Diffusion of Religious Discourse: A Study on the TikTok Platform ‘Cigarettes with Merit Value’ from the Perspective of Everett Rogers

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47766/almabhats.v11i1.7609

Keywords:

Diffusion of Innovations, Religious Authority, Religious Discourse, Social Media

Abstract

The phenomenon of the spread of controversial religious discourse on social media has become a serious concern in digital communication studies, given its significant impact on the religious perception of the wider community. This study aims to analyze the diffusion process of the statement "cigarettes are worth a reward" on social media using Everett Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations theory. The approach used is qualitative descriptive-analytical, with data sources consisting of literature reviews, scientific articles, and online media reports related to the phenomenon. The analysis is conducted through Rogers' stages, which include knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, and confirmation. The analysis also identifies the roles of diffusion actors such as opinion leaders, influencers, and netizens in the dissemination process. The results show that the statement spread non-linearly through various digital platforms particularly TikTok and Instagram with a variety of public responses ranging from support and rejection to satire. Social media algorithms and viral culture have been shown to play a significant role in shaping the dynamics of religious discourse in the digital space, making digital literacy and religious moderation urgently necessary.

References

Adeline Kinanti (Tim tvOnenews). (2025, 11 November). Kontroversi Gus Elham Yahya bilang merokok bisa dapat pahala, dokter angkat bicara: Rokok tuh pengaruh ke hipertensi! tvOnenews.com. https://www.tvonenews.com/lifestyle/kesehatan/388277-kontroversi-gus-elham-yahya-bilang-merokok-bisa-dapat-pahala-dokter-angkat-bicara-rokok-tuh-pengaruh-ke-hipertensi

Alfarabi, B. F., Rahman, A., Setiawan, E. B., & Galib, A. (2025). Cyberculture dan masyarakat digital. Open Access, 10(11).

AlMazaedh, I., Tahat, K. M., Alkhalaileh, M., & Tahat, D. N. (2026). Digital religion in platform societies: Authority, mediation, and social cohesion in algorithmic publics (2010–2025). Frontiers in Sociology, 11, 1802281. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2026.1802281

Amin, H., Aslan, A., & Ram, S. W. (2025). Pengaruh cyberculture pada tradisi keagamaan: Studi literatur tentang adaptasi dan transformasi budaya. Sibatik Journal: Jurnal Ilmiah Bidang Sosial, Ekonomi, Budaya, Teknologi, dan Pendidikan, 4(6), 811–822. https://doi.org/10.54443/sibatik.v4i6.2818

Andok, M. (2024). The impact of online media on religious authority. Religions, 15(9), 1103. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15091103

Antara News. (2020, 24 Januari). Muhammadiyah: Fatwa haram rokok upaya koreksi kiblat bangsa. Antara News. https://www.antaranews.com/berita/1263323/muhammadiyah-fatwa-haram-rokok-upaya-koreksi-kiblat-bangsa

Arum Rindu Sekar Kasih, T. M. (2024, 28 Mei). Transformasi ruang publik digital: Studi kasus komentar netizen dalam akun curhat. Kajian Linguistik dan Sastra. https://journals2.ums.ac.id/kls/article/view/5068/1614

Berger, J., & Milkman, K. L. (2012). What makes online content viral? Journal of Marketing Research, 49(2), 192–205. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmr.10.0353

Cahyadi, O. F. (2021). Kepemimpinan transformatif, keputusan inovatif di era disrupsi. Prosiding Seminar Nasional Pemberdayaan Pendidik dan Kependidikan di Era Disrupsi Teknologi, 1(1), 177–184.

