What is a Taghut?

What is a Taghut

The word Taghut is derived from ‘Tugyan’. The literal meaning of this word is ‘crossing the border or to pass the limit’.

The definition of TAGHUT in the Shariah is ‘anyone who exceeds the proper limits by ascribing to himself any of the rights of Allah (Subhana wa ta‘ala) and makes himself a partner with Allah (Subhana wa ta‘ala)’.

What is a taghut?

Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) defined Taghut as:

« Anything or anyone worshipped apart from Allah (Subhana wa ta‘ala). »

" And this is a general definition, which includes a lot of things that are worshipped such as idols « Al-Asnam », « Al-Awthan »,  graves, stones, trees and other such inanimate objects. This definition also includes Satan (the biggest Taghut), witches, soothsayers (claiming knowledge of the unseen), those who are pleased with people directing acts of worship to them, and those who legislate (making things « halal» which Allah has declared « haram » and making things « haram » which allah declared « halal».). All these are Tawaghit (plural of taghut) that every Muslim should disassociate himself from them and from those who worship them."

Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahab (may Allah’s mercy be upon him) said: “The TAWAGHIT are many and their heads are five.

The first:

1.      Satan who invites people to worship other than Allah (Subhana wa ta‘ala).

Allah (Subhana wa ta’ala) says:

“Did I not command you Children of Adam, that you should not worship Shaitan. Verily he is a plain enemy to you.” (Surah 36 verse 60)

The second:

2.      The oppressive ruler who changes the laws of Allah (Subhana wa ta‘ala).

Allah azawajal says:

“Have you seen those (hypocrites) who claim that they believe in that which has been sent down to you, and that which was sent down before you, and they wish to go for judgment (in their disputes) to the Taghut (false judges) while they have been ORDERED to REJECT them. But Shaitan wishes to lead them far astray.” (Surah An- Nisaa Ayah 60)

The third:

3.      The one who does not govern by what Allah(Subhana wa ta‘ala) has revealed.

Allah (Subhana wa ta‘ala) says:

“Verily, We did send down the Taurat, therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah’s Will, judged for the Jews. And the rabbis and the priests, for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah’s Book. Therefore fear not men but fear Me and sell not My Verses for a miserable price. And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed are the Kafirun (disbelievers).” (Surah Al Maidah Ayah 44)

The fourth:

4.      The one who claims knowledge of the unseen.

Allah (Subhana wa ta‘ala) states:

“The All-Knower of the Ghaib(Unseen), and He reveals to none His Ghaib.” (Surah Al-Jinn verse 26)

The fifth:

5.      The one who is worshipped and pleased with it.

Allah (Subhana wa ta‘ala) says:

“And if any of them should say: “Verily I am an ilah (god) besides Him” such a one We should recompense with Hell. Thus We should recompense the Zalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers).” (Surah Al-Anbiya verse 29)

And know that man will never become a believer in Allah unless he rejects and disbelieves in the Taghut. And he can’t reject the taghut if he doesn’t know what a taghut is.

The ‘disbelief in the taghut is the First pillar of Tawheed.

What are the conditions to reject the Taghut?

The conditions to reject the taghut are:

1.     The belief that the worshipping of the Taghut is False (Batil): al-i‘tiqad bi boutlani ‘ibadati at-Taghut

Allah (Subhana wa ta‘ala) says:

« That is because Allah- He is the Haq (Truth) and what they invoke besides Him is Batil (falsehood). And verily Allah – He is the Most High, the Most Great. » (Surah 31 - Vers 30)

2.     Avoid worshipping the Taghut: at-tark wal-ijtinab

Meaning, avoiding the worship of the taghut, Allah تعالى  has said:

« And verily, We have sent to every Ummah (nation), a Messenger proclaiming “Worship Allah and avoid Taghut”... »  (Surah 16 - Vers 36)

It is also very important to acknowledge that the Taghut must be avoided on 3 levels:

a.       Avoided by means of belief/heart,

b.      Avoided by tongue

c.       Avoided by actions

It is also very important to acknowledge that Taghut must be avoided by means of belief, tongue and action.

