WHAT IS TAGHOUT & Who are Taghout?

 THE FOLLOWING ARE TAGHOUT:

KING ABDULLAH OF SAUDI ARABIA

PERVEZ MUSHARAF & ASIF ALI ZARDARI OF PAKISTAN

PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI OF AFGHANISTAN

DICTATOR MUBARAK OF EGYPT

KING ABDULLAH OF JORDAN

PUPPUT KHALEDA ZIA OF BANGLADESH

AND MANY MORE

The Arabic word ‘taghout’ is used numerous times in the Quran. It has been defined in the The Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic(1976) as, “an idol, a false god; seducer, tempter (to error).” Muhsin Khan has defined the term as, “anything worshipped other than the Real God (Allah), i.e. all the false idols.” 

And he includes, “saints, graves, RULERS AND LEADERS WHO ARE FALSELY WORSHIPPED OR WRONGLY FOLLOWED [and] A FALSE JUDGE WHO GIVES FALSE JUDGEMENT.” 

And so where Allah (SWT) mentions the ‘taghout’ in the Quran, He is speaking of more than the idols that were worshipped by the Pagans and Polytheists in Makkah. He(SWT) was addressing the systems and the establishment , the Laws and Orders, the Customs and the Traditions and the social-infrastructure( Way Of Life) at that time and was associating those that do not work against the establishment of false systems AS HYPOCRITES AND DISBELIEVERS (blind, deaf, dumb, etc.). And so it is clear, IF ONE REFERS TO ISLAM HE/SHE IS DOING IBADAH (submission, obedience, following and worshipping) TO ALLAH(SWT) AND IF HE/SHE REFERS TO ANYTHING AT ALL OTHER THAN ISLAM HE/SHE IS DOING IBADAH(submission, obedience, following and worshipping) TAGHOUT.

And so, in a day when the majority of Muslims define the worshiping of idols as though it only encompasses praying to false deities (i.e. statues, temples, saints, etc.), and while they refer to ‘taghout’ systems of rule like democracy, international law , UNO, EU, Arab-League and etc. for solutions to their problems, it becomes crucial to understand the term ‘taghout’ and to understand that Islam commands and defines one’s success in life in the very act of cleansing one’s self and society by struggling diligently in one’s life and wealth to work against those FALSE JUDGES who seek to refer to the rule of men. Every Muslim must struggle to live life under the rule of Allah (SWT) and His Messengers (AS).

Allah (SWT) has said in the Quran, 

“And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): 'Worship Allâh (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Tâghût.' Then of them were some whom Allâh 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)"[16:36].” 

Primary examples of reference to the taghout occur daily amongst the Islamic People (Ummah) today. Take as an example the fatawa issued a few weeks after September 11, 2001 when Taha Jabir al-Alwani of the Fiqh Council of North America contacted Yusef al-Qaradawi in his luxury estate to gain the backing and permission for Muslims to go to fight against their fellow Muslims brothers and sisters in Afghanistan.  

This fatwa implied that the principle allegiance of the American Muslim soldier was to his country and not to his Deen and was but one of many examples of Muslims capitulating their obligations and turning toward the Taghout for their decisions. Indeed, the Bush Administration interprets the shariah and the unfortunate thing is that many of our so-called scholars seem to agree and adopt his position (May Allah forgive us!).

The entire capitalist system dictates how the rich Muslims do business on Muslim soil, and worst of all is the fact that we sit idly by and say nothing in the face of these oppressors as Brothers and Sisters all over the world are blamed for their own massacres. However, where Allah(SWT) tells us to travel around in the land and see what was the end of those who followed the taghout before us, we can see that oppressors do not last long. Allah(SWT) typically sends a Messenger or a great amount of wealth to the people right before He(SWT) destroys them and so the end of all nations that come into contact with Islam have either disappeared or have assimilated with the Islamic way of life. So too will be the inevitable end of the oppressor’s war in the Middle East, but when we travel around and see the beginning of the story we must recognize from the tales of Native American Indians, the Africans, the Irish, the Indians under British Rule and all imperialist peoples that the ‘taghout’ are bestial and Satanic in their efforts to conquer culture and country; the ‘taghout’ always dictate and enslave by defining how the conquered live, what they worship, and who they believe and we must recognize that they do this by giving crumbs of wealth and bits of worldly gain to those who are willing to sell their brothers, sisters and families for the sake of personal success (i.e. our Muslim countries' rulers-Stogies and Puppets and their scholars for dollars). But if one reads the Qur’an and comprehends Allah(SWT)’s explanation of the ‘taghout’ they can find that the liberation of the soul is dependent upon two dynamic struggles: the struggle against the self and the struggle against the 

society(through intellectual and political struggle means).

