Hybrid Coastal Da’wah Model: Integrating Digital Media and Local Wisdom to Promote Religious Moderation Among Coastal Muslim Communities

Purpose – This study examines how the integration of digital media and local wisdom shapes hybrid da’wah practices that promote religious moderation among coastal Muslim communities in Bancar, Tuban, Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative case study was conducted between March and May 2026. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 informants selected through purposive and snowball sampling (religious leaders, mosque administrators, digital da’wah managers, youth, women’s religious-group representatives, fishermen and coastal residents, and village stakeholders), participant observation, and the analysis of digital documents. The data were analysed through reflexive thematic analysis supported by NVivo. Findings – Hybrid coastal da’wah emerges from the interaction of four components: local religious authority, digital media circulation, coastal local wisdom, and the values of religious moderation. WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, and short-form videos widen the reach of religious messages, whereas mosque administrators and religious leaders act as trusted gatekeepers who validate and filter content. Local wisdom, expressed in rukun, gotong royong, tepo seliro, and respect for elders, provides the cultural infrastructure through which moderation is communicated calmly and accepted socially. Uneven digital literacy and externally produced content with a harsher tone remain the main constraints. Research limitations/implications – The single-case design precludes statistical generalisation; the study instead offers an analytically transferable model for digital religion and community-based da’wah scholarship. Practical implications – Religious institutions can strengthen mosque-based gatekeeping, involve youth as digital intermediaries, and embed digital literacy and village-level deliberation in outreach strategies. Originality/value – The study proposes the Hybrid Coastal Da’wah Model, showing that moderation is fostered through the synergy of trusted authority, responsible digital communication, and culturally rooted Islamic practice rather than by digital transformation alone.