Redefining religious authority: how Dato' Seri Dr. Haji Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri uses X (formerly Twitter) to share Islamic insights and engage with modern issues

Shah Jahan, Shah Nur Anniesa and A. Rashid, Siti Maisarah and Zamri, Nurin Alya and Razali, Khairil Azwar (2025) Redefining religious authority: how Dato' Seri Dr. Haji Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri uses X (formerly Twitter) to share Islamic insights and engage with modern issues. INTERNATIONAL YOUNG SCHOLARS JOURNAL OF LANGUAGES, 8 (1). pp. 1-19. E-ISSN 0128-2573

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Abstract

This research is categorized under communication studies, which employ the interconnection between religion and media. X (formerly Twitter) has been chosen as it promotes the elements of engagement far beyond the other social media applications; more specifically, the use of X by Malaysian religious figures now prioritizes this platform to engage with the audience. Dato’ Seri Haji Zulkifli was chosen as his account is remarkable among other muftis, with the highest followers on X, demonstrating his noticeable influence on that platform. This article aims to investigate the patterns of engagement used by Dato’ Seri Haji Zulkifli and analyze how the patterns contribute to facilitating the discourse. Using a mixed-method approach, 215 tweets between January 2023 and March 2024 were examined using basic descriptive statistics and thematic content coding. According to the results, posts classified as "direct answer/clarification" received the most interaction and visibility, but posts classified as "promotional" or "casual content" received less engagement. These findings suggest that preserving digital religious authority and effectively interacting with audiences on digital platforms relied heavily on clarity, relevance, and an authoritative tone.

Item Type:	Article (Journal)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Religious Authority, Religious discourse, thematic analysis, public sphere, X (Twitter)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BP Islam. Bahaism. Theosophy, etc > BP1 Islam > BP173.63 Islam and civil society B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BP Islam. Bahaism. Theosophy, etc > BP1 Islam > BP174 The Practice of Islam > BP185.7 Mass media and telecommunication in Islam H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) > H61.8 Communication of information
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Sustainable Tourism and Contemporary Languages
Depositing User:	Dr Khairil Azwar Razali
Date Deposited:	19 Aug 2025 16:27
Last Modified:	19 Aug 2025 16:27
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/122743

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