Taaghoot

 

Everything worshiped besides Allah or made to share in His attributes of people, objects or concepts is called a Taaghoot (طاغوت). A similar word is wathan (وثن plural أوثان), to refer to those worshiped falsely in addition to Allah. The word sanam (صنم plural أصنام) means idol.

 

{لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ قَدْ تَبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَى لَا انْفِصَامَ لَهَا وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ (256)} سورة البقرة

“There is no compulsion in religion. 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.” [2:256]

Some of the scholars have said that there are four heads or classifications of Taaghoot. So here, to better understand tawheed and shirk, we study the same concepts again, but from a new angle. 

1 – Led by Shaytaan (Iblees)

{وَقَالَ الشَّيْطَانُ لَمَّا قُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ وَوَعَدْتُكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ وَمَا كَانَ لِيَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ إِلَّا أَنْ دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِي فَلَا تَلُومُونِي وَلُومُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ مَا أَنَا بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَمَا أَنْتُمْ بِمُصْرِخِيَّ إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِمَا أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِنْ قَبْلُ إِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (22)} سورة إبراهيم

“And Shaytaan will say when the matter has been decided: ‘Truly, Allah promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, and you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame your own selves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I deny your former associating me as a partner with Allah. Truly, there is a painful torment for the wrong doers.’” [14:22] – these are the words of Iblees, the cursed one, when he meets all the people of Hell as they start to bear their punishment together.

The story of Iblees’ fall from grace is repeated several times throughout the Quran. The most detail is given in soorah’s 7, 15, and 17.

 

2 – Anyone desiring to be worshiped or called to their worship, even if they were rejected, or called to the worship of other than Allah,  

 

{وَمَنْ يَقُلْ مِنْهُمْ إِنِّي إِلَهٌ مِنْ دُونِهِ فَذَلِكَ نَجْزِيهِ جَهَنَّمَ كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الظَّالِمِينَ (29)} سورة الأنبياء

“And if any of them should say: ‘Verily, I am a god besides Him,’ such a one We should recompense with Hell. Thus We recompense the wrong-doers.” [21:29]

The end for people like this and their followers…

{إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ أَنْتُمْ لَهَا وَارِدُونَ (98)} سورة الأنبياء

“Certainly you (disbelievers) and that which you are worshipping besides Allah, are fuel for Hell! (Surely) you will enter it.” [21:98]

 

3 – Whoever judges by other than what Allah revealed,

{أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَتَحَاكَمُوا إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُوا أَنْ يَكْفُرُوا بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا (60) وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ رَأَيْتَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَنْكَ صُدُودًا (61) فَكَيْفَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ جَاءُوكَ يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَا إِلَّا إِحْسَانًا وَتَوْفِيقًا (62) أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَعِظْهُمْ وَقُلْ لَهُمْ فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ قَوْلًا بَلِيغًا (63) وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَحِيمًا (64) فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا (65)} سورة النساء

“Have you not 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 Taaghoot (false judges) while they have been ordered to reject them? But Satan wishes to lead them far astray.

And when it is said to them: ‘Come to what Allah has sent down and to the Messenger,’ you see the hypocrites turn away from you with aversion.

How then, when a catastrophe befalls them because of what their hands have sent forth, they come to you swearing by Allah, ‘We meant no more than goodwill and conciliation!’

They (hypocrites) are those of whom Allah knows what is in their hearts; so turn aside from them (do not punish them) but admonish them, and speak to them an effective word to reach their inner selves.

We sent no Messenger, but to be obeyed by Allah’s Leave. If they, when they had been unjust to themselves, had come to you (Muhammad) and begged Allah’s forgiveness, and the Messenger had begged forgiveness for them, indeed, they would have found Allah All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.” [4:60-65]

Also, return to verse 9:31 that we read earlier about the Jewish Rabbis and Christian priests legislating things against the teachings of their prophets, and then the people’s obedience of that. Following someone like that, knowing their deviation from the truth, is recognizing them as a Taaghoot and taking them as an ilaah besides Allah.

