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Taghut
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<h2 id="etymology">Etymology</h2> <p>The Arabic word <i><i>ṭāġūt</i></i> is commonly seen as derived from the <a href="/facts/Semitic_root/S73FvfPz">three-letter verbal root</a> of ط-غ-ي ṭ-ġ-y, which means to "cross the limits, overstep boundaries," or "to rebel."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> From this, <i>Taghut</i> denotes one who exceeds their limits. </p><p>Taghut is used together with جِبْت <i>jibt</i> in <a href="/facts/An-Nisa/kbDyyeKq">surah al-Nisa 4</a>:51). Wahib Atallah says that these words are of <a href="/facts/Ancient_Egypt/BDsEGK4g">Egyptian</a> origins and explains these words as <a href="/facts/Hejaz/elkPdQyh">Hejazi</a> pronunciations of <a href="/facts/Copt/8WUut9kG">Copt</a> and <a href="/facts/Thoth/l59zHCYE">Thoth</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="in-the-quran">In the Quran</h2> <p>The term <i>taghut</i> occurs eight times in the <a href="/facts/Quran/39rkStko">Quran</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> In <a href="/facts/Pre-Islamic_Arabia/v6TGYKyB">Pre-Islamic Arabia</a> referring to pagan deities such as <a href="/facts/Al-Lat/bD6Rs5rR">Al-Lat</a> and <a href="/facts/Al-Uzza/nwSoR5Wp">Al-Uzza</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> </p> <blockquote><p>"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."</p>— Qur'an, Sura 4 (An-Nisa), ayat 51<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a></blockquote> <p>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.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> </p> <blockquote><p>"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."</p>— Qur'an, Sura 4 (An-Nisa), <a href="/facts/Ayah/ohBUHBQ2">ayat</a> 60<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a></blockquote> <p>The Arabic <i>taghut</i> is variously interpreted to refer to idols, a specific tyrant, an oracle, or an opponent of the Prophet.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a> </p> <blockquote><p>"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."</p>— Qur'an, Sura 4 (An-Nisa), <a href="/facts/Ayah/ohBUHBQ2">ayat</a> 76<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a></blockquote> <p>Again, this term <i>taghut</i> has been used here to designate a demon worshipped by the Quraysh.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a> </p> <blockquote><p>"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."</p>— Qur'an, Sura 2 (Al-Baqarah), <a href="/facts/Ayah/ohBUHBQ2">ayat</a> 256<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a></blockquote> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><i><a href="/facts/Ifrit/bkTRTqRz">Ifrit</a></i></li> <li><a href="/facts/Jinn/pclTyKdb">Jinn</a></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Munafiq/pGCktwlV">Munafiq</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Mumin/rInLyGD3">Mumin</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Shirk_(Islam)/gNIPBXkD">Shirk</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Tawhid/Svh5hgTS">Tawhid</a></i></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>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 <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Nünlist, Tobias (2015). Dämonenglaube im Islam (in German). Walter de Gruyter. p. 210. ISBN 978-3-110-33168-4. <a href="978-3-110-33168-4" target="_blank">978-3-110-33168-4</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"ṭāg̲h̲ūt". In Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition, Glossary and Index of Terms, (Brill, 2012) doi: https://doi.org/10.1163/1573-3912_ei2glos_SIM_gi_04636 <a href="https://doi.org/10.1163/1573-3912_ei2glos_SIM_gi_04636" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1163/1573-3912_ei2glos_SIM_gi_04636</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Momen, Moojan. (1995). "Țāghūt". In John L. Esposito. The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World. Oxford: Oxford University Press. <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Mawdudi, 1988, vol.1, pp.199-200 <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Momen, Moojan. (1995). "Țāghūt". In John L. Esposito. The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World. Oxford: Oxford University Press. <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Mir, Mustansir (2007). Understanding the Islamic Scripture. New York: Pearson Longman. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-321-35573-7. <a href="978-0-321-35573-7" target="_blank">978-0-321-35573-7</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>H. Rahman, “Jibt, Taghut and the Tahkim of the Umma”, Arabica, 29/1 (February 1982), 57 <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Momen, Moojan. (1995). "Țāghūt". In John L. Esposito. The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World. Oxford: Oxford University Press. <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>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. ISBN 9789004161214, 1960-2007 <a href="9789004161214" target="_blank">9789004161214</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Quran 7:51 <a href="/wiki/Quran" target="_blank">/wiki/Quran</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>See Abdel Haleem Oxford Translation p.87 notes <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Quran 4:60 <a href="/wiki/Quran" target="_blank">/wiki/Quran</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>See Abdel Haleem Oxford Translation of the Qur'an p.89 <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Abdel Haleem Oxford Translation p.91 <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>Quran 4:76 <a href="/wiki/Quran" target="_blank">/wiki/Quran</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>Dr. Shmuel Bar Lebanese Hizballah – Political, Ideological and Organizational Highlights 29 October 2006 p. 6 <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>Quran 7:256 <a href="/wiki/Quran" target="_blank">/wiki/Quran</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>