Taaghoot (False Diety)

From: www.revolutionmuslim.com

Kufr bit-Taaghoot
Bismillaah, wal-hamdulilaah, was-salaatu was-salaamu 'alaa rasoolillaah, wa ba’d; as salaamu 'ala man attaba' a al-huda.

We find that a key issue lacking in the `Aqeedah of the Muslims today is the concept of kufr bit-Taaghoot.

When we say ‘laa ilaaha illa Allaah’, we must first give up false deities (laa ilaaha) as a prerequisite to worshipping Allaah in His exclusivity (illa Allaah).
Kufr bit-Taaghoot means the rejection of Taaghoot. Taaghoot is a false deity; anything followed, worshipped or obeyed other than Allaah (God).
Taaghoot comes from the word ‘Tagha’. Tagha means to exceed the limits.
‘Tughiaan’ literally means ‘transgression’. So Taaghoot commits Tughiaan.
There are 2 pillars of Tawheed. The first is ‘Laa ilaaha’. Laa ilaaha equates to kufr bit-Taaghoot.
To manifest this pillar, one must:
Negate (destroy) / Salbiyyah
Give up / At-Takhliya
Reject / Al-Kufr
There are 2 types of ‘Laa’.
‘Nahiyyah’ – This is the ‘laa’ of prohibition (i.e. the command not to do something).
‘Nafiyyah’ – This is the ‘laa’ of negation/denying/rejecting/giving up.
The ‘laa’ of nafiyyah is always followed up with a noun/name (e.g. ‘laa ilaaha’).
Al-Baqarah : 256
لاَ إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِن بِاللّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىَ لاَ انفِصَامَ لَهَا وَاللّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Taaghoot and believes in Allaah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allaah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.”
Ibn `Abbaas said, “The most trustworthy handhold (al-urwatul wuthqa) is laa ilaaha illa Allaah”
`Umar (radhi Allaahu `anhu) said, “Taaghoot is Shaytaan.” [Ibn Hajr Askalani – Fath ul-Bari vol. 8 pg. 251]

Imaam Maalik said, “Taaghoot is anything you worship, submit to, obey and follow instead of Allaah exclusively.” [Imaam al-Suyuti – Al-Dhurr al-Manthoor vol. 2 pg. 22]

Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said, “For this reason the one who judges without referring to the Qur’aan is a Taaghoot.” [Majmoo’ al-Fataawa vol. 28 pg. 201]

Jaabir (radhi Allaahu `anhu) said, “The Tawagheet are the fortune-tellers to whom the devils used to descend.” [Tafseer at-Tabari]

Ibn ul-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah said, “Taaghoot is all that causes the person to exceed the limits with regards to that which is worshipped (Al-Ma’boud), followed (Al-Matbou) or obeyed (Al-Mutaa’). So the Taaghoot in any nation is whoever turns to other than Allaah and His messenger (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) for matters of judgement, or is pleased to be worshipped besides Allaah or is followed without a clear proof from Allaah or is obeyed in that which is known to be disobedience to Allaah.” [A'alaam al-Muwaqeen vol. 1 pg. 53]

Imaam Nawawi said, “Tawagheet are the idols, the lords and false deities, and the singular of Tawagheet is Taghiyah.”
Ibn Katheer said, “And the opinion that the Taaghoot means Shaytaan is very strong.” [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]
So my dear brother and sisters, now that we know that a stipulation in the contract of laa ilaaha illa Allaah is the reject the Taaghoot, we should know how to reject it.

How to Reject the Taaghoot
1. Al-Kufr at-Taaghoot - You must believe it is baatil (falsehood) to follow, worship, obey and adhere to.
Al-Hajj : 62
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ هُوَ الْبَاطِلُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ
“That is because Allaah He is the Truth, and what they (the polytheists) invoke besides Him, it is Baatil (falsehood) and verily, Allaah He is the Most High, the Most Great.”

2. Al-Ijtinaab at-Taaghoot – You must keep away from the Taaghoot in your beliefs, sayings and actions.
An-Nahl : 36
وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الطَّاغُوتَ فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ هَدَى اللّهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الضَّلالَةُ فَسِيرُواْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَانظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ
“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)." Then of them were some whom Allaah guided and of them were some upon whom the straying was justified. So travel through the land and see what was the end of those who denied (the truth).”

3. `Adaawa – You must have enmity/hostility towards the Taaghoot.
Ash-Shu'ara : 75-78
أَنتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُمُ الْأَقْدَمُونَقَالَ أَفَرَأَيْتُم مَّا فَإِنَّهُمْ عَدُوٌّ لِّي إِلَّا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَكُنتُمْ تَعْبُدُونَ
“He (Ibraheem ‘alayhis salaam) said: Do you observe that which you have been worshipping, You and your ancient fathers? Verily! They are enemies to me, save the Lord of the 'Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)”

