Seventeenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

The Salafists’ ideological preaching in Morocco is marked by the use of different languages, specific vocabulary aimed at constituting religious doctrines and mobilizing young Moroccans against corruption and elite control. Since the Arab spring, the Salafist discourse has become laden with words and expressions that mobilize and entice a young desperate population to embark on a life of struggle against social injustice and ‘’Makhzen’’ authority. This research examines: 1) languages used in media (YouTube videos) and sermons to transmit the Salafist ideologies and the kinds of audience they target 2) the use of rhetorical devices as well as frequent religious words in their discourse and their effects on the perceptions of young Moroccans. My preliminary research (sermons on YouTube and Islamic gathering) has shown that the Salafists employ Moroccan Arabic to target laymen and Modern Standard Arabic as well as French to accommodate to the elite. Moreover, Salafists use rhetorical devices and words, such as Firdaws (highest level of paradise and (3iqab) retribution – words that relate to death and fear but also to reward, moralizing the audience to counteract the corrupted system and earn legitimacy within the hierarchical structure of Moroccan governance. Interestingly, the semiotic use of Arabic is also important to (de)construct images/thoughts of young Moroccans, creating a pattern of Salafist ideology in their minds.