Peace-Oriented Dakwah and Peacebuilding: A Critical Discourse Analysis in Conflict-Affected Middle East Societies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26811/peuradeun.v13i3.2057Keywords:
Islamic Preaching, Peace Discourse, Middle East Conflict, Strategic CommunicationAbstract
Prolonged conflicts in the Middle East have created an urgent need for culturally-grounded peacebuilding strategies, within which Islamic preaching (dakwah) emerges as a potential medium for fostering reconciliation—though its discursive mechanisms remain understudied. This study investigates how dakwah constructs peace-oriented discourse in conflict-affected societies, including Palestine, Syria, and Iraq, by examining its linguistic, narrative, and ideological dimensions. Employing a qualitative critical case study design and Van Dijk’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), we analyzed over sixty sermons, digital content, and interviews with preachers and peace actors from 2021 to 2024. The findings reveal that dakwah actively constructs counter-narratives of justice, compassion, and reconciliation; employs rhetorical strategies such as inclusive pronouns, healing metaphors, and jihad reinterpretation to reframe conflict and promote social cohesion; and positions religious actors as cultural mediators who utilize both sermons and digital platforms to disseminate peace messages. The study concludes that dakwah serves as a transformative form of communication capable of challenging hegemonic conflict narratives. It further proposes a novel CDA-Based Peace Dakwah Framework, offering scholars and practitioners an interdisciplinary tool for peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and Islamic communication studies. This replicable model highlights the potential of religious discourse as soft power in global peacebuilding efforts.
References
Abdullah, Syahri, A., Hamamah, F., Gafur, A., & Sholeh, A. (2024). Fulfillment of The Living Rights of Children the Victims of Divorce in the Muslim Community of Lombok, Indonesia. El-Usrah, 7(1), 253–271. https://doi.org/10.22373/ujhk.v7i1.22281
Abdulqadir, Z. J., Alazzawi, I. T., & Abdurrahman, I. B. (2025). Van Dijk’s Model as a Reading Strategy to Improve EFL University Students’ Output Cognitive Strategies. Asian Journal of Human Services, 28, 126–143. https://doi.org/10.14391/ajhs.28.126
Abu-Nimer, M., & Kadayifci-Orellana, S. A. (2021). Islam and nonviolence. In Nonviolence in the World’s Religions: A Concise Introduction (pp. 102–114). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003006763-8
Afsaruddin, A. (2025). ‘Be Inclined to Peace!’ An Ethics of Peacemaking and Non-Violent Conflict Resolution in the Islamic Milieu. Philosophy And Social Criticism, 51(4), 597–608. https://doi.org/10.1177/01914537251326207
Al-Juboori, A. H., & Mustafa, S. S. (2022). Ideological discursive strategies in the work of American think tanks: A critical discourse analysis. World Journal of English Language, 12(5), 202–213. https://doi.org/10.5430/wjel.v12n5p202
Anufriev, M., Arifovic, J., Donmez, A., Ledyard, J., & Panchenko, V. (2025). IEL-CDA Model: A More Accurate Theory of Behavior in Continuous Double Auctions. Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, 172, 104840. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jedc.2024.104840
Anwar, D. F. (2020). Indonesia’s Contributions to Peaceful Change in International Affairs. In The Oxford Handbook of peaceful Change in International Relations (pp. 551–566). https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190097356.013.34
Assaiqeli, A. (2019). Palestine in UN Discourse: A Critical Discourse Analysis. Journal for the Study of English Linguistics, 8(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.5296/jsel.v8i1.15596
Aziz, M. A. (2024). Ilmu Dakwah Edisi Revisi. Prenada Media.
Bayar, Y., & Gavriletea, M. D. (2018). Peace, Terrorism and Economic Growth in Middle East and North African Countries. Quality and Quantity, 52(5), 2373–2392. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-017-0671-8
Benvenisti, M. (2023). Intimate enemies: Jews and Arabs in a shared land. University of California Press.
