Abstract
This study aims to analyze the Buya Yahya’s political communication rhetoric in the discourse “Is it permissible for ulama to engage in politics?” within the tradition of Nahdlatul Ulama. This research employs a qualitative approach using Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), focusing on three dimensions: text, discursive practice, and social practice. The analysis is further enriched by Aristotle’s classical rhetoric (ethos, pathos, logos) and Islamic communication principles (qaulan sadīdan, qaulan balīghan, qaulan layyinan, and qaulan karīman). The findings reveal that Buya Yahya’s rhetoric is constructed through simple, persuasive, and contextual language strategies that frame ulama as moral authorities in politics rather than as practical power actors. At the textual level, the rhetoric is characterized by moderate diction, everyday analogies, and a polite communicative style; at the discursive level, the discourse is rooted in pesantren traditions and disseminated through digital media; while at the social level, it represents the moderate paradigm of Nahdlatul Ulama, emphasizing a balance between religion and politics. Overall, this rhetoric reflects a moderate-accommodative stance that positions ulama as ethical guides in contemporary democratic life.