KOMODIFIKASI AGAMA DAN KONTEN TAFSIR AL-QUR'AN KLIKBAIT: STUDI KASUS PERILAKU KREATOR KONTEN DI TIKTOK

Abstract

The rise of TikTok as a short-video platform has transformed how Muslims access Qur'anic exegesis (tafsir), while also encouraging some content creators to package verses and their interpretations in clickbait formats: sensational titles, decontextualized verse fragments, and dramatized narration aimed at maximizing reach and economic gain. This study describes the production patterns of clickbait tafsir content on TikTok, analyzes the economic and algorithmic motives behind creators' behavior, and examines its implications for the scholarly authority of tafsir and public religious understanding. A qualitative case-study approach was used, combining content analysis of hashtagged Qur'anic-tafsir videos on TikTok with in-depth interviews of selected creators. Data were analyzed through data reduction, thematic categorization, interpretation, and conclusion drawing, with validity checked through source triangulation. The findings show that creators tend to simplify, cut, and dramatize tafsir texts to fit engagement-driven algorithmic logic, driven by economic motives such as monetization and endorsements as well as existential motives to build popularity as religious figures. As a result, the classical scholarly authority of tafsir, grounded in chains of transmission (sanad) and scholarly institutions, is shifting toward authority based on digital popularity, risking partial understanding and decontextualization of verses among the public. This study recommends strengthening digital religious literacy, developing ethical guidelines for tafsir content production, and fostering collaboration between content creators and credible tafsir scholarship institutions.