Briandana, R., Doktoralina, C. M., Hassan, S. A., & Hasan, W. N. W. (2020). Da’wah Communication and Social Media: The Interpretation of Millennials in southeast Asia. International Journal of Economics and Business Administration, 8(1), 216–226. https://doi.org/10.35808/ijeba/543
Budnik, E., Gaputina, V., & Boguslavskaya, V. (2019). Dynamic of Hashtag Functions Development in New Media Hashtag as an Identificational Mark of Digital Communication in Social Networks. CSIS’2019: Proceedings of the XI International Scientific Conference Communicative Strategies of the Information Society (pp. 1-5). https://doi.org/10.1145/3373722.3373795
Dhulkifli, M. L. (2023). To what Extent Can the Diversity of Qur’anic Tafsir be Described as ‘Traditions of Reason’. Jurnal Studi Ilmu-Ilmu Al-Qur’an Dan Hadis, 24(1), 79–96. https://doi.org/10.14421/qh.v24i1.4303
Don, A. G., Muhamat, R., Hamjah, S. H., Md.Sham, F., Mohd.Nasir, B., Asha’ari, M. F., Tibek, S. R., Ismail, Z., Endot, I., Puteh, A., Ismail, A., & Abd Ghani, M. Z. (2012). Da’wah in the West: An Analysis of the Role of the Islamic Foundation (IF) in Promoting the True Image of Islam. Advances in Natural and Applied Sciences, 6(4 SPL.ISS. 3), 541–544.
Elsayed, K. A., & Yusoff, K. (2012). The Implication of Peace Treaties in Disseminating Da’wah Islamiyah (the Islamic Call) among Non-Muslims: A Special Reference to Hudaibiya Treaty. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 6(7), 204–212. https://www.ajbasweb.com/old/ajbas/2012/July/204-212.pdf https://www.ajbasweb.com/old/ajbas_july_2012.html
Fitriani, M., Thohir, L., & Nawawi, N. (2020). Rhetorical Dakwah Through Characterization Metaphor: “Dakwah Emha Ainun Najib (Cak Nun)”. In Proceedings of the 1st Annual Conference on Education and Social Sciences (ACCESS), pp. 267–270. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.200827.067
Galtung, J., & Fischer, D. (2013). Johan Galtung: Pioneer of Peace Research. Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
Halperin, E., Russell, A. G., Trzesniewski, K. H., Gross, J. J., & Dweck, C. S. (2011). Promoting the Middle East Peace Process by Changing Beliefs About Group Malleability. Science, 333(6050), 1767–1769. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1202925
Hamid, A. (2023). Paradigma Dakwah Syekh Yusuf al-Qaradhawi: Rekontruksi Pemikiran Dakwah Harakah. Merdeka Kreasi Group.
Ichwan, M. N., Mustaqim Pabbajah, & Faizal Amin. (2024). Digitization of Religious Tafsir: The Fading of Indonesian Ulama Authority in Post Truth Era. Jurnal Studi Ilmu-Ilmu Al-Qur’an Dan Hadis, 25(2), 320–345. https://doi.org/10.14421/qh.v25i2.5545
Khoiriyah, N. (2018). Misi Profetik dan Efektivitas Dakwah dalam Perjanjian Hudaibiyah. 16, 175–198. https://doi.org/10.15408/bat.v16i1.4286
Krause, D., Svensson, I., & Larsson, G. (2019). Why is There so Little Shia–Sunni Dialogue? Understanding the Deficit of Intra-Muslim Dialogue and Interreligious Peacemaking. Religions, 10(10), 567. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel10100567
LeMasters, P. (2018). Peaceable Responses to Persecution: The Experience of Eastern Christian Communities in the Middle East. Journal of Ecumenical Studies, 53(3), 386–406. https://doi.org/10.1353/ecu.2018.0026
Lia, Y. (2019). Analisis Wacana Teun A. van Dijk terhadap Pesan Komunikasi Dakwah Habib Luthfi bin Yahya tentang Bela Negara. Jurnal Ilmu Dakwah, 39(1), 15–31. https://doi.org/10.21580/jid.v39.1.4001
Mamdud, R. (2018). Islamic State dan propaganda media: Analisis wacana kritis terhadap teks majalah Dabiq edisi I–III (Doctoral dissertation, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta). UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta. https://digilib.uin-suka.ac.id/id/eprint/32823
Moore, L., & Jacoby, T. (2015). Islam and Conflict Transformation. Peace Review, 27(3), 275–279. https://doi.org/10.1080/10402659.2015.1063367
Muhid, A., & Samsuriyanto, S. (2018). Dakwah Moderat Habib Muhammad Luthfi Bin Yahya di Dunia Virtual Analisis Wacana Teks Media Teun A. Van Dijk. In 2nd Annual COnference for Muslim Scholars (pp. 1079–1092).
