Belief in Allah Disbelieve in Taaghoot

Believe in Allah and Disbelieve in Taaghoot

Shaikh Abu Muhammad 'Isaam al-Maqdisi

(Translated by Abu Muhammad al-Maleki. Qur'anic translations taken from Dr. Muhsin Khan's The Noble Qur'an)

One should know that Allah is the Head and Origin of everything and every being. The firmest thing that Allah ordained for Adam's son to learn and to do, before praying, paying Zakat, or any other act of worship, is to believe in the oneness of Allah and to avoid and disbelieve in any other deity (taaghoot). It was for this reason Allah created the creatures, sent the prophets, revealed the Books, and ordained the Jihad and martyrdom. Because of this, there is enmity between Al-Rahman's followers and those of Satan, and because of this the Islamic nation and the right caliphate will be established. Allah said (which means):

"And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone)." (Surah adh-Dhaariyaat, 51:56)

That means to worship Allah alone. He also said:

"And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): 'Worship Allah (Alone) and avoid (or keep away from) the Taaghoot (all false deities)." (Surah an-Nahl, 16:36)

This belief that there is no god but Allah (lit, none worthy of worship except Allah -ed.), is basic to Islam. No call, no jihad, no prayer, no fasting, no Zakat, no pilgrimage will be accepted without it . One can not be saved from Hell fire without believing in it, because it is the only handhold that Allah guaranteed His followers not to break. The other handholds of the religion will not be sufficient for safety from the hell fire without it. Allah said:

"Verily, the Right path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Taaghoot and believes in Allah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower." (Surah al-Baqarah, 2:256)

Allah also said:

"Those who avoid the Taaghoot by not worshipping them, and turn to Allah in repentance; for them are glad tidings. So announce the good news to My slaves" (Surah az-Zumar, 39:17)

Behold how Allah talks about disbelief in deities before He talks about belief in Himself; such as when He began with the negation before the affirmation. Allah ordained monotheism with the words Laa ilaaha illaal-Laah (no god but Allah) which point to this great principle of the firmest handhold. Therefore, there is no sincere belief in Allah, without extreme denial of other deities.

The deities which one must disbelieve in and avoid worshipping, to follow the handhold of the firmest safety, are not only stones, idols, trees or graves that are worshipped through prostration or invocation or vows - it encompasses more than this. It contains everything worshipped who accepts to be worshipped except Allah, by any thing of the worship acts.

The deity is derived from tyranny, which is the exceeding of the limits by the created. Acts of worship include prostration, bowing down, invocation, making vows, and slaughtering . Obedience in legislation is also an act of worship. Allah said about the Christians:

"They took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah". (Surah at-Tawbah, 9:31)

Although they did not prostrate, or bow down to their priests, they followed them and agreed with them in the forbiddance of the licit and with the permission of the illicit. Allah therefore considered that as making them lords and gods, because the obedience in legislation is a worship, and must not be for any one except for Allah, since Allah is the only One who can enact legislation. Therefore any one who does that would be a polytheist.

As an evidence for that is the emulation which took place at the time of the Prophet between Al-Rahman's followers and those of Satan over a dead goat . The polytheist people wanted to persuade the Muslims that there was no difference between the goat, which Muslims slaughter, and the goat which dies alone. They claimed that the dead goat was slaughtered by Allah. Therefore Allah descended His judgement and said:

"And if you obey them [by making al-Maytah (a dead animal) legal by eating it], then you would indeed have become Mushrikun (polytheists)" (Surah al-An'aam, 6:120) - The translator, Muhammad Muhsin Khan adds the following: "Because they (devils and their friends) made lawful to you to eat that which Allah has made unlawful to eat, and you obeyed them by considering it lawful to eat, and by doing so, you worshipped them, and to worship others besides Allah is polytheism."


So the word 'deity' includes any one who makes himself a legislator with Allah, ruler or ruled, a representative in the parliament (the legislative authority), or the persons who select him, because he exceeded his limits. Man was created to be a servant of Allah and Allah ordered him to accept His legislation, but man rejected and exceeded the limits. He wanted to equate himself with Allah, and to participate in the legislation of Allah, which is not allowed to anyone except Allah. If any one exceeds the limits and does that, he makes himself a legislator god, and he will be one of the deity heads. His Islam and his monotheism will not be accepted, unless and until, he disbelieves in what he did and avoids it, and fights to get rid of its slaves and helpers .