Campbell, H. (2010). Religious authority and the blogosphere. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 15(2), 251–276. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2010.01519.x

Campbell, H. A. (2017). Surveying theoretical approaches within digital religion studies. New Media & Society, 19(1), 15–24. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444816649912

Cheong, P. H. (2014). Tweet the message? Religious authority and social media innovation. Journal of Religion, Media and Digital Culture, 3(3), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1163/21659214-90000059

CNN Indonesia. (2025, 12 November). Ramai dikecam, Gus Elham minta maaf soal cium anak-anak perempuan. CNN Indonesia. https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20251112120640-20-1294655/ramai-dikecam-gus-elham-minta-maaf-soal-cium-anak-anak-perempuan

Detikcom. (2025, 12 November). Gus Elham minta maaf usai videonya cium anak di panggung viral. detikJatim. https://www.detik.com/jatim/berita/d-8206458/gus-elham-minta-maaf-usai-videonya-cium-anak-di-panggung-viral

Evolvi, G. (2022). Religion and the internet: Digital religion, (hyper)mediated spaces, and materiality. Zeitschrift für Religion, Gesellschaft und Politik, 6(1), 9–25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41682-021-00087-9

Febrian, H. (2024). Visualizing authority: Rise of the religious influencers on Instagram. Social Media + Society, 10(4), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051241286850

Guadagno, R. E., Rempala, D. M., Murphy, S., & Okdie, B. M. (2013). What makes a video go viral? An analysis of emotional contagion and Internet memes. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(6), 2312–2319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.04.016

Gus Elham Yahya | TikTok muhputra417. (t.t.). Diambil 25 April 2026, dari https://www.tiktok.com/@muhputra417/video/7523950509733022981

Hamdani, A. R. (2023). Fatwa in the digital age: Online mufti, social media, and alternative religious authority. Hikmatuna: Journal for Integrative Islamic Studies, 9(1), 53–63. https://doi.org/10.28918/hikmatuna.v9i1.966

Hasanah, H. (2017). Peran opinion leader dalam sistem dakwah (Analisis difusi jaringan komunikasi). Islamic Communication Journal, 2(2), 184–199. https://doi.org/10.21580/icj.2017.2.2.2168

Hidayatullah, R. (2024). Otoritas keagamaan digital: Pembentukan otoritas Islam baru di ruang digital. Jurnal Ilmu Ushuluddin.

Hilalludin. (2025, 1 Juni). Anak muda, media sosial, dan agama yang cair: Fenomenologi hijrah digital di Indonesia. Al-Bayan: Jurnal Hukum dan Ekonomi Islam. https://stainwsamawa.ac.id/jurnal/index.php/Al-Bayan/article/view/403/125

Hjarvard, S. (2011). The mediatisation of religion: Theorising religion, media and social change. Culture and Religion, 12(2), 119–135. https://doi.org/10.1080/14755610.2011.579719

Hotait, N., & Ali, R. (2024). Exploring (anti-)radicalism on TikTok: German Islamic content creators between advocacy and activism. Religions, 15(10), 1172. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15101172

Irmayanti Ade, S. M. (2022, 14 Maret). Difusi inovasi dakwah digital pada komunitas @remisyaofficial di Instagram dalam mempersuasi program dakwah di kalangan remaja. Medium: Jurnal Ilmiah Fakultas Ilmu Komunikasi. https://journal.uir.ac.id/index.php/Medium/article/view/19557/7555

Iryani, J., & Syam, N. (2023). Peran media sosial dalam menyebarkan pesan agama dan perubahan sosial. Pusaka, 11(2), 359–372. https://doi.org/10.31969/pusaka.v11i2.1242

JatimTimes. (2025, 11 November). 3 kontroversi Gus Elham: Dari celupkan tangan di air hingga sebut hisapan rokok dapat pahala. JatimTimes. https://jatimtimes.com/baca/349370/20251111/084800/3-kontroversi-gus-elham-dari-celupkan-tangan-di-air-hingga-sebut-hisapan-rokok-dapat-pahala

Kartikawati, D. (2018). Implementasi difusi inovasi pada kemampuan media baru dalam membentuk budaya populer (Kajian pada media YouTube di kalangan remaja). Jurnal Ilmu Komunikasi. https://ejournal.upnvj.ac.id/JEP/article/view/447/367