Won’t you turn with us away from the Taghout and toward Allah (SWT) and his Messenger (SAW) for guidance?

Allah(SWT) has said, “There is no compulsion in the Deen. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Tâghût and believes in Allâh, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower. Allâh is the Walî (Protector or Guardian) of those who believe. He brings them out from darkness into light. But as for those who disbelieve, their Auliyâ (supporters and helpers) are Tâghût, they bring them out from light into darkness. Those are the dwellers of the Fire, and they will abide therein forever.” [TMQ 2:256]

In another verse about the taghout Allah (SWT) explains, “Have you seen those (hyprocrites) 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 Tâghût (false judges, etc.) while they have been ordered to reject them. But Shaitân (Satan) wishes to lead them far astray”[TMQ 2:257].

This verse was revealed when a Jew and a hypocrite fell into a dispute. The hypocrite called on Ka'b bin al-Ashraf, to arbitrate between them, while the Jew called on the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). When they came to him(saw), the Prophet(saw) ruled in favor of the Jew. But the hypocrite was not satisfied, and so they went before 'Umar (RAA). The Jew told him what had happened, whereupon he ['Umar] turned to the hypocrite and asked him, 'Is this true?', and when he replied, 'Yes', he ['Umar] killed him. Isn’t it strange how Muslims today command us to understand the Deen of Islam as the companions (RAA) of the Messenger (SAW) while they ignore the vital methodological underpinnings of their ways and actions? Wherever this ignorant understanding exists and is deliberate there is disbelief for their disbelief resembles the same disbelief of those who take part of the book and not all of it and those who refer to other than what Allah (SWT) has revealed in legislation. Note how Umar (RA) slayed the hypocrite and left alone the Jew. As soon as he referred to the ‘taghout’ for decision Umar (RA) didn’t hesitate in taking action.

We need to return to a true understanding of the importance of separating ourselves from these Neo-Roman Crusaders that have gathered around our land and are ready to feast on our resources, woman and livelihood, and it starts by recognizing them for who they are. Anybody who identifies the ‘taghout’ and doesn't speak against them is from them just like anyone who takes jurisdiction from the Jews or Christians (see Quran 5:51-54).

O Ye Who Believe! Will you not read the Quran and decide for yourself? Will you not turn away from all that is taghout and sacrifice your lives and wealth in the way of Allah and prevent a destruction for the Muslims like that of the American Indians and African Americans who are still suffering today. O Ye Who Believe rise with us and speak the truth to the oppressors, help to revive Islam the all-encompassing way of life and do not let the ummah become like the Christians “giving unto Caesar’s what is Caesar’s and giving unto God what is God’s[Bible: Romans 13:7]

Won’t you grasp the strongest handhold that never breaks and speak truth in the face of the taghout. Won’t you rise like great Muslims in the past and the Messengers (AS) and proclaim that Allah(SWT) is the Creator, that He(SWT) is One and that His(SWT) shariah is the only way toward peace and tranquility in the Earth and that all other systems are false. Won’t you understand Islam like the Companions (RAA) of the Messenger (SAW) and Umar bin Al Khattab (RAA) when he said that, 

“Some people were dealt with by the revelation in the time of the Messenger of Allah (SAW)? The revelation has ceased. Now we deal with you according to what is clear to us from your actions. If anyone shows us good, we trust him and honor him. We know nothing of his inward. Allah(SWT) will call him to reckoning in respect of his inward. If anyone shows us evil, we do not trust him and do not believe him, even if he says his inward is good"[Bukhari]

We must not take from those of us that are willing to hug and eat with those who are responsible for dropping thousands of bombs on our Brothers and Sisters, we must reveal their two faces and lies, debate with them and show them that Islam is superior to their ideologies and systems. We must work establish Khilafah and revive Islam and the only way to accomplish these objectives is to return toward the Quran and the Sunnah but we must take all of it and not a portion of it regardless of what it is that we like or dislike. And when we return to the way of Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (SAW), Allah(SWT) will restore us to dignity and falsehood will vanish, Won’t you join us and,

“Let there rise from amongst you group(s)who invite others to the khair(Islam), command the good, and forbid the evil, and they are the ones who are successful ones (3:104)