4. Al-Bughd – You must have maximum hatred. You hate it badly/extremely/physically until you believe that it is your enemy.
Al-Mumtahinah : 4
قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ إِذْ قَالُوا لِقَوْمِهِمْ إِنَّا بُرَاء مِنكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ وَبَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةُ وَالْبَغْضَاء أَبَدًا حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ إِلَّا قَوْلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ لَأَسْتَغْفِرَنَّ لَكَ وَمَا أَمْلِكُ لَكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ رَّبَّنَا عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ
“Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibraheem and those with him, when they said to their people: "Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allaah, we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred for ever, until you believe in Allaah Alone," except the saying of Ibraheem to his father: "Verily, I will ask for forgiveness (from Allaah) for you, but I have no power to do anything for you before Allaah." Our Lord! In You (Alone) we put our trust, and to You (Alone) we turn in repentance, and to You (Alone) is (our) final Return”

5. At-Takfeer at-Taaghoot – You must declare takfeer upon the Taaghoot.
Al-Baqarah : 256
لاَ إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِن بِاللّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىَ لاَ انفِصَامَ لَهَا وَاللّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Taaghoot and believes in Allaah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allaah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.”
Abu Hurraira reported that the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) said, “Allaah will gather all the people on the day of resurrection and say: Whoever worshipped something in the world should follow that thing, so whoever worshipped the sun will follow the sun on that Day and whoever worshipped the moon will follow the moon and whoever used to worship other deities will follow those deities.” [Saheeh al-Bukhari]
The Arabic word used for deities in this hadeeth is “Taaghoot”.
Muhammad (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) said, “Someone will announce; let every nation follow what they used to worship. So the companions of the cross will go with their cross, and the mushrikoon will go with their idols and the companions of every false deity will go with their false deity.” [Saheeh al-Bukhari[
The Arabic word used for “false deity” is “Taaghoot”.

The 5 Heads of Taaghoot
1. Shaytaan and his alliance (including the kuffaar, mushrikoon and munaafiqoon).
Ya-Sin : 60
أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يَا بَنِي آدَمَ أَن لَّا تَعْبُدُوا الشَّيْطَانَ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ
“Did I not ordain for you, O Children of Adam, that you should not worship Shaytaan. Verily, he is a plain enemy to you. “
An-Nisa : 76
الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ الطَّاغُوتِ فَقَاتِلُواْ أَوْلِيَاء الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا
“Those who believe, fight in the Cause of Allaah, and those who disbelieve, fight in the cause of Taaghoot (Shaytaan, etc.). So fight you against the friends of Shaytaan; Ever feeble indeed is the plot of Shaytaan.”

2. Rulers, Governors and Judges who replace the Shari’ah with anything other than it.
The Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) is reported to have said, “The condition of my Ummah will be good if these 2 types of people will be good and the situation of my Ummah will be bad if these 2 types of people are bad.”
The companions asked, “Who are these 2 types of people?”
The Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) replied, “The rulers and scholars.” [Musnad of Imaam Ahmad]
An-Nisa : 60
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُواْ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُواْ إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُواْ أَن يَكْفُرُواْ بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلاَلاً بَعِيدًا
“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 judgement (in their disputes) to the Taaghoot (false judges, etc.) while they have been ordered to reject them. But Shaytaan wishes to lead them far astray.”

3. The one who rules by other than what Allaah has revealed
Al-Ma'idah : 44
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُواْ لِلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَالرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالأَحْبَارُ بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُواْ مِن كِتَابِ اللّهِ وَكَانُواْ عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَاء فَلاَ تَخْشَوُاْ النَّاسَ وَاخْشَوْنِ وَلاَ تَشْتَرُواْ بِآيَاتِي ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللّهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ
“Verily, We did send down the Tauraat (Torah) [to Moosa (Moses)], therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allaah's Will, judged the Jews. And the rabbis and the priests [too judged the Jews by the Tauraat (Torah) after those Prophets] for to them was entrusted the protection of Allaah's Book, and they were witnesses thereto. Therefore fear not men but fear Me (O Jews) and sell not My Verses for a miserable price. And whosoever does not judge by what Allaah has revealed, such are the Kaafiroon.”

4. The one who claims to have knowledge of the unseen (except true prophets)
Al-Jinn : 26
عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلَا يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَدًا
"(He Alone) the All-Knower of the Ghayb (unseen), and He reveals to none His Ghayb (unseen)."
Al-An'am : 59
وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لاَ يَعْلَمُهَا إِلاَّ هُوَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلاَّ يَعْلَمُهَا وَلاَ حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الأَرْضِ وَلاَ رَطْبٍ وَلاَ يَابِسٍ إِلاَّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ
“And with Him are the keys of the Ghayb (all that is hidden), none knows them but He. And He knows whatever there is in (or on) the earth and in the sea; not a leaf falls, but he knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record.”

5. Anyone who is worshipped besides Allaah, and is pleased with that worship.
Al-Anbiya : 29
وَمَن يَقُلْ مِنْهُمْ إِنِّي إِلَهٌ مِّن دُونِهِ فَذَلِكَ نَجْزِيهِ جَهَنَّمَ كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الظَّالِمِينَ
“And if any of them should say: "Verily, I am an ilaah (a god) besides Him (Allaah)," such a one We should recompense with Hell. Thus We recompense the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.).”

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