TRANSFORMASI OTORITAS KEAGAMAAN DI ERA DIGITAL, ANALISIS SOSIOLOGIS TERHADAP PERGESERAN POLA OTORITAS ULAMA DI MEDIA SOSIAL

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the transformation of religious authority in the digital era by highlighting the shift in the legitimacy of ulama (Islamic scholars) from traditional bases to social media. The study focuses on how modernization, individualization, and the development of information technology are reshaping the structure of religious authority in contemporary Muslim society. This study uses library research with a descriptive qualitative approach, examining various academic literature, scientific articles, and sociological theories of religion, such as Max Weber's charismatic authority and Pierre Bourdieu's concept of symbolic capital. The results show that social media has become a new arena for the emergence of religious authority that is charismatic, popular, and participatory. Digital ulama gain legitimacy not from sanad (traditional lineage) or formal institutions, but from personal appeal, public interaction, and the power of algorithms. This shift has had a significant impact on traditional religious institutions, giving rise to symbolic conflict, and changing the way society understands religious truth. Sociologically, this study emphasizes the importance of digital religious literacy and the ethics of da'wah (preaching) in cyberspace as an effort to maintain the authenticity and social responsibility of ulama amidst the commodification and fragmentation of religious authority