Mulia, M., Zulfatmi, Z., Khalil, Z. F., Kurniawan, C. S., & Rizki, D. (2024). Conflict and Consensus in Fiqh Siyasah: The Practice of Islamic Law Across Various Cultures. Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun, 12(3), 1263–1288. https://doi.org/10.26811/peuradeun.v12i3.1363
Muthmainnah, S. (2014). Peran Dakwah dalam Mengatasi Konflik-konflik Sosial Masa Kini. Jurnal Dakwah Tabligh, 15(2), 245–257. https://doi.org/10.24252/jdt.v15i2.352
Noor, M. M., Suyurno, S., & Sairi, F. M. (2023). Badiuzzaman Said Nursi’s Concept of Effective Dakwah Communication: A Study of The 4 Elements of Non-Verbal Communication. International Journal of Law, Government and Communication. https://doi.org/10.35631/ijlgc.832027
Nurdin, R., Abdullah, M., Fahmi, Z., & Darna, A. (2023). The Role of Customary Leaders as Ḥakam in Resolving Divorce: A Case Study in Kuta Alam Subdistrict, Banda Aceh City. El-Usrah, 6(2), 430–443. https://doi.org/10.22373/ujhk.v6i2.12710
Rasyid, A., Lubis, R. F., Hutagalung, M. W. R., Lubis, M. A., Mohd Nor, M. R., & Vinandita, A. (2023). Local Wisdom Recognition in Inter-Ethnic Religious Conflict Resolution in Indonesia from Islah Perspective. Juris: Jurnal Ilmiah Syariah, 22(1), 13–26. https://doi.org/10.31958/juris.v22i1.8432
Ruslan, I., & Irham, M. A. (2022). The Role of Cultural Literacy and Peace Education in Harmonization of Religious Communities. Journal of Social Studies Education Research, 13(3), 174–204. https://www.jsser.org/index.php/jsser/article/view/4335
Sekarwati, S. H. (2016). Suprastruktur dan Makrostruktur Wacana Dakwah dalam Media Sosial Instagram: Tinjauan pada Akun Instagram Ria Yunita (@ riaricis1795). In Prasasti: Conference Series (pp. 705-714). https://jurnal.uns.ac.id/prosidingprasasti/article/view/1654
Selamat, K. (2023). Moderate Islam To Reduce Conflict And Mediate Peace In The Middle East: A Case Of Nahdlatul Ulama And Muhammadiyah. European Journal for Philosophy of Religion, 15(1), 280–300. https://doi.org/10.24204/ejpr.2023.4116
Silverman, D. (2024). Interpreting qualitative data (7th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Sobirin, M. (2018). Kiai Muhaimin and His Outreach Activity of Dakwah for Promoting Moderation and Preventing Conflict: Seeding Pluralism vis-a-vis Preaching Religion. Religia, 21(2), 123-138. https://doi.org/10.28918/religia.v21i2.1505
Sommer, U., & Fassbender, F. (2024). Environmental Peacebuilding: Moving Beyond Resolving Violence-Ridden Conflicts to Sustaining Peace. World Development, 178, 106555. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2024.106555
Sunarwoto. (2016). Salafi Dakwah Radio: A Contest for Religious Authority. Archipel-Etudes Interdisciplinaires Sur Le Monde Insulindien, 91, 203–230. https://doi.org/10.4000/archipel.314
Syaikhu, S., Pelu, I. E. A. S., Badarulzaman, M. H., Ihsan, R. N., & Patrajaya, R. (2024). Community, Family and Animal Conservation Sustainability in the Perspective of Normative Law and Maqasid Sharia. El-Usrah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga, 7(2), 521–540. https://doi.org/10.22373/ujhk.v7i2.25085