Kompas.com. (2025a, 29 November). Segini jumlah pengguna media sosial di Indonesia saat ini. Kompas Tekno. https://tekno.kompas.com/read/2025/11/29/19000027/segini-jumlah-pengguna-media-sosial-di-indonesia-saat-ini

Kompas.com. (2025b, 4 Desember). 10 media sosial terpopuler di Indonesia 2025, TikTok dan WhatsApp mendominasi. Kompas Tekno. https://tekno.kompas.com/read/2025/12/04/12350007/10-media-sosial-terpopuler-di-indonesia-2025-tiktok-dan-whatsapp-mendominasi

Ma’unatul Hamidah, Y. S. Y. H. (2022, 9 November). Etika komunikasi netizen di media sosial (Analisis komentar terkait konten keagamaan di media X). Journal of Da’wah and Communication. https://e-journal.uingusdur.ac.id/iqtida/article/view/8078/2266

Mailin, Rembe, G., & Ar-Ridho, A. (2022). Teori media/teori difusi inovasi. Jurnal Guru Kita, 6.

Manuella, S., & Perdani SP, N. (2023). Pengaruh tingkat literasi digital terhadap etika penggunaan media sosial Instagram pada siswa-siswi SMA Negeri 2 Pekanbaru. Anuva: Jurnal Kajian Budaya, Perpustakaan, dan Informasi, 7(2), 263–274. https://doi.org/10.14710/anuva.7.2.263-274

Mulyana A. Aziz, Y., Judijanto, L., Huda, A. N., Nadila, D., Sutadi, N. F., Septiadi, M. A., Ningrum, D. W. N., Gunawan, S., Sulastri, L., & Susanti, S. (2026). Kebijakan publik di era narasi digital. Penerbit Buku Sonepia.

Nawaffani, M. M. (2023). Dakwah digital dan dakwah mimbar: Analisis peran dan dampak dalam era digitalisasi. Sanaamul Quran: Jurnal Wawasan Keislaman, 4(2), 143–161. https://doi.org/10.62096/tsaqofah.v4i2.57

Nikolinakou, A., & King, K. W. (2018). Viral video ads: Emotional triggers and social media virality. Psychology & Marketing, 35(10), 715–726. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21129

Nurhamidin, B., Mokodenseho, S., Mokodompit, H., Bahansubu, A., & Rumondor, P. (2025). Transformasi otoritas keagamaan di era digital: Analisis sosiologis terhadap pergeseran pola otoritas ulama di media sosial. Journal of Educational and Religious Perspectives, 1(1), 39–48. https://jurnal-muqaddimah.or.id/index.php/al-muqaddimah/article/view/19

Peranginangin, I. F. D., Lubis, P. R., & Batubara, M. Q. (2025). Dinamika media massa dan perubahan sosial di Indonesia. Komunikologi: Jurnal Pengembangan Ilmu Komunikasi dan Sosial, 9(2), 58. https://doi.org/10.30829/komunikologi.v9i2.26943

Pratama, R. D., & Arisman. (2026). Budaya viral dan etika Islam di media sosial: Studi sosiologis atas reaksi publik terhadap kasus tumbler Tuku. Al-Zayn: Jurnal Ilmu Sosial & Hukum, 4(1), 3956–3966. https://doi.org/10.61104/alz.v4i1.3784

Ramadhani, V. O. (2026). Pergeseran otoritas keagamaan pada era digital: Studi tentang persepsi masyarakat terhadap ulama dan pesantren di media sosial. Journal of Global Dakwah and Community. https://ejournal.stidkinu.ac.id/index.php/JADE/article/view/84/193

Republika. (2023, 12 Juni). Hukum merokok menurut Muhammadiyah, NU, dan MUI. Republika Online. https://islamdigest.republika.co.id/berita/rw4nrw366/hukum-merokok-menurut-muhammadiyah-nu-dan-mui

Retha Dianita, Jumrahayani, A. A. (2023). Proses keputusan inovasi program bahan ajar buku saku takhasus di SD Islam Plus Karakter. Jurnal Pendidikan dan Konseling, 5, 2036–2039.

