A MULTIMODAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF THE "FRIDAY BLESSING" VIDEOS BY @SHATURDAY

Abstract

This study examines how digital philanthropy is semiotically represented in TikTok content under the theme “Jumat Berkah” (Friday Blessing) created by Shadira Firdausi Firdausi (@Shaturday). Employing a Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) approach and the Visual Grammar framework developed by Kress and Leeuwen (2006; 2021), this research analyzes five to six selected images extracted from three TikTok videos featuring charitable acts such as the distribution of shoes, hijab hampers, and Umrah prayer kits to various recipients including online motorcycle drivers, Umrah pilgrims near the Grand Mosque in Mecca, and women performing (spiritual retreat) at Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta.

The analysis focuses on three visual metafunction: representational, interactional, and compositional, to understand how meaning is constructed through the integration of visual and textual elements. The representational metafunction highlights the action of giving and receiving as a reflection of empathy, social solidarity, and spiritual piety. The interactional metafunction reveals the use of gaze alignment, social distance, and viewer engagement strategies to create emotional proximity and solidarity between the creator and the audience. Meanwhile, the compositional metafunction demonstrates how visual layout structures through information placement, salience, and framing direct the viewer's attention to the intended moral and spiritual messages.

Moreover, this study explores the relationship between text and image through captions, which function as complementary, anchoring, and meaning-extending elements. In this context, TikTok is positioned not merely as a platform for performative religious expression but also as a dynamic space that facilitates the representation of digital spirituality and affective philanthropy among contemporary Muslim youth.

This research contributes to the field of Multimodal Discourse Analysis and digital religiosity by offering a semiotic mapping of how Islamic values and charitable practices are represented and disseminated via social media. Future research is encouraged to explore how such content influences user behavior, particularly in terms ofreligious engagement and everyday practices, and to develop studies on audience reception, cross-platform comparisons, or longitudinal approaches to understanding the evolving dynamics of online religious communication.