Syayfi, S., Anis, A., & Syaifullah, A. (2023). The Wisdom of Prophet Ibrahim’s Da’wah in Surah Maryam. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation, 4(3), 1049-1055. https://doi.org/10.54660/.ijmrge.2023.4.3.1049-1055
Tracy, S. J. (2010). Qualitative Quality: Eight “Big-Tent” Criteria for Excellent Qualitative Research. Qualitative Inquiry, 16(10), 837–851. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077800410383121.
Van Dijk, T. A. (2006). Discourse, Context and Cognition. Discourse Studies, 8(1), 159–177. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461445606059565.
Van Dijk, T. A. (2017). Socio-Cognitive Discourse Studies. In J. Flowerdew & J. E. Richardson (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Critical Discourse Studies (pp. 26–43). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315739342
Wahidi, R., Benny Afwadzi, Syafril, & Riki Rahman. (2025). Tawhid and Qur’anic Interpretation in Early 20th-Century Minangkabau: A Philological-Theological Study of Abdul Latif Syakur’s al-Tawḥīd (1882–1963). Jurnal Studi Ilmu-Ilmu Al-Qur’an Dan Hadis, 26(2), 327–350. https://doi.org/10.14421/qh.v26i2.6268
Wani, N. U. I. (2024). Peace and Conflict Resolution in Islam: A Perspective Building. Indonesian Journal of Interdisciplinary Islamic Studies, 6(2), 127-152. https://doi.org/10.20885/ijiis.vol6.iss2.art2
Ware, V.-A. (2023). Metaphor in Conflict Transformation: Using Arts to Shift Perspectives and Build Empathy. European Journal of Development Research, 35(4), 914–937. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41287-022-00546-w
Williams, M. (2016). Youth, Peace, and Security: A New Agenda for the Middle East and North Africa. Journal of International Affairs, 69(2), 103–114. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26494340
Wodak, R., & Meyer, M. (2015). Methods of critical discourse studies. sage.
Yahya, Y. K. (2019). Pengaruh penyebaran Islam di Timur Tengah dan Afrika Utara: Studi Geobudaya dan Geopolitik. Al-Tsaqafa: Jurnal Ilmiah Peradaban Islam, 16(1), 44–62. https://doi.org/10.15575/al-tsaqafa.v16i1.4272
Yakub, M. (2018). Dakwah Mediasi: Perspektif Sejarah Islam. Wardah, 18(2), 131-146. https://doi.org/10.19109/wardah.v18i2.1779
Younes, R. (2024). The Road to Sustainable Peace: Galtung’s Concept of Positive Peace as a Framework to Examine Post-War Reconstruction Initiatives in Syria. International Journal of Educational Development, 111, 1031164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2024.103164
Zainab, I., Wan-Ibrahim, W. A., & Asyraf, H. A. R. (2014). Da’wah Applications in Counseling Process. Middle - East Journal of Scientific Research, 20(11), 1449–1452. https://doi.org/10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2014.20.11.21076
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Abdul Hamid, M. Firdaus, Badrah Uyuni, Hafiz Shuaib Farooq (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms: (1) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC-BY-SA) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal; (2) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal; (3) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website), as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