Rieka Yulita Widaswara, I. B. K. Y. P. (2016). Difusi inovasi dan adopsi media sosial sebagai media komunikasi di era pembelajaran daring. Riau Journal of Computer Science, 2(1), 13–22.

Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). Free Press.

Rosita Kumala Dewi, M. R. P. (2025, 31 Desember). Kritik sosial netizen terhadap identitas LGBTQ+ dalam ruang digital: Studi kasus @awbimax. Komunikatif: Jurnal Ilmu Komunikasi. https://journal.ukwms.ac.id/index.php/KOMUNIKATIF/article/view/7657/5588

Rusmiarti, D. A. (2015). Analisis difusi inovasi dan pengembangan budaya kerja pada organisasi pemerintah (hlm. 85–100).

Sapina, N., Nanda, A., Arifin, M. A., Rahmaddeni, R., & Efrizoni, L. (2025). Analisis faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi engagement video di platform TikTok menggunakan multiple linear regression. MALCOM: Indonesian Journal of Machine Learning and Computer Science, 5(3), 875–885. https://doi.org/10.57152/malcom.v5i3.1987

Sierocki, R. (2024). Algorithms and faith: The meaning, power, and causality of algorithms in Catholic online discourse. Religions, 15(4), 431. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15040431

St. Lawrence, E. (2024). The algorithm holy: TikTok, technomancy, and the rise of algorithmic divination. Religions, 15(4), 435. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15040435

Supriani, I., Ninglasari, S. Y., & Iswati, S. (2025). How social media influencers form Muslim consumers’ halal cosmetics purchase intention: Religiosity concern. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 16(2), 502–525. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-02-2024-0085

Syamraeni, Sholichah, H., & Fauzi, A. H. A. (2024). Transformasi nilai religius di era digital: Analisis literatur berdasarkan tujuan hifz al-‘aql. Socio Religia, 5(2), 93–110.

Taufikin, & Muna, S. N. (2025, 29 Juni). Da’wah in the TikTok era: Analyzing Gus Miftah’s rhetoric, controversy, and community character education impact. Jurnal Ilmu Dakwah. https://journal.walisongo.ac.id/index.php/dakwah/article/view/25646/6898

Tempo.co. (2025, 12 November). Permintaan maaf Elham Yahya soal videonya saat mencium anak di pengajian. Tempo.co. https://www.tempo.co/politik/permintaan-maaf-elham-yahya-soal-videonya-saat-mencium-anak-di-pengajian-2088865

Tirto.id. (2025, 14 November). Kronologi lengkap Gus Elham viral hingga dua kali minta maaf. Tirto.id. https://tirto.id/kronologi-lengkap-gus-elham-viral-hingga-dua-kali-minta-maaf-hlLm

tvOnenews. (2025, 11 November). Tak hanya mencium bibir anak kecil, pernyataan Gus Elham soal merokok dapat pahala bikin geger: Setiap hisapan… tvOnenews.com. https://www.tvonenews.com/lifestyle/trend/388356-tak-hanya-mencium-bibir-anak-kecil-pernyataan-gus-elham-soal-merokok-dapat-pahala-bikin-geger-setiap-hisapan

Wahyudi, R. F. (2023). Fenomena meme dan ruang publik dalam media sosial. Al-Munzir, 15(2), 159. https://doi.org/10.31332/am.v15i2.3437

Zaid, B., Fedtke, J., Shin, D. D., El Kadoussi, A., & Ibahrine, M. (2022). Digital Islam and Muslim millennials: How social media influencers reimagine religious authority and Islamic practices. Religions, 13(4), 335. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13040335

Downloads

Published

2026-06-30

How to Cite

Aulia, E., Aisyah, N., Afifah, N., & Erawati, D. (2026). Diffusion of Religious Discourse: A Study on the TikTok Platform ‘Cigarettes with Merit Value’ from the Perspective of Everett Rogers. Al Mabhats : Jurnal Penelitian Sosial Agama, 11(1), 55–70. https://doi.org/10.47766/almabhats.v11i1.7609

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.