After modernism, do conservatism and Wahhabism still exist in Saudi Arabia? Critical discourse analysis on x users' comments about religious sentiment issues

The existence of conservatism and Wahhabism in Saudi Arabia creates a complex discourse in light of the modernism introduced by Saudi Vision 2030. Although much research has been conducted on this topic, none have approached the phenomenon through the lens of social media discourse. To fill the gap in the study, this research examines the existence of Conservatism and Wahhabism as reflected in the comments of internet users concerning the Islamic religious sentiment that emerged on the X platform. This research analyses the contentious event of two non-Muslim women entering the Nabawi Mosque in unsuitable clothing on February 7, 2023, utilising descriptive qualitative methods. The data obtained through internet archive documentation were analysed utilising Theo van Leeuwen's framework. The findings revealed a process of actor exclusion marked by a passivation and actor inclusion utilising differentiation, abstraction, identification, and indeterminacy. The processes and strategies utilized led to a polarisation in the discourse. The emotional discourse observed in the comment section suggests the continued influence of Wahhabism on conservatism within social media discussions. This existence is characterised by Islamic exclusivity, the purification of tauhid, adherence to conservative principles, rejection of modernism, and a literal interpretation of religious texts. The findings of this study indicate that de-conservatisation and de-wahhabisation, integral to the Saudi Vision 2030 program designed to mitigate extremism, do not automatically eliminate this viewpoint from the public sphere. The findings of this study have implications for the advancement of thought studies in the context of modernisation and moderation in Saudi Arabia.