Da’wah as Civilizational Infrastructure: Rethinking the Aceh–Türkiye Knowledge Network in Islamic Education and Scientific Exchange

Abstrak

This article reconceptualizes da’wah as a civilizational infrastructure that integrates spiritual guidance with intellectual and technological advancement within the Aceh–Türkiye transregional network. Using an exploratory qualitative approach, the study draws on archival letters, classical Islamic texts, and ethnographic insights from pesantren, majlis taklīm, and Sufi ṭarīqas to explore how religious devotion historically intersected with knowledge production and social transformation. The research finds that sixteenth-century exchanges between Aceh and the Ottoman Empire included both religious manuscripts and maritime innovations, underpinned by a shared Islamic worldview. Contemporary Acehnese pesantren continue this legacy by combining traditional Islamic education with subjects such as astronomy, mathematics, and governance. The study introduces the concept of “civilizational da’wah” to highlight its function as a dynamic system of intellectual mobility, ethical leadership formation, and social resilience—beyond ritual preaching. This model advances Islamic epistemology by integrating civilizational theory and network methodologies. Practically, it offers a framework for educators, policymakers, and religious leaders to embed spiritual depth and intellectual vitality into Islamic education while shaping future-oriented fields such as Islamic fintech, AI ethics, and global Islamic governance.