Representing Dakwah Bil Hal in Indonesian Popular Literature: A Semiotic Analysis of Ali’s Character in the Novel Matahari

Abstract

The rapid development of the digital era has transformed people’s patterns of information consumption and contributed to the declining reading interest among younger generations. In this context, popular novels emerge as an alternative medium that functions not only as entertainment but also as a channel for conveying moral and religious values. This study aims to analyze the representation of da’wah in Tere Liye's novel Matahari through the character Ali, using Roland Barthes’ semiotic approach. The research examines how Ali’s actions, dialogue, and symbolic representations reflect the values of dakwah bil hal in Indonesian popular literature. This study employed a qualitative approach based on Roland Barthes’ semiotic analysis, which comprises three levels of meaning: denotation, connotation, and myth. Primary data were obtained from the novel Matahari, while secondary data were collected from various scholarly works related to semiotics, da’wah communication, and literary studies. Data collection techniques included documentation, close reading, and the classification of dialogues, narratives, actions, and symbols associated with the representation of da’wah in Ali’s character. The findings reveal that Ali represents da’wah values through social actions, respect for sacrifice, tolerance, solidarity, responsibility, and concern for others. At the connotative and mythological levels, Ali is constructed as an ideal representation of a young Muslim generation that is intelligent, humanistic, and adaptive to social change. This study demonstrates that popular novels can function as an effective medium of da’wah communication in promoting religious and humanitarian values within contemporary digital society.