FIDK UIN Jakarta holds international webinar on Islamic communication in the era of social media

Ciputat, UIN News Online – The Faculty of Da’wa and Coomunication Sciences (FIDK) UIN Jakarta, in collaboration with international office (CiC) UIN Jakarta, and ASKOPIS DKI Jakarta holds international webinar entitled “Islamic Communication in the Era of Social Media: Challenges and Opportunities” on Tuesday (06/16/2020).

Moderated by the Dean of FIDK UIN Jakarta Suparto and the Head of international office of UIN Jakarta Dadi Darmadi presents a number of speakers, they are John L. Esposito (University Professor & Founding Director Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding Director: The Bridge Initiative ICC 260, Georgetown University Washington, USA), Hamid Slimi (Chairman and Professor Canadian Centre for Deen Studies, Imam and President Sayeda Khadija Centre, Toronto, Canada), Umar A Pate (Faculty of Communication and Dean School of Postgraduate Studies, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria, Director of Orbicom),  Muhammad Shamsi Ali (Director/Imam at Jamaica Muslim Center New York, President of Nusantara Foundation America, President of Muslim Foundation, America, and Founder of Pondok Pesantren Nur Inka Nusantara Madani, Connecticut, USA), Prof. Dr. Andi Faisal Bakti, MA (Professor of Communication, Vice Rector for Cooperation and Institutional Development, UIN Jakarta), Yusuf Kara (Director Nursi Research Center, International Islamic University Malaysia). Also present in the event, Rector of UIN Jakarta Amany Lubis.

Rector in welcoming address highlighted the challenges and solutions to this challenges, “During this time, we have many hate speeches, false news (hoaxes) in various social media platforms. This is in contrary with moral guideline provided by the Qur’an and local wisdom from all over the world. So, we need to clarify a lot of things because we still face islamophobia,” she said

As for the opportunities, she continued, the message of Islam is to acknowledge one another. “So, we need to stick together no matter what our background is.  Beside the holy message of the Qur’an, the distributive technologies such as the internet and social media platforms also considered very important as an effective means to communicate,” said Rector.

Meanwhile, Umar A Pate in his presentation said that Nigeria consisted of different Islamic groups who all used mass media as a medium for the socialization and propaganda of their group's identity.

“They have utilized the mass media to broaden their influence over Nigerian muslims and national society,” he said.

Moreover, John Esposito said that Islamophobia spread rapidly through social media and successfully influenced many people. “Therefore, we conducts outreach programs to provide true or correct information about Islam,” said Esposito.

In line with Esposito, Hamid Slimi said that the current challenge is the image of Islam produced by the mass media. “Therefore we all must do da'wah internally and externally to answer and explain the image of Islam to the world,” he said.

On the same occasion, Andi Faisal Bakti in his presentation also stressed the importance of socializing Islamic communication in the digital era which is full of challenges and opportunities as it is today. “This is because Islam exists as a religion that disseminates universal information and invitation,” said Andi. (usa)