Da’i credibility in the post-truth era: a study of da’i in Surabaya

The development of media technology and the level of one's ability to use social media to be one of the triggers for the birth of the post-truth era, an era in which too much truth will become a lie. Da'wah in the post-truth era requires the credibility of a competent preacher to bring people back so that they are not lulled by the flow of technological development. This study aims to describe the methods of da’i (Islamic preachers) in building and increasing their credibility in the post-truth era in Surabaya. The study conducted by descriptive-qualitative and the data collection techniques used interview and observation. Data were analyzed by the perspective of the source credibility theory. The results of study describe that building and increasing its credibility, a da’i uses several methods applied in preaching in the post-truth era by including his scientific ‘sanad’ clearly, using the main literature as reference material such as classic books that are synergized with contemporary literature (internet), having written works that have been published, and sorting diction messages in accordance with mad’u or the communicant situation.