my The first author is a senior lecturer in the New Media Communications programme at the Faculty of Leadership and Management. She obtained her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the University of Leicester, United Kingdom (UK), and her research focuses on digital media, digital activism, as well as Islam and new media. ABSTRACT The evolution of media technologies has fundamentally restructured spiritual engagement, embedding religious practice directly into platform architectures; a phenomenon known as networked religion. Digital tools do not merely distribute content; they reshape how faith is conceptualized, shared, and legitimized. This article discusses these shifts from the perspective in digital media and communication landscape, bridging technical system dynamics with spiritual practice. Introduction The internet has radically transformed how we navigate daily life, blending our physical realities with digital experiences to create what is known as networked religion. Within this borderless digital landscape, digital da’wah has also flourished, allowing spiritual routines to become deeply embedded in our everyday life. The media communication landscape observes that the convergence of algorithms, user experience, and network economics has rewritten the rules of public engagement. By understanding how digital media structurally reshapes religious interaction, believers can successfully integrate naqli (revealed Islamic text) and aqli (rational human intellect) to spread the message of Islam in a balanced, modern, and harmonious manner. Networked Theology provides the vital theoretical framework to