Allah said

"And they wish to go for judgement (in their disputes) to the Taaghoot while they have been ordered to reject them. But Shaitan wishes to lead them far astray." (Surah an-Nisaa, 4:60)

Mujahid said : "The taaghoot is a Satan in the shape of a human whom people turn to for judgement and they follow him".

Shaikh al-Islam lbn Taymiyyah said: "...for this reason the one who judges without referring to the Holy Book (Qur'an) is a taaghoot." (Majmoo' al-Fataawaa, Part 28, page 201.)

Ibn al-Qayyim said: "(A taaghoot is) every one who exceeded his limits (whether he is) worshipped, followed or obeyed. So, the taaghoot of any people is the one who they make as a judge besides Allah and His Prophet, or worship him except Allah, or follow him without taking any consideration of Allah, or obey him in a matter where they do not know it is an obedience for Allah". He also said: "Whosever does not judge or turn to what the messengers of Allah brought for judgement is eventually following a (false) deity". (E'laam Al- Muwaaqi'een, part 1, page 50.)

One of the worshipped deities nowadays, that every monotheist must disbelieve in and its followers, in order to follow the firmest handhold and to be saved from the Hell fire, are the transitory man made gods and godesses of the so called legislature . Allah said:

"Or have they partners with Allah (false gods) who have instituted for them a religion which Allah has not allowed? And had it not been for a decisive word (gone forth already), the matter would have been judged between them. And verily, for the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers), there is a painful torment." (Surah as-Shoora, 42:21)

People have followed these legislators and agreed to make the legislation as a right and characteristic for them, for their parliaments, and for their local, regional, and international ruling faculties. They showed that through their laws and constitutions, the facts of which are known to them.

Article (51) of the Kuwait constitution says "The legislative authority is led by the prince and the parliament council, according to the constitution".

And the article (25) of the Jordanian constitution says "The legislative authority is in charge of the king and the parliament council" and article (86) of the Egyptian constitution says, "The parliament is costed to be in charge of the legislative authority."

Therefore, they became gods to every one who obeyed and followed them, or agreed with them in this disbelief and polytheism, just as Allah said about the Christians, when they followed the priests and the anchorites (monks). The followers (and enforcers) of today's democracy are worse and more impure, because the priests did that (i.e. what the above paragraph speaks of), but they did not claim to make it a law or a legal system, and they did not make constitutions or books. They also did not punish any one who did not accept or practice that . They also did not use it to adjust Allah's Book as these taaghoots did .

If you come to understand this, you should know that the greatest step of adherence to this firmest handhold and the highest step of disbelief in this man-made deity is the apex of Islam.

The linguistic origin of ‘Taaghoot’

In the Arabic language ‘Taghaa’ is the verb that means ‘to go beyond the bounds/limits., Allah (swt) says talking about the flood that took place in the time of Nuh (as)

“Verily, when the water [taghaa] we carried you floating. floating.” (al Haqqah 69:11)

meaning when the water rose beyond its limits Allah (swt) uses this verb and its derivatives in various places in the Quran to describe various types of transgressions, general and specific. Allah (swt) says in the general sense

“Nay! Verily, man does transgress all bounds [layatghaa]” (al A’laq 96:6) and “In order that you may not transgress [tatghaw] the balance, balance,” (ar Rahmaan 55:8)

and for the specific types of transgression the verb was used, for instance, with regards to eating the halaal food, Allah (swt) says

“Eat of the tayyibaat wherewith We have provided you and do not go beyond bounds [laa tatghaw] in it lest my anger should justly descend on you. And he on whom My anger descends he is indeed perished.” (Ta-Ha 20:81)

Allah (swt) also uses this verb for those who transgress by being disbelievers, thus the kuffaar have been referred to in the Quran as ‘Taagheen’ i.e. ‘Those who go beyond the limits’ in taking a Lord or object of worship other than Allah (swt). So Allah (swt) says

“This is so! And for the transgressors [litaagheen] will be an evil final return” (Sa’d 38:55) and
“Then for him who went beyond bounds [taghaa] and preferred the life of this world, verily, his abode will be the fire” (an Naazi’at 79:36-38) and
“ Thamood denied through their transgression [bitaghwaahaa]” (ash Shams 91:11) and
“They said: ‘Woe to us, verily, we were transgressors [taagheen].” (al Qalam 68:31)

The Shari’ah meaning of Taaghoot

As for the word Taaghoot, then although its linguistic root is the same root as the taagheen, the Taaghoot is a very specific form of transgression. The one who exceeds bounds in claiming the rights, attributes, actions, and the essence of Allah (swt) is a Taaghoot. Anything that is worshipped besides Allah (swt) and anything that claims attributes of Allah (swt) is Taaghoot.