 

4 – Whoever claims to possess knowledge of the ghaib/unseen, e.g. future, past, present, whether through jinns or lying

{عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلَا يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَدًا (26) إِلَّا مَنِ ارْتَضَى مِنْ رَسُولٍ فَإِنَّهُ يَسْلُكُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ رَصَدًا (27)} سورة الجن

“The All-Knower of the Unseen, and He reveals to none His Hidden Knowledge; except to a Messenger (from mankind) whom He has chosen (He informs him of the Unseen as much as He likes), and then He makes a band of watching guards (angels) to march before him and behind him.” [72:26-27]

Some people claim that Muhammad ﷺ knew all of the unseen. Some sects give “knowledge of the unseen” to their imams. Some “saints” are alleged to have all the knowledge of the unseen or some of it. If this knowledge is denied from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, then it is safe to say no one else could ever be truthful in their claim after him,

{قُلْ لَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِنْدِي خَزَائِنُ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَى إِلَيَّ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الْأَعْمَى وَالْبَصِيرُ أَفَلَا تَتَفَكَّرُونَ (50)} سورة الأنعام

“Say (O Muhammad): ‘I don’t tell you that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor (that) I know the Unseen; nor do I tell you that I am an angel. I but follow what is revealed to me.’ Say: ‘Are the blind and the one who sees equal? Will you not then take thought?’” [6:50]

 

{قُلْ لَا أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِي نَفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ لَاسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِيَ السُّوءُ إِنْ أَنَا إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ (188)} سورة الأعراف

“Say (O Muhammad): ‘I possess no power over benefit or harm to myself except as Allah wills. If I had the knowledge of the Ghaib (Unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings to a people who believe.’” [7:188]

 

{قُلْ لَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُونَ (65)} سورة النمل

“Say: ‘None in the heavens and the earth knows the Ghaib (Unseen) except Allah, nor can they perceive when they will be resurrected.’” [27:65]

Thus, fortune-tellers, astrologists, palm readers, tarot card and globe readers and similar individuals all fall into this category. While warning against visiting them and risk being seduced by their claims, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, “Whoever visits a fortune teller or diviner and asks about anything will not have their prayers accepted for forty days.” In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever visits a psychic or fortune-teller, asks and believes them, then they have disbelieved in the revelation sent down to Muhammad.” [Mustadrak al-Haakim, no. 14 from Abu Hurairah]

Similarly, the Prophet ﷺ said, “If anyone acquires knowledge of astrology, he acquired a branch of magic, and the more he learns, the more he has obtained.” This is a bad thing, by the way. Sometimes even studying something to prove it wrong may lead to doubts creeping in one’s heart, as shaytaan learns it with them.

 

Blocking the avenues to shirk

 

 

Keeping away from any evil always begins by asking Allah for protection from that evil. Allah says,

{وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَذَا الْبَلَدَ آمِنًا وَاجْنُبْنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَنْ نَعْبُدَ الْأَصْنَامَ (35) رَبِّ إِنَّهُنَّ أَضْلَلْنَ كَثِيرًا مِنَ النَّاسِ فَمَنْ تَبِعَنِي فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي وَمَنْ عَصَانِي فَإِنَّكَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ (36)} سورة إبراهيم

“And (remember) when Ibrahim said: ‘O my Lord! Make this city (Makkah) one of peace and security, and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols. O my Lord! They have indeed led astray many among mankind. But whoso follows me, he verily, is of me. And whoso disobeys me, still You are indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [14:35-36]

Understanding how shirk infiltrated the Ummah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ can save a person from falling prey to it. There are several “entry points” which, when combined have proven disastrous for humans, including ignorant Muslims.

• Exaggeration of the righteous. This hasn’t necessarily been of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, nor hardly any scholars of Islam, but almost always, “saints” who were pious worshipers.
• Obeying deviant scholars and “holy men”.
• Giving “lip service” to words and acts of other religions that imply shirk, or are related to it in some way. This includes even non-existent religions, like saying to someone, “May the Force be with you,” or acting out being a magician from the Harry Potter fantasy world. It also includes participation in any rites or holidays stemming from Wicca, the occult, etc., including Halloween. However, if of course someone believes in their heart in the ideology behind those rites, whether it be “the Force” or any Wicca practices, using the jinn as protection against evil jinn, then this is major shirk. Similarly, praying with Christians and agreeing with their prayers that include “in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit” or “in Jesus name amen” etc. Likewise, saying “namaste” which means, “I bow to the divine in you.”
• Bowing or prostrating to other than Allah. Bowing to them in worship of them is shirk. But bowing to them for any other reason, such as respect, is still forbidden because it resembles the actions of the polytheist. Before Muhammadan Islam, Allah allowed this, and it became common for children to prostrate before their parents, or for subjects to prostrate in front of a king, etc. However, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ forbade this. Muslims in martial arts should seek a religious exemption, like raising a hand to their heart, rather than bowing to their sensei or opponent.
• Opening pathways to shirk, such as building over graves, keeping statues and paintings symbolic of the deceased. Ali ibn Abi Taalib once said to a man, “Shall I not send you on the same mission as the Messenger of Allah sent me? Do not leave any raised grave without leveling it or any image in a house without erasing it.” The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said to his wives when they spoke about shrines and pictures they saw in Ethiopia, “If a righteous person among them died, they would build a prayer place above their grave and create those pictures. They are the worst of Allah’s creation on the Day of Judgment.” And “Allah’s Curse is upon the Jews and the Christians: they took the graves of their prophets and righteous as objects of worship and prayer.” And, “The people tormented most severely on the Day of Judgment are the image-makers.” He also said, “All painters of portraits will be in the Fire; and for every portrait they painted, a soul will be given to it that punishes them in the Fire.” The narrator of this hadeeth, ibn ‘Abbaas, added, talking to a painter: if you must do it, then illustrate trees and lifeless things. From other injunctions, we know that the main thing an artist should avoid is the face, and specifically the eyes. Thus, Muslim artists frequently draw people with sunglasses on or with their eyes closed or obscured.
• Ignorance of Allah’s greatness, His Favors upon humanity and His accessibility. By comparing Allah to a unapproachable tyrannical despot, some of them claimed that it is from proper etiquette to pray to other than Allah.
• Avoiding letting someone be spooked by the jinn, like using Ouija boards or “calling on the dead” since that is all a type of invocation of other than Allah and putting your faith to trial.
• Resembling the rituals performed by polytheists. This could be by worshiping Allah at the specific places where they worship, or in the specific form that they worship, or specific time of their worship, or being present during their worship. These are all settings where the shaytaan is more likely to tempt the believers to deviate to greater resemblance in manner, intention, etc.
• Forgetting to seek Allah’s Help by invocation, like Ibrahim’s and Muhammad’s “Oh Allah, do not make my grave a worshiped idol.”
• Blindly following the customs of one’s ancestors and their superstitions. Just like everyone alive, even Muslims should look to their own customs and folktales that they may have grown up with and investigate whether that is approved by Allah or not,

{وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّبِعُوا مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ قَالُوا بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا أَلْفَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا أَوَلَوْ كَانَ آبَاؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ (170)} سورة البقرة

“When it is said to them: ‘Follow what Allah has sent down.’ They say: ‘Nay! We shall follow what we found our fathers following.’ Even though their fathers did not understand a thing nor were they guided?” [2:170]

{إِنَّهُمْ أَلْفَوْا آبَاءَهُمْ ضَالِّينَ (69)} سورة الصافات

“Truly, they found their ancestors on the wrong path.” [37:69]

 

May Allah keep us firm on the Right Path and guide us to what pleases Him.

والله أعلم وصلى الله على نبيه محمد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلم

 

[1] I’ve chosen to leave “shirk” as it is. Its closest linguistic translation would be “association”. This suits the purpose but the word doesn’t carry with it the same gravity as “idolatry” and “polytheism”. However, these two words are also inadequate. Idolatry is typically used for the worship of tangible pictures and objects within close range, but shirk is much broader than that. As for polytheism, the belief in multiple gods, then it falls short because people believe “gods” to mean multiple creators, regardless of where the worship is directed. Also, it doesn’t cover the idea of assigning some divine characteristics to the creation. Thus, shirk is the best word for shirk.

[2] It is possible that he heard this from the Jews, since this number is also found in the Bible. Ten centuries or generations. Even if it is generations, a generation in their time could have lasted centuries, depending on how long a woman remains fertile. But unless our knowledge come from a Prophetic hadeeth, it’s okay to be a little skeptical. Carbon dating the alleged Noah’s ark in Turkey say that it is 100,000 years old. As for Adam, Allah knows best. If the black stone could be tested, it might reveal when Adam fell to earth, wallaahu a’lam.

[3] See Tafseer ibn Katheer, quoting Muhammad ibn Qais from al-Tabaree concerning the aayah.

[4] They really envision a very violent place. Take one step and a lightning bolt drops, and take another and a volcano sprouts up, etc. And envisioning as if humans showed up out of nowhere, but that’s precisely what they are trying to deny. Strange.

[5] Western academia, like science and history, etc. are constantly evolving. Since they do not have a divine scripture to serve as a foundation for their studies, they are frequently forced to revise and question long-held beliefs of theirs because it was originally proposed with only a scattered sampling and biased interpretation. As more evidences become clear, the former interpretation seems less viable and a new paradigm must be formed, if they’re willing to accept that and overturn the “progress” of the last several decades or even centuries, depending on the field and topic. Most science prior to the 19^th century was developed with a Christian worldview for better or worse.

[6] See 21: 33 and 36:40.

[7] The meaning of this verse will be discussed inshaa’Allah when learning about the world of the jinn and devils.

[8] See Muslim [English ref. book 1 no. 135; Arabic book 1 no. 140 and 73] from ibn ‘Abbaas.

[9] The table (maa’idah) of Isa’s dinner with his disciples was also declared such an object, but when some of them disbelieved and tried to betray him, the blessings ceased immediately.