Critical Religious Literacy Skills Education for Mosque Youth to Counter Cyber Extremist Doctrine
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15575/hanifiya.v9i2.59723Keywords:
community resilience, critical religious literacy, cyber extremism, digital literacy, mosque youthAbstract
The development of digital space has changed the way young people obtain and understand religious information, while simultaneously opening up opportunities for the emergence of extremist doctrines through rapidly and widely disseminated religious narratives. This study aims to analyze the digital religious information consumption patterns of young mosque residents, their vulnerability to cyber-extremist doctrines, the critical religious literacy skills needed, and strategies to strengthen youth capacity as part of digital community resilience. The study used a qualitative approach with a case study design. Data were obtained through in-depth interviews, observations, documentation, and, where available, group discussions, and were then analyzed using coding, categorization, and thematic analysis. The results show that young mosque residents access religious information through a fast, diverse, and interactive digital environment, and do not rely entirely on formal religious authorities. Vulnerability to cyber extremism is related to limited information verification, fragmented religious understanding, peer group influence, information polarization, digital platform mechanisms, and exclusive identity narratives. The required critical religious literacy includes the ability to identify narratives, verify sources and authorities, understand context, compare perspectives, evaluate arguments, reflect, and respond responsibly to information. The research formulated a strengthening model through the stages of information access, narrative identification, verification, contextualization, evaluation, reflection, responsible response, and youth resilience. This model positions mosque youth not merely as objects of protection but as agents of digital community resilience. The research findings confirm that preventing cyber-extremism requires strengthening critical capacity, not simply increasing religious knowledge or restricting access to digital content.
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