Critical Discourse Analysis of Ahlam Nasr’s Poems using Laclau and Mouffe’ Theory

Critical discourse analysis, by involving factors such as ideology and power, has a better linguistic capability than other methods. Laclau and Mouffe's theory is suitable for explaining social and political phenomena due to the introduction of critical discourse analysis to the world of politics and society. The main purpose of this study was to analyze the critical discourse of Ahlam Nasr's poems as a poet of "Islamic state of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) using Laclau and Muffe’s theory. The importance of the present study is the need to recognize the ideas of ISIL propagandists to counter their actions in the community. The findings showed that the central signifier of this discourse is the formation of the Islamic Caliphate and jihad, migration, conquest of the world and Sharia are detailed around it. Based on the empty signifier of the early centuries of Islam, Ahlam Nasr has proposed the central signifier of the formation of the caliphate. The floating sign in his poems is an example of the twelve caliphs of Quraysh who introduce him to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by using the title of “Al-Husseini”. The central symbol and discourse are highlighted in these poems, as well as the concept of security in the government of Bashar al-Assad and nationalist symbols such as language and race. Ahlam Nasr, by comparing “Abu Bakr Baghdadi” to “Ibrahim” (AS) and ISIS to the companions of the Prophet (PBUH) and associating the battle of “Qadisiyah” and the defeat of the Iranians, has metaphorized the discourse of his poems and thus a bright future free of problems. And thus promises a good future, free of current problems, for the people of ISIL-dominated areas. The result showed that the spirit of Salafism and hostility dominates the discourse of ISIL, which is reflected in the poems of Ahlam Nasr and the actions of ISIL.