Critical analysis of Salafi discourse in the poetry of Hashem al-Rifai based on the model of Norman Fairclough

Introduction

Considering that today Salafiism has become a discourse in the socio-political arena and Hashim al-Rifa'i as an Egyptian Islamist poet has represented the Salafist thought in his poems, the critical analysis of the Salafist discourse in Rifai's poetry is an issue that is examined in this research to discover and decipher the basics of Salafi discourse and the philosophy of this trend in the poems of Hashim al-Rifaei.





Methodology

The research using Norman Fairclough's critical discourse as a guide. In this sense, three levels of description, interpretation, and explanation were used to study this poetry. This research deals with vocabulary and grammar at the level of description, And at the interpretation level, it examines the situational and intertextual context. At the third level, it explains the philosophy of the Salafist trend in al-Rifai's poetry According to the sociological theories.



Results and Discussion

One of the most significant subjects to have entered the social-political sphere, as well as the literary sphere, in the past 100 years is the idea of Salafism as a realist phenomenon that has since developed into a discourse. This concept, understood idiomatically, is the outcome of a historical trend in Islam that views itself as submissive to the virtuous predecessor (Salaf-e-Saleh) in terms of religious observance and emulates the Prophet of Islam (pbuh), his companions, and subordinates in deeds and beliefs. The Salafi movements, however, which are the result of Ibn Taymiyah's misinterpretations of the ideas of monotheism, polytheism, tradition, and heresy, are what we witness today in the political and social spheres. However, Seyed Jamaluddin Asadabadi, the man who started the changes in Islamic society, was the one who first put out the Salafist discourse, which is seen as a subset of the idea of going back to the original Islam or Islamic fundamentalism. This reformist or moderate Salafi movement aimed to free Islam from imitation and stagnation via moral, cultural, and political rebirth. Seyed Jamal believed that Islam itself holds the key to the salvation of the diseased Islamic community. Hashim Al-Rifaei, an Egyptian Islamist poet is influenced by Seyyed Jamal Al-Din Asadabadi and Mohammad Abdo’s Salafi tendency and Ekhvan al-moslemin jihadi movement deal with issues such as the formation of the Islamic society, returning to authentic Islam and the Qur'an, incompetent rulers, ignorance, neglect and weakness of will in the people, and the fight against colonialism and Jihad.



Conclusion

The analysis of Hashim al-Rifa'i's poems shows that the ruling discourse in al-Rifa'i's court is the Salafism discourse and Islamization of society through jihad and political struggle. The results indicate that Rifai was influenced by the reformist Salafist movement of Seyyed Jamaluddin Asadabadi, and he has represented the basics of patriotism, anti-colonialism, pride in the glorious Islamic past, reforming the rulers, condemning the ignorance and neglect of the people, returning to the Qur'an and the original teachings of the religion, Jihad, non-existence,lake of freedom of speech, the press and unity in his poems. The poet, inspired by the Ekhvan al-Moslemin jihadi movements, believes that jihad is the only way to Islamize the society. Also, widespread political, social and cultural crises in Islamic societies, including the crisis of individual and social identity in the face of modernity, the crisis of the legitimacy of governments, the hegemony of the modern western system, the weakness and decline of Islamic societies, disillusionment with the present and the lack of an alternative indigenous version to reform the society, it caused the formation of Salafi tendencies in the poet. Al-Rifa'i seeks to form an Islamic society, and as an Islamist poet, he emphasizes his Islamic identity against others - supporters of secularism - who threaten his Islamic identity. This state is called separatism in identity. Separation in identity occurs as a result of emphasizing one of the sources of identity, such as religion, language, nationality, etc, and causes a person to be recognized only by this identity in al-Rifaei's court. There is a singular identity that was formed based on the cultural and educational atmosphere of the poet, based on the source of religion. The sum of these factors, along with the failure of western versions to provide a solution to the many crises of Islamic societies, led Al-Rifaei to Consider the Islam as an original divine support to provide a way out of many crises in society believe that the absolute sovereignty of God in all areas of human life and the capacity of Islam to provide an evolved social political system that can be adapted to all times and places, and relying on Islam as a civilized social system A comprehensive and complete religious system that includes the components of a happy worldly and hereafter life and can respond to human needs in all eras in the individual and social spheres.