Intercultural Da’wah Approach: The Role of The Special Da’wah Unit, The Islamic Da’wah Centre in Reaching Non-Muslim Indigenous Groups in Brunei Darussalam

Abstract

Islamic da’wah in multicultural societies such as Brunei Darussalam demands a culturally sensitive and inclusive approach to effectively engage non-Muslim indigenous groups. The Special Da‘wah Unit under the Islamic Da‘wah Centre plays a pivotal role in delivering intercultural da‘wah, especially to communities such as the Dusun, Murut, and Bisaya, who retain distinct ancestral beliefs and often associate Islam with Malay socio-political identity. This association contributes to hesitation toward da‘wah outreach. Despite the growing interest in intercultural da’wah, limited empirical research exists on how da‘wah approaches are contextualised in Brunei Darussalam. Therefore, this study addressed that gap by exploring the da‘wah approach opted by the Special Da’wah Unit through a phenomenological methodology. Data were gathered from semi-structured interviews with experienced intercultural da'i from the unit, alongside document analysis and literature review. Findings revealed the implementation of da’wah bi al-hal rooted in the Qur’anic principles of al-ta’aruf (mutual acquaintance), al-tafahum (mutual understanding), and al-ta’awun (mutual assistance). Da‘wah approaches are delivered through trust-building, social service, and relational presence. This approach allows non-Muslims to encounter Islam organically within their social and cultural contexts.