The taaghoot is the one who has transgressed (taghaa) by ascribing to himself the actions or attributes of Allah (swt) such as Fira’wn. Fira’wn was described as transgressing in the Quran and we know that he called the people to worship and obey him before Allah (swt). Allah (swt) says

“Go to Fira’wn! Verily, he has gone beyond bounds [taghaa]” and “Go to Fira’wn, verily, he has gone beyond bounds [taghaa]” (Naazi’at 79:17) (Ta-Ha 20:24) and
“Go both of you to Fira’wn verily, he has gone beyond bounds [taghaa].” (Ta-Ha 20:43)
The most manifest transgression was when Fira’wn claimed to be a god [ilah], an object of worship, Allah (swt) says
“Fira’wn said ‘O chiefs! I know not that you have an ilah [god, object of obedience and worship] other than me…” (al Qassas 28:38) and Allah (swt) says concerning Fira’wn
“Then he gathered his people and cried aloud, saying ‘I am your lord most high.’” (an Naazi’at 79:23-24)

We also see that Fira’wn was feared due to his other forms of transgression e.g. “They said ‘Our Lord! Verily, We fear lest he should hasten to punish us or lest he should exceed bounds [yatghaa]” (Ta-Ha 20:45) and
“And Fira’wn who had pegs, who did go beyond bounds in the lands [taghaw fi’l bilaad] and made there therein much corruption in [fasaad].” (al Fajr 89:11)

The one who practices attoghyaan (the noun which derives from the verb TAGHAA) is not necessarily a taaghoot, for the taaghoot is only the one who does this in a way that makes him a partner with Allah (swt). This is because the word taaghoot is a specific word that the wahi associated with the a’qeedah, whereas taghaa is its verbal root.

The plural form of those who practice attoghyaan are ‘taagheen’ or ‘taaghoon’ and this is general which could mean the excess or transgression which amounts to sin (ithm) and it could reach the level of kufr, shirk and nifaaq.

But as for the word ‘taghaa’ in the Quran, then it does not necessarily always mean the transgression that reaches the level of shirk.

The one who does this excess to the level of shirk may be described as mushrik and he is also from the taagheen. As for the ‘Taaghoot’ (and in the plural ‘tawaagheet’), this is not the one who does shirk from the side of the aa’bid (worshipper), but rather, the ‘Taaghoot’ is the one who does shirk from the side of the ma’bood [the one worshipped].

From this we see that all Tawagheet are Taagheen but not all Taagheen are Tawagheet.

The i’baadAllah are the worshippers of Allah (swt) while Allah (swt) is al Ma’bood, i.e. the one who is worshipped.

The Mushrik is the one who makes shirk with Allah (swt) while the Taaghoot is the object of shirk.

Therefore, whoever is recognizing the Taaghoot as legitimate, obeying him, or seeking his judgement then this person is of the Taagheen [transgressors] and the mushrikeen [associationists] although he himself is not referred to as the ‘Taaghoot’.

We should wish to fulfill our shahaadahtain. A matter of the utmost importance, should we wish to safeguard ourselves and our families from the Fire of Jahannum. This is information on the matter of the Taaghut.
وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الطَّاغُوتَ
And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taghut." An-Nahl: 36

The reality of most of us can be seen in continuing upon reading and reflecting on this ayah, its message and stark clearness and truth and reality – May Allah SWT have mercy on us:
فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ هَدَى اللّهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الضَّلالَةُ
“Then of them were some whom Allah guided and of them were some upon whom the straying was justified.” An-Nahl: 36

