Islamic Fundamentalism and its Conceptual Alternatives

Sometimes some concepts, due to the excessive use in various fields, become elastic and lose their explanatory power, and also instead of explaining reality, they become the veil of reality. What about the concept of fundamentalism? Does this concept explain what is called fundamentalism? Or should alternative concepts be used? And can the concept of fundamentalism be applied outside of the origins of twentieth-century Protestant America?In answer to these questions, there are two groups in favor (those who believe in the adequacy of the concept of fundamentalism) and those who disagree (those who believe in inadequacy). Lawrence, Riesebrodt, Altemeyer, Summers, Schwartz, and Lindley are among the first to believe in the definition of fundamentalism based on similarities in different religions and cultures. In contrast, proponents of inadequacy, such as Roton, Hunter, Saeed, Bruninson, and Freedman, have criticized the use of fundamentalism in other cultures and religions and sought to falsify the concept. One of these cultures and religions is the Islamic world and the religion of Islam. What about the equivalents of fundamentalism in the Islamic world? To answer this question, 18 experts were interviewed and through the analysis of the content of these interviews, the concepts of literalism (appearances), extremism, fundamentalism, Islamism (political Islam), radicalism, and dogmatism as equivalents of Islamic fundamentalism were obtained. After reviewing them, the two concepts of "salafi jihadi" and "jihadi literalism" have been proposed as equivalents.