No one can therefore avoid Taghut without testifying through these means because some may reject Taghut by their tongue and action, but not by belief; that is the case of hypocrites.

Others may avoid the Taghut by belief and not by tongue such as those who take the oath to respect the idols and Tawaghit.

There are also others who reject Taghut by belief but not by action, like those who prostrate to the Tawaghit, vow to them or go to them for judgment.

Thus one can deduce that this rejection must be executed on these three levels. It may be that a person tells us: « Distancing himself from the Taghut does not include the fact that they have to distance himself through the deeds, it is sufficient for him to reject the taghut with his heart and his tongue.»

Our answer, we say: « These words are nonsensical ». and the reason for this is that Allah تعالى  showed us what the meaning is of « distancing » and this should be done with the heart, tongue and limbs.

Allah تعالى has said:

«O, jullie die geloven! Voorwaar, de wijn en het gokken en de afgodsbeelden en pijlen om te verloten zijn onreinheden die tot het werk van satan behoren, vermijd deze (zaken) dus. Hopelijk zullen jullie welslagen! » (Surah 5 - Vers 90)

Het is gekend dat als een persoon in zijn hart gelooft dat wijn verboden is en dit geloof luid en duidelijk verkondigt, maar ondanks dit, hij toch wijn blijft drinken en er geen afstand van neemt (d.w.z. dat zijn daden niet conform zijn aan het nemen van afstand ervan), men niet kan zeggen dat deze persoon er afstand van genomen heeft. Maar men zal zeggen dat deze persoon een drinker van wijn is en dat hij een straf verdient. (Deze persoon blijft moslim, maar hij is ongehoorzaam.)

Ook degene die gelooft dat het zoeken achter een oordeel bij de taghoet een daad van ongeloof is en dit luid en duidelijk verkondigt, maar ondanks dit, hij toch blijft bij hen gaan en zijn aanbidding tot hen richt door een oordeel te vragen aan de taghoet en deze niet verwerpt, ook over deze persoon zal geen enkel zinnig mens zeggen dat hij afstand heeft genomen van de taghoet en zijn aanbidding, maar men zal zeggen dat hij een aanbidder is van de taghoet en dat hij een deelgenoot aan Allah heeft toegekend.

3.     To show Enmity: al-‘adawah

Allah تعالى  reports us about what Ibrahim (‘alayhi wa salam) said to his people::

« Verily, they are enemies to me, except the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists).» (Surah 26 – Vers 77)

4.     To show Hatred: al-Boughd

Allah تعالى has said:

« Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrahim and those with him, when they said to their people; “Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allah; we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you hostility and hatred for ever until you believe in Allah Alone ..." » (Surah 60 - Verse 4)

5.     To consider the Taghut, anyone who worships him (the Taghut) and takes him as protector and anyone who comes up with any other religion than Islam as a disbeliever: Takfeer

Rejecting the taghut is to belief that he is a kafir en also everyone who worships him or protects him and everyone who spreads this kufr and invites the people to it.

Imam Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahab (may Allah’s mercy be upon him) said: « So know that the first divine obligation on us is the disbelief in Taghut and the belief in Allah and the evidence for this are the words of Allah, The Almighty: « “And verily, We have sent to every Ummah (nation), a Messenger proclaiming “Worship Allah and avoid Taghut”.» (Surah 16 - Verse 36)

The attributes of the disbelief in Taghut is to believe in the falsehood of worshipping other than Allah (Subhana wa ta‘ala), to avoid it, to hate it, to consider anyone who does not avoid it as a disbeliever and show enmity towards them..."

He (may Allah’s mercy be upon him) also said: « Know that a person can’t be a believer, only if he rejects the taghut. Allah ta‘ala says: « Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects the taghut and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. » (Surah 2 – vers 256) »

(Majmou’at at-tawheed 1^st rissala pg 14-15)

He (may Allah’s mercy be upon him) also said: « Allah Allah, o my brothers, So cling to the roots of Deen from the beginning to the end and from the base to the head; the testimony of « La ilaha illa Allah ».

