The young Muslims challenging Islam’s status quo

Ashar prayer at Al-Hakim mosque in Padang, Indonesia, on January 28. Indonesian government and religious officials are worried that the rapid growth of the conservative but social-media savvy Islamic movement known as Hijrah could erode the country's more moderate traditions. [Nyimas Laula/The New York Times]

PADANG, Indonesia - A boy band belted out songs about loving the Prophet Muhammad. A young woman wearing a full-face veil was moved to tears by the faith of new converts. Later, the crowd applauded as a 15-year-old girl converted to Islam before their eyes. Many posted selfies on social media, delighting in their shared faith.

The scene was an annual festival in Padang, part of a new conservative Islamic movement in Indonesia known as Hijrah that is attracting millions of believers, many of them young and drawn by celebrity preachers on Instagram.

Islamic conservatism has been on the rise in Indonesia for years, even as the government has long tried to maintain a secular, religiously diverse society. The current iteration in the Hijrah movement is distinct in its use of social media to spread the word, and in its appeal to the young. And its...

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