PESANTREN AS CENTERS OF RELIGIOUS MODERATION: A Study of the Role of Santri in Digital Da'wah at the Langitan Pesantren

This study aims to analyze the role of Pesantren Langitan in Widang, Tuban, East Java, as a center for religious moderation through digital da’wah, with a focus on the role of santri in managing the @menara.langitan Instagram account. The study employs a qualitative approach using descriptive-analytical methods, grounded in the theoretical frameworks of New Media and Digital Da’wah. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and documentation of digital da’wah activities conducted by the students and the pesantren institution. The results indicate that the Langitan pesantren has transformed into an agent of religious moderation in the digital sphere. Students play an active role in disseminating the values of wasathiyah Islam through four main strategies: the production of educational content, interactive dialogue, collaboration within digital da’wah networks, and the strengthening of counter-narratives against extremist religious narratives. The study also identified challenges such as the digital literacy gap, competition with radical content, and cultural resistance to the use of digital media. This study concludes that pesantren-based digital da’wah is an effective strategy for strengthening religious moderation. The model developed by Langitan Pesantren can serve as a reference for other Islamic educational institutions in building a moderate, adaptive, and sustainable digital da’wah ecosystem.