Know, understand and love ‘La ilaha illallah’ and the Muslimeen testifying to this, to make them your brothers even if they are far from you. And disbelieve in Taghut, show enmity towards them, hate them and show enmity towards anyone who loves them and argues about them or does not consider them as Kafirs (disbelievers). Hate anyone who invents a lie against Allah (Subhana wa ta‘ala) by claiming that it is « not his duty to judge them»  because Allah (Subhana wa ta‘ala) has indeed ordered him to disbelieve in them, and disassociate himself from them even if they are his own brothers or sons. Allah Allah cling to this, maybe you will meet Your Lord without giving Him partners. O Allah, we ask you to let us die as Muslims and to be with the pious ones. »

(Majmou’at at-tawheed 5^th rissala)

Comments

[Mira]

Asalamualaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh, good day Sir, I would love to ask an important question which puts me at great worry, it goes thus, please sorry for the long note; [2/1, 6:00 PM] Aisha Usman: There is a sign wch I get on my body wen I am worried a times or nid to make a decision or not do something, sometimes wen am worried I feel a drop of water on my body bt wen I check no water drop I just feel dt way and wat am worried abt comes and go without any issue like once Nigeria was playing ball I ws worried if we wud win so den I felt d rain drop and I immediately put my mind at rest knowing dt d sign means I shudnt worry and we won I even from d drop realized d score it wud b, so all thru ds sign has been helping wen I don't hav money, I wud get d sign n relaxed, one day wen I initially got d sign I read a verse of d Qur'an wch read, it's He(swt) who sends signs from d heavens, so I believe it s a gift, however, I hav anoda signs dt hav been coming too and all of dem hav saved me from embarrassing situation, helped me make d right decision, d oda sign is like a pinch atimes or an extremely light touch wit a needle or pin but extremely unpainful however wen am nt suppose to do something, like one day I was ill and wanted to pass a far region to get somewhere, so I felt d three pinch dt a short cut gate s opened, I went dere d gate had been locked temporarily for sometime however, I pleaded wit dem I ws ill n dey opened d gate for me, sometimes before I get ds signs (gift) I c myself climbing staircase or just see stair case n d nxt day I Alhamdulillah hav a new gift, d day I got d sign of d three pinch d night before I dreamt I climbed three steps, so recently I got d sign of hotness if something is right or wrong, like I cud atimes predict if someone ws going to pass or not, if it's true I get hotness, I can kip my property somewhere n come back n find it safe by virtue of d sign; nobody touched it or has even been dere, dese days I feel coldness too, u remember Sir, I hav jinn problem, so I sometimes get scared is it jinn related or so, because one day: during ruqyah dt hotness I feel if something is right or wrong I kept feeling it during ruqyah my head ws shaking n I felt hotness too similar to d one I feel as d sign, den during ruqyah too once I felt d pinch or needle like sensation I feel during d signs too so am getting worried abt d sign ds sign has helped me in many ways n I haven't done anything I hav regretted as such, bt sometimes d signs are wrong or my interpretation r wrong n sometimes it's meaning change like d rain drop may also signify something dt wud happen aside nt worrying. D sign changes atimes during asr time or evening time Sir.....it has helped me perform gud deed, understand things more but I nid to b sure if it's from Rabbi samawati wal ardi,
[2/1, 6:04 PM] Aisha Usman: One day, I ws talking to a Christian she knows abt my spiritual problems so she ws trying to promote her religion to me, even though wen her child ws ill she sort spiritual help from muslims n it cured her child, so as we were talking she said nepa hav nt brut light, I said in Shaa Allah dey wud bring light, den I got d sign all three of dem rain drop, pinch, heat (I can't remember very well) dt dey wud bring light now, so I ws hesitant at first dey got d signs again, so I said in Shaa Allah dey wud bring light now n immediately sir, dey brut light so she den started saying in Shaa Allah.
[2/1, 6:05 PM] Aisha Usman: Please guide to my Rabb, am I on d right path or am I straying?

[Iqura khan]

Alhamdollilah excellently descriptive article
Very helpful very nice article
Jazakallah kher