Salafis and Denial of Metaphors in the Quran

Metaphorical usage is one of the prevalent functions of language. Knowing these usages is a key to understanding holy texts. Knowing these usages is of great importance, and lack of this sort of knowledge leads to some undue conceptions or interpretations of the Quranic verses. Emphasizing literalist understanding, Salafis have denied the existence of metaphors in the Quran. Quoting their views and statements in this regard, the present article studies and criticizes Salafi views indicating that the paradigm of real meaning and metaphor has been the dominant and prevalent paradigm for centuries. So their proposed paradigms such as universal with analogical gradation or genre have never had this position. Hence they can not be good alternatives for that dominant paradigm. Furthermore, Salafi claims are not supported with historical facts, while being stuck in contradictory claims.