Mitigating Habaib Lineage Polemic: Rabithah Alawiyah's Dakwah Strategy on Social Media

Abstract

Abstract. The rapid spread of unverified information regarding the Habaib lineage on social media currently threatens ukhuwah Islamiyah and the authority of Islamic scholarship. This digital phenomenon created a severe public trust crisis for Rabithah Alawiyah as the sole authoritative lineage institution in Indonesia. Therefore, this research aims to analyze the dakwah communication strategy of Rabithah Alawiyah in mitigating the ongoing polemic. This study employs a qualitative descriptive method to explore the organizational response. Primary and secondary data were comprehensively collected through in-depth interviews with an expert historian and rigorous discourse analysis of the institution's official digital narratives. Subsequently, the collected data were processed through thematic coding and analyzed using William L. Benoit's Image Repair Theory framework. The findings indicate that Rabithah Alawiyah effectively utilized persuasive and educative approaches based on the Islamic principle of tabayyun. By systematically presenting objective historical data validations and implementing corrective actions, the institution clarified widespread disinformation while successfully restoring its public image. In conclusion, integrating modern crisis communication strategies with prophetic ethics is highly effective in preserving the authority of Islamic scholarship and communal harmony. It is suggested that future researchers utilize quantitative methods to statistically measure the audience's reception toward these clarification messages.