Kritik QS. Al-Ma’un terhadap Religiositas Simbolik: Perspektif Tafsir bil Ra’yi atas Fenomena Penyalahgunaan Otoritas Keagamaan

Abstract

The phenomenon of symbolic religiosity a form of religious practice that prioritizes ritual performance over the internalization of social value  represents a systematic distortion that threatens religious integrity and creates space for the abuse of religious authority, particularly within the contemporary Indonesian Muslim context. This study aims to analyze the critique embedded in QS. Al-Ma'un against symbolic religiosity through the perspective of tafsir bil ra'yi and to map its relevance to the phenomenon of religious authority abuse in Indonesia. A qualitative library research method was employed, integrating thematic exegesis (tafsir mawdhu'i), Mannheim's ideology critique, and Fairclough's critical discourse analysis, drawing on authoritative tafsir works and internationally reputable sociology of religion literature. The findings reveal that Al-Ma'un constructs its critique at two levels: individually, exposing the inconsistency between ritual practice and social behavior; and structurally, challenging social-religious systems that instrumentalize religion to legitimize injustice patterns that directly correspond to the documented phenomena of political instrumentalization, commercialization of authority, and monopolization of religious truth in Indonesia. This study contributes an interdisciplinary tafsir model that bridges Qur'anic hermeneutics and critical social science as a normative instrument for reforming religious ethics.