In every time, people forget, they become negligent, they become lazy and lethargic with regards to the essence of the deen. Many turn their backs on Islam, except whats manageable, communal [like fast in ramadhan]. Allah SWT used to send messengers who would awaken people from the slumber, those who really seek truth. The final Messenger, Muhammad S.A.W. has passed on, and has left us with the guidance that distinguishes light from darkness, truth from falsehood, yet the shayaatin have devised a plan. This plan is similar to what Ibnul Qaayim once explained that the shaytaan said that he destroys us by sins, and we destroy him by taubah. So he saw that he was being destroyed and so he decided to change his plan of action. So he changed his focus, by trying to beautify the wrong, and change the perception of people, so that they did not see the wrong in the wrong, and thus did not make taubah. Thus he now does not have that much work, as people commit sins, they do not see the wrong in it, and his work is being done.

Today, people do not see the evil and serious danger fid’dunyaa wal’aakhirah, in not fulfilling the first requirements of our shahaadah, before the second. They seek to do lots of work, lots of good, yet they have failed to do things in the order that Allah SWT requires it to be done.

فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِن بِاللّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىَ لاَ انفِصَامَ لَهَا
“..Whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break..” Al-Baqarah: 256

The first of requirements of our shahaadah is the rejection of the taaghut. There are other matters required to be rejected, as it is said they are 3 in no. Andaad, Arbaab, Aliha. Our focus will InshaAllah be upon this issue of the taaghut – which can be the beginning of destroying the shayaatin, within and without.

For someone to be able to fulfill this, they MUST acquire knowledge about it. They must fight themselves to submit to it, as submission is pursued in other matters of Islam.

Thus, I am trying to compile some bits and pieces of information on this matter. I have already sent one message from Shaikh Abdullah Faisal in this regard. Further to this, I will be compiling some info that can be found at www.unifiedummah.com I am sending only parts of articles that are lengthy, so should you wish please do find the balance at this website. May Allah SWT reward these brothers for their hard work, in sifting out the truth from the falsehood to clarify issues for us.

Let it not be, as I pray it is not for me, nor for my family, that we are those who fall under the characteristics of those mentioned in the ayah mentioned earlier stating
فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ هَدَى اللّهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الضَّلالَةُ
“Then of them were some whom Allah guided and of them were some upon whom the straying was justified.” An-Nahl: 36

May Allah SWT make us amongst those who strive to fulfill all of Islam, the first first, and may we die upon having fulfilled the purpose of us being created:
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).

Indeed purification can only be attained upon complete removal of what renders it impure. Anyone who does not reject the taaghut, is fooling him or herself, and falling prey to the deceit of the shayaatin, thinking that they do good elsewhere. This religion is not merely about doing and claiming, but it is about attaining the love and acceptance of Allah SWT, even if the people hate it. Could it be that this is the peace spoken of to attain in remembering Allah SWT, Allaahumma Antas’salaam wa minkas’salaam. So do and InshaAllah claim in the hereafter.

Allah has used the word taghoot on many occasions in the Holy Qur’an to bring to our awareness the necessity of rejecting the taghoot. The Arabic word taghoot covers the following 6 things:

(1) A false deity, hence Buddha is a taghoot. Even though some people worship Jesus (as) he is not a taghoot because he does not approve of people worshipping him instead of Allah.

(2) Taghoot means also a tyrant and an oppressor. Hence the fir’oon of Egypt was a taghoot. The army of the tyrant is also taghoot, therefore all the Muslims who join the army of an apostate regime have left the fold of Islam. In this regard Allah said:

Those who believe fight for Allah and those who are kafirs fight for the taghoot. Surah 4:76

In another ayah Allah said:

Those who are kafirs their allies and protectors are the taghoot. Surah 2:257

(3) The economic & political systems of the tyrants are also labelled as taghoot. Hence those who believe in capitalism, socialism, communism and Democracy have failed miserably to reject the taghoot. Therefore they are fake Muslims.

(4) The leader of a false religion is a taghoot, hence Elijah Pole, the founder of The Nation of Islam was a taghoot. The pope of Rome is a taghoot also. An icon for a false religion is also a taghoot, hence Mother Teresa was a taghoot because she caused millions of people to go to their graves believing that Jesus is God.

(5) The organisations of the tyrants eg. The UN, NATO, IMF, Red Cross etc etc. Hence it is haram for a Muslim country to join any of these dajjaalic institutions that are evidently anti – Muslims.

