Taghut (Arabic:طاغوت, ṭāġūt; pl.ṭawāġīt (طواغيت); broadly: "to go beyond the measure") isIslamic terminology denoting the worship of another deity besidesGod.[1] In traditionaltheology, the term often connotesidols ordemons drawn to blood of pagan sacrifices.[2] They appear wherever a person has been murdered.[3] The pre-Islamic deitiesal-Lāt andal-ʿUzzā, later alsoSatan, are associated with that term.[4]
In modern times, the term is also applied to earthly tyrannical power.[5] The modernIslamic philosopherAbul A'la Maududi definestaghut in hisQuranic commentary as a creature who not only rebels against God but transgresses his will.[6] Due to these associations, in contemporary political discourse, the term is used to refer to people considered anti-Islamic and agent of Westerncultural imperialism.[citation needed] The term was introduced to modern political discourse since the usage surroundingAyatollah Ruhollah Khomeini during the1979 Iranian Revolution, through accusations made both by and against Khomeini.[5]
The Arabic wordṭāġūt is commonly seen as derived from thethree-letter verbal root ofط-غ-يṭ-ġ-y, which means to "cross the limits, overstep boundaries," or "to rebel."[7] From this,Taghut denotes one who exceeds their limits.
Manfred Kropp traced it to the Ge'ez (Old Ethiopian) ta'ot, meaning false idol.[8]
Taghut is used together withجِبْتjibt insurah al-Nisa 4:51. Wahib Atallah says that these words are ofEgyptian origins and explains these words asHejazi pronunciations ofCopt andThoth.[9]
"Do you not see how those given a share of the Scripture, [evidently] now believe in idols and evil powers? (Taghut) They say of the disbelievers, 'They are more rightly guided than the believers."
This is taken to refer to an actual event in which a group of disbelieving Meccans went to two eminent Jewish figures for counsel on the truth of Muhammad's teachings and were told that the pagans were more rightly guided than Muslims.[12]
"Do you [Prophet] not see those who claim to believe in what has been sent down to you, and in what was sent down before you, yet still want to turn to unjust tyrants for judgement, although they have been ordered to reject them? Satan wants to lead them far astray."
The Arabictaghut is variously interpreted to refer to idols, a specific tyrant, an oracle, or an opponent of the Prophet.[14][15]
"The believers fight for God's cause, while those who reject faith fight for an unjust cause (taghut). Fight the allies of Satan: Satan's strategies are truly weak."
Again, this termtaghut has been used here to designate a demon worshipped by the Quraysh.[17]
"There is no compulsion in religion: true guidance has become distinct from error, so whoever rejects (taghut) false gods and believes in God has grasped the firmest hand-hold, one that will never break. God is all hearing, all knowing."
^Dmitriev, K., & Toral-Niehoff, I. (Eds.). (2017). Religious culture in late antique Arabia: selected studies on the late antique religious mind. Gorgias Press. p. 55
^Nünlist, Tobias (2015).Dämonenglaube im Islam (in German). Walter de Gruyter. p. 210.ISBN978-3-110-33168-4.
^Zbinden, Ernst A.. Die Djinn des Islam und der altorientalische Geisterglaube. Deutschland, P. Haupt, 1953. p. 36
^Mir, Mustansir (2007).Understanding the Islamic Scripture. New York: Pearson Longman. p. 55.ISBN978-0-321-35573-7.
^Kropp, Manfred (2008)."Beyond Single Words: mā’ida– shayṭān – jibt and ṭāghūt. Mechanisms of Translating the Bible into Ethiopic (Gǝʿǝz) Bible and of Transmission into the Qur’ānic Text," in Gabriel Said Reynolds, ed. The Quran in its Historical Context. Routledge. pp. 204-216.
^H. Rahman, “Jibt, Taghut and the Tahkim of the Umma”, Arabica, 29/1 (February 1982), 57
^Fahd, T.; Stewart, F. H. (2012). "Ṭāg̲h̲ūt". In Bearman, P.; Bianquis, Th.; Bosworth, C. E.; van Donzel, E.; Heinrichs, W. P. (eds.).Encyclopaedia of Islam (Second ed.).doi:10.1163/1573-3912_islam_COM_1147.ISBN9789004161214, 1960-2007
