Language and Construction Religion Identity

Abstract

This thesis aimed at describing Salafism community. As a religion community, Salafism wanted theological practices as it was in the rightous ancestor (salaf ash-shalih) era. In fact, the theological practices were portrayed not only in the way of wearing dresses, but also in practicing Arabic language during communicating within the community. They called each other with Akhi/Ukhti (brother/sister) in dialy conversation. Interestingly, this calling did not merely distinguish man and woman. But, there was an ideological charge that became the rationality to use the term of Akhi/Ukhti. This research was a field research that use qualitative approach. The data were collected by purposive sampling, selecting informants based on certain criteria, either from the board of Ibnu Sina (takmir / takmirah) mosque or from the da'wah institution of the Faculty of Medicine "Kalam" and the members of the discussion group (kajian). In this case, the researchers took 12 people both as samples and informants. The data collection technique was observation and in-depth interviews (field interview), and collecting data in the form of photos, magazines, books, videos and websites that became the official reference of the subjects studied.

Using the theoretical analysis framework of language theory by Julia Kristeva, researchers found that language is an important medium in the process of reconstruction and reproduction of identity that occur continuously in everyday life. Akhi/Ukhti calling was considered as the form of reconstructing their Muslims identity that had been owned. Regarding the use of language akhi/ikhwan and ukhti/akhwat, researchers employed the theory of Pierre Bourdieu