(6) The kafir judge who officiates in a kafir courthouse is a taghoot. In this regard Allah said:

Have you not seen those hypocrites who claim that they believe in what was sent down to you O Muhammad and what came down before your time: that they go to the taghoot for judgment in their disputes even though they were commanded by Allah to reject faith in the taghoot. Surah 4:60

The above-mentioned ayah is clear evidence that we are not allowed to go to the kafir courthouses and use their satanic sharia to solve problems that arise between us as Muslims. The only sharia we accept is the sharia of Muhammad (saw). Those who prefer kafir sharia over the sharia of Muhammad (saw) have left the fold of Islam because they failed miserably to reject the taghoot. Likewise they don’t believe in the ayah where Allah said:

“Is not Allah the best of Judges?” Surah 95:8

Many Muslims think that to believe in Allah is sufficient to take them to paradise. This is far from the truth. To believe in Allah is only fulfilling half of the shahada. Our shahada consists of 2 parts negation and affirmation. Laa ilaaha, there is no deity worthy of worship is called, the negation. Illallah, except Allah is called, the affirmation. Thus a person cannot be deemed a real Muslim till he/she rejects faith in the taghoot and then believes in Allah. In this regard Allah said:

Let there be no compulsion in religion because truth stands out clear from falsehood. Whoever rejects the taghoot and believes in Allah has indeed grasped the most solid of handhold that will never break Surah 2:256

One of the signs of a hypocrite or a wicked scholar is that he goes to the gates of the taghoot and gives his walaa (allegiance) to the taghoot. So he sell his religion for a miserable price.

The enemies of ahlus sunnah wal jamaa’ah are many and diverse, but they all have one thing in common and that is: they give their walaa to the taghoot, spy for the taghoot, work in collusion with the taghoot to imprison, deport and assassinate the people who are on the haqq (truth)

Whenever the taghoots feel power slipping away from them, they resort to killing children. The fir’oon of Egypt killed children in a desperate attempt to hang on to power. Today we see the pharaohs of the 21st century killing Muslim children in occupied Muslim lands in a desperate bid to hang on to power. In a clear message to all the taghoots of the world Allah said:

For every nation there is a fixed appointed term by which it shall perish; when their term comes, neither can they delay it nor advance it for an hour. Surah 7:34

The above-mentioned ayah is clear evidence that no empire last forever. They will all perish when the time comes for them to meet their demise. Thus the Persian, Byzantium and USSR empires are all confined to the dust bin of history. It was Islam that destroyed all these evil empires. Some of the taghoots of today even kill their own citizens and blame it on Muslims in order to invade Muslim countries to usurp the natural resources of those countries.

The 21st century taghoots are extremely paranoid because their hands are stained with the blood of innocents, thus they spend huge sums of money to install cameras in every corner of their countries to watch their subjects. They want the citizenry to believe that they are as-samee3 al-baseer i.e. the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

What they fear most is a religiously thinking mind, hence they use the media to corrupt the citizenry and to kill their subjects morally, ethically & spiritually. The taghoots use sports & entertainment to lull an entire populace into negligence so they will be oblivious to their crimes against humanity generally and the ummah of Muhammad specifically.

In order to study the whereabouts of each citizen and their daily routine, they are eager to replace cash with credit/debit cards. The taghoots have turned the world into a web by controlling every single aspect of human life. They have a monopoly on education, healthcare, jobs, electricity, telecommunication, gas, petrol, water, housing, tax, vat, etc etc. whoever does not comply to the dictates of the taghoots will suffer severe sanctions & embargo. victimization, unemployment, persecution, imprisonment and even assassination. In this regard Allah said:

And they will forever fight you till they make you turn back on your heels as apostates from Islam if they have the ability to do so. Surah 2:217

The above-mentioned ayah is a warning from Allah that the taghoots will never give up the fight to wipe out Islam & Muslims. Thus we the Muslims need to resist in order to exist.

Its unfortunate that many Muslims went to their graves believing in one form of taghoot or another because the ulamaa (scholars) of today are all telling the people to believe in Allah which is one half of the shahada; but very few are telling the Muslims that it is compulsory on them to reject faith in all forms of taghoot.

Shaikh faisal

Pretoria, South Africa
April, 2009