Between Revelation and Digitality: A Gadamerian Qur’anic Hermeneutics of Prophet Jonah and the #KaburAjaDulu Phenomenon

Abstract

The emergence of the hashtag #KaburAjaDulu on various social media platforms represents a manifestation of psychosocial distress, structural criticism and the younger generation’s urge to escape the economic pressures and public policies perceived as failing to prioritise their interests. This qualitative, literature-based study aims to contextualise the Qur’anic narrative of the story of Prophet Jonah in Surah al-Anbiya’, verse 37, using Hans-Georg Gadamer’s hermeneutic framework. By engaging the Qur’an’s historical-textual horizon (ḍiyq al-ṣadr, mughāḍiban, fa ẓanna an la naqdira ‘alaihi, al-ẓulumāt, salaf min al-‘ibādah) with the contemporary horizon of digital netizens. This study found that the act of ‘running away’ without proper preparation risks triggering a new and more severe crisis. The story of Prophet Jonah offers a paradigm shift: the pressures of life must be faced with patience, the cultivation of spirituality through prayer, and the enhancement of one’s capacity through self-purification and the discovery of the truth in one’s choices, so as to subsequently contribute actively to the welfare of the nation. This research highlights a dual responsibility: it urges the government to treat this phenomenon as an early warning indicator to promptly reform the labour market ecosystem and ensure the welfare of human resources in order to prevent the loss of top talent, whilst simultaneously guiding the younger generation to manage personal crises rationally and spiritually.