Digital Preaching: An Examination of Social Media Utilisation by Islamic Religious Movements in Metropolitan Kano, Northern Nigeria

Abstract

The rapid expansion of digital technologies has transformed religious communication, offering new opportunities and challenges for Islamic preaching in Northern Nigeria. This study examines how Islamic religious movements in Metropolitan Kano utilise social media platforms, particularly Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp, for da'wah and community engagement. Guided by mediatisation theory, the research employs qualitative content analysis of sermons, posts, and digital interactions from Salafi (Izala), Sufi (Tijaniyya and Qadiriyya), and independent clerics. Findings reveal four key dynamics: the reinforcement of traditional clerical authority through scriptural and scholarly grounding; the adaptation of religious messages to address contemporary social issues such as drug abuse, youth morality, and family life; enhanced audience participation enabled by the interactive affordances of social media; and heightened contestation between rival Islamic movements, amplified in the digital sphere. The study concludes that digital preaching in Kano neither displaces mosque-based authority nor merely replicates it, but rather reconstitutes it within a technologically mediated environment shaped by visibility, interactivity, and rivalry. The study contributes to scholarship on digital religion by extending analysis beyond the dominant Pentecostal focus to highlight Islamic contexts in West Africa, while also underscoring practical implications for religious leaders, regulators, and policymakers navigating the intersection of faith, media, and society.