Meaning of the word Taaghoot
- Categories: Aqeedah (Islamic Faith) -
Q: My question is, does the term
Taaghoot include objects that do not call the people to worship
them, like the sun, trees, idols, stones? Also, are righteous
Muslims, like Imaam Shafi', are they called Taaghoot if the people
worship them or their graves?
A: Praise be to Allaah.
Not everything that is worshipped instead of Allaah can be
considered to be taaghoot. The most correct scholarly view
concerning the meaning of the word Taaghoot is that of Ibn Jareer al-Tabari, who said in his
Tafseer (3/21):
"The correct opinion concerning Taaghoot, in my view, is that it
refers to everyone who arrogates to himself a position that is
befitting only for Allaah, and so is worshipped instead of Him,
either by forcing others to worship him or by accepting their
willing worship. The one that is thus worshipped may be a human
being, or a shaytaan (devil), or an idol, or a statue, or some
other being".
He also said that: "the root of
Taaghoot implies putting oneself in a higher position and
overstepping the mark"..
The Prophets, scholars, righteous people and awliyaa' (those who
are close to Allaah) did not force people to worship them or obey
them in such a thing. On the contrary, they issued the sternest
warning against it. The purpose behind Allaah's sending Messengers
to mankind was to call them to believe in Allaah alone and to
disbelieve in other gods besides Him. Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a
Messenger (proclaiming): 'Worship Allaah (Alone), and avoid (or
keep away from) Taaghoot (all false deities, etc. i.e., do not
worship Taaghoot besides Allaah)…" [al-Nahl 16:36].
{وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ
رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ
الطَّاغُوتَ}
Transliteration: Wa Laqad Ba`athnā Fī Kulli 'Ummatin Rasūlāan 'Ani
Au`budū Allāha Wa Ajtanibū Aţ-Ţāghūta
And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And (remember) when Allaah will say (on the Day of Resurrection):
"O 'Eesaa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say unto men:
'Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allaah?' " He will
say: "Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right
(to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it.
You know what is in my inner‑self though I do not know what is in
Yours; truly, You, only You, are the All‑Knower of all that is
hidden (and unseen). "Never did I say to them aught except what You
(Allaah) did command me to say: 'Worship Allaah, my Lord and your
Lord.' And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them,
but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them; and You
are a Witness to all things" [al-Maa'idah 5:116-117].
{وَإِذْ قَالَ اللّهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ
مَرْيَمَ أَأَنتَ قُلتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَـهَيْنِ
مِن دُونِ اللّهِ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا
لَيْسَ لِي بِحَقٍّ إِن كُنتُ قُلْتُهُ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَهُ تَعْلَمُ
مَا فِي نَفْسِي وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِكَ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ
عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ (116) مَا قُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِلاَّ مَا أَمَرْتَنِي
بِهِ أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ وَكُنتُ عَلَيْهِمْ
شَهِيداً مَّا دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي كُنتَ أَنتَ
الرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَنتَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
شَهِيدٌ}
Transliteration: Wa 'Idh Qāla Allāhu Yā `Īsá Abna Maryama 'A'anta
Qulta Lilnnāsi Attakhidhūnī Wa 'Ummiya 'Ilahayni Min Dūni Allāhi
Qāla Subĥānaka Mā Yakūnu Lī 'An 'Aqūla Mā Laysa Lī Biĥaqqin 'In
Kuntu Qultuhu Faqad `Alimtahu Ta`lamu Mā Fī Nafsī Wa Lā 'A`lamu Mā
Fī Nafsika 'Innaka 'Anta `Allāmu Al-Ghuyūbi, Mā Qultu Lahum 'Illā
Mā 'Amartanī Bihi 'Ani A`budū Allāha Rabbī Wa Rabbakum Wa Kuntu
`Alayhim Shahīdāan Mā Dumtu Fīhim Falammā Tawaffaytanī Kunta 'Anta
Ar-Raqība `Alayhim Wa 'Anta `Alá Kulli Shay'in Shahīdun
If people worship Prophets or scholars instead of Allaah, we should
not apply the word Taaghoot to the object of their worship.
If people exaggerate about al-Shaafa'i or any other scholar (may
Allaah have mercy on them), and call upon them for help instead of
Allaah, or worships their graves, there is no sin on those
scholars; on the contrary, the burden of sin is on the one who
associates others in worship with Allaah (Shirk). The same is true
in the case of the Christians who worship 'Eesaa (Jesus - peace be
upon him) alongside Allaah. 'Eesaa (peace be upon him) will not
bear any part of their burden of sin. A brief definition of
Taaghoot is: whoever is worshipped instead of Allaah and accepts
that. It is well known that 'Eesaa (peace be upon him) and other
Prophets, and also al-Shaafa'i and other scholars who believed in
Allaah alone (Tawheed) would never accept to be worshipped instead
of Allaah. On the contrary, they forbade that and preached the
message of Tawheed. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"And (remember) when Allaah will say (on the Day of Resurrection):
"O 'Eesaa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say unto men:
'Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allaah?' " He will
say: "Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right
(to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it.
You know what is in my inner self though I do not know what is in
Yours; truly, You, only You, are the All Knower of all that is
hidden (and unseen). "Never did I say to them aught except what You
(Allaah) did command me to say: 'Worship Allaah, my Lord and your
Lord.' And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them,
but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them; and You
are a Witness to all things" [al-Maa'idah 5:116-117].
{وَإِذْ قَالَ اللّهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ
مَرْيَمَ أَأَنتَ قُلتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَـهَيْنِ
مِن دُونِ اللّهِ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا
لَيْسَ لِي بِحَقٍّ إِن كُنتُ قُلْتُهُ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَهُ تَعْلَمُ
مَا فِي نَفْسِي وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِكَ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ
عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ (116) مَا قُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِلاَّ مَا أَمَرْتَنِي
بِهِ أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ وَكُنتُ عَلَيْهِمْ
شَهِيداً مَّا دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي كُنتَ أَنتَ
الرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَنتَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
شَهِيدٌ}
Transliteration: Wa 'Idh Qāla Allāhu Yā `Īsá Abna Maryama 'A'anta
Qulta Lilnnāsi Attakhidhūnī Wa 'Ummiya 'Ilahayni Min Dūni Allāhi
Qāla Subĥānaka Mā Yakūnu Lī 'An 'Aqūla Mā Laysa Lī Biĥaqqin 'In
Kuntu Qultuhu Faqad `Alimtahu Ta`lamu Mā Fī Nafsī Wa Lā 'A`lamu Mā
Fī Nafsika 'Innaka 'Anta `Allāmu Al-Ghuyūbi, Mā Qultu Lahum 'Illā
Mā 'Amartanī Bihi 'Ani A`budū Allāha Rabbī Wa Rabbakum Wa Kuntu
`Alayhim Shahīdāan Mā Dumtu Fīhim Falammā Tawaffaytanī Kunta 'Anta
Ar-Raqība `Alayhim Wa 'Anta `Alá Kulli Shay'in Shahīdun
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid