Islamic learning through social media among muslim youth: a systematic review of religious engagement, identity, and participation (2011–2026)

Abstract

Social media now sits alongside the mosque, family, and classroom as an ordinary setting in which Muslim youth encounter religious knowledge, yet evidence on Islamic learning remains fragmented across disciplines. This review addresses that fragmentation. Following PRISMA 2020 and the SPIDER framework, a Scopus search using TITLE-ABS-KEY(Islam AND "social media" AND ("Generation Z" OR youth)) identified 62 records published between 2011 and 2026. Screening based on document type, language, and topical relevance was documented through an auditable decision matrix, with an independent rule-based re-screening yielding 95.2% agreement (Cohen's κ = 0.88). Eighteen empirical journal articles were retained and appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT 2018), with no study excluded on quality grounds. Two research questions examined how social media facilitates Islamic learning and religious engagement (RQ1) and the reported patterns of religious understanding, identity, and participation (RQ2). The synthesis shows that digital Islamic learning involves an ecology of access, interactive and multimodal instruction, and peer validation, making source credibility a core competence. Religious understanding, identity, and participation emerge as interconnected processes through which young Muslims engage with digital audiences. The review further suggests that digital spaces complement and reconfigure rather than displace established religious authority, which increasingly operates through interactive credibility and peer trust. Because the evidence is predominantly qualitative and concentrated in Indonesia, findings remain context-bounded. Key methodological gaps include validated measures of digital piety, controlled online–offline comparisons, and longitudinal research, providing directions for future studies.