The Digital Transformation of Islamic Religious Guidance on The West Semarang Sub-District KUA Website

Abstract

Developments in information technology have driven the transformation of public services and Islamic religious guidance towards digitalisation, including within the Office of Religious Affairs. The KUA website is no longer used solely as a medium for administrative information, but is also utilised as a medium for communication, education, and digital-based Islamic religious guidance. This study aims to analyse the Islamic religious guidance programmes published via the KUA website of West Semarang Sub-district and to examine how the website is utilised as a medium for public services and community development based on religion in the digital era. This study employs a qualitative approach with a descriptive research design. Research data was obtained through observation and documentation of the official website of the KUA of West Semarang Sub-district. The data examined included service menus, articles, news of activities, programme documentation, and various religious service information published via the website. Subsequently, the data was analysed using qualitative descriptive analysis techniques based on the themes of Islamic religious services and guidance found on the website. The research findings indicate that the KUA website for the Semarang Barat sub-district contains various religious services and programmes, such as information on marriage registration, marriage recommendations, information on lost or damaged marriage certificates, marriage counselling, waqf services, marriage guardians and judicial guardians, written authorisation of guardianship, legalisation of marriage certificates, as well as marriage registration services for Muslim Indonesian citizens and foreign nationals. In addition to serving as a medium for public services, the website is also utilised as a medium for Islamic religious guidance through the publication of educational information and community development based on Islamic values. This study demonstrates that the KUA website forms part of the transformation of Islamic religious services and guidance in the digital era, making them more effective, open, and easily accessible to the public.