platform sociality and the evolution of the islamic ummah: a theoretical model

The concept of the ummah, the global community of muslims, has historically been bound by geographical proximity, shared physical spaces, and traditional scholarly networks. the advent of digital platforms has fundamentally disrupted these bonds, giving rise to new forms of 'platform sociality' that are reshaping islamic discourse, authority, and communal identity. this article proposes a theoretical model for understanding this evolution. it employs a systematic literature review to synthesize existing research at the intersection of digital religion, islamic studies, and media theory. through a qualitative conceptual analysis, the article constructs a model arguing that the ummah is transitioning from a spatially-bound imagined community to a digitally-mediated 'networked ummah.' this model elucidates the core mechanisms of this transformation: the reconfiguration of religious authority, the emergence of affective publics, and the algorithmic curation of belief and practice. the article concludes by discussing the implications for islamic solidarity, theological orthodoxy, and proposing empirical avenues for future research.