A1 Journal article (refereed)
Motorcycles, minarets, and mullahs : a multimodal critical discourse analysis on Pakistan’s journey to rebrand Islam (2024)

Salam-Salmaoui, R., Salam, S., & Hassan, S. (2024). Motorcycles, minarets, and mullahs : a multimodal critical discourse analysis on Pakistan’s journey to rebrand Islam. Semiotica, Early online. https://doi.org/10.1515/sem-2023-0178

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Salam-Salmaoui, Rauha; Salam, Shazrah; Hassan, Shajee

Journal or series: Semiotica

ISSN: 0037-1998

eISSN: 1613-3692

Publication year: 2024

Publication date: 19/04/2024

Volume: Early online

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH

Place of Publication: Berlin

Publication country: Germany

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sem-2023-0178

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Abstract

This study addresses the issue of how religious authority is negotiated and redefined in the age of digital media, focusing on the case of Raja Zia ul Haq, a Pakistani Muslim cleric. Utilizing Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis, the study posits that Zia ul Haq’s strategic semiotic choices in attire and symbolism serve as calculated maneuvers to navigate complex dialogues of power, identity, and cultural capital. The findings reveal that his appropriation of biker club symbolism disrupts traditional paradigms of Islamic clerical authority in Pakistan. These choices resonate with a younger, digitally savvy audience and function as a form of religious rebranding. The study argues that Zia ul Haq’s semiotic choices challenge monolithic interpretations of Islamic authority, thereby opening new avenues for religious engagement and interpretation. The significance of this work lies in its transnational implications, offering a counter-narrative that challenges prevailing stereotypes about Islamic scholars and suggests new paradigms for understanding religious authority in a globalized world.

Keywords: cultural appropriation; digital media; discourse analysis; semiotics; Islam; Muslims; religiousness; Pakistanis

Free keywords: cultural appropriation; digital media; multimodal critical discourse analysis; Islamic scholars; Pakistan

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Preliminary JUFO rating: 3