Formalism Elements of Radical Salafism in the Interpretation of the Quran

The Salafism movement within itself includes a variety of trends. In the meantime, the extremist Salafism movement, with the slogan of following the predecessors, always justifies its unbridled actions in the name of religion, with a formalistic interpretation of the Quran and Sunnah. Formalism under the meaning of authentication of formal interpretation and denial of rational esoteric interpretation (ta’wil) is extremist and unacceptable in itself. Salafi formalism albeit more represented in Mutashabeh (allegorical) verses and verses of Divine Attributes, gradually and with the efforts of its intellectual leaders, especially Ibn Taymiyyah, it has become a key element of the extremist Salafi movement. This research by using a descriptive and analytical method, and studying the interpretative works of the great commentators of this movement including Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Qayyim, Ibn Kathir, Shanghiti and Ibn al Uthaymeen concludes that the denial of the consistent interpretation, the refusal of figurative applications in the Holy Quran and, in general, ignoring the role of reason in understanding the Quran, are the most important elements of fundamental Salafi formalism in the interpretation of religious texts, particularly the Holy Quran.