Ruling and Judging Using Taghut

Published in February 10, 2018

Translated by: Ahmed Fathy

Introduction:

1- We have received this question via email from a dear friend: (... In former years, I used to believe that those who resort to man-made legislations/laws within financial disputes and worldly cases/affairs instead of religious/Islamic laws/legislations are sinful ones who resort to Taghut instead to resorting to God's Word and His Religion; to what extent is this true? Some people quote these verses to assert this view: "Have you not observed those who claim that they believe in what was revealed to you, and in what was revealed before you, yet they seek Taghut sources for legislation, in spite of being commanded to reject them? Satan means to mislead them far away." (4:60); "That is because they said to those who hated what God has revealed, "We will obey you in certain matters." But God knows their secret thoughts." (47:26); what do you think? ... By the way, if a Quranist man becomes the president of any given Arab country one day, how is he gonna deal with sins and prohibited items such as fornication/adultery and wine-drinking, bearing in mind that our Egyptian society have citizens who are Christians, atheists, and Baha'is, apart from a majority of Muhammadans? Does the State ruled by a Quranist president has the right to sell, import, export wine? ...).

2- We assert the following: the Sunnite Wahabi religion followers are the ones who called man-made laws/legislations as Taghut. This has nothing to do with the meaning of the Quranic term (Taghut). We remind readers that we have tackled the Quranic term (Taghut) in this article (in English) titled "The Meaning of Islam and the Meaning of Taghut" (http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=14342). We recap here that Taghut means an extreme form of polytheism and disbelief by rejecting the Quran to follow devilish, Satanist narratives/hadiths of the man-made, earthly, fabricated religions; e.g., Sunnite hadiths of 'holy' imams and authors of sanctified books. This is why in many Quranic verses, we notice the juxtaposition between God and His Word, on the one hand, and Taghut, on the other hand; real believers choose the former and polytheists choose the latter. We provide more details in the points below.  

Firstly:

Within the testimony of Islam:

1- The Quranic term (Taghut) also refers to any deified, sanctified being worshiped alongside with the Lord God: "There shall be no compulsion in religion; the right way has become distinct from the wrong way. Whoever renounces evil and believes in God has grasped the most trustworthy handle; which does not break. God is Hearing and Knowing." (2:256). Thus, the testimony of Islam, (There is no God but Allah), means that faith within Islam begins with the fact that one is to disbelieve in all assumed/claimed gods (i.e., Taghut) and this leads naturally to the belief only in the One True Lord God, without partners or associates. Therefore, those who deify mortals (e.g., Muhammad, Jesus, Buddha, Ali, Hussein, and Al-Bokhary) are actually believe in Taghut, whereas those who believe only in God are the true monotheists; one cannot combine in one's heart/soul the belief in God and in Taghut simultaneously.     

2- All God's messengers/prophets conveyed nothing but the one, clear message of (There is no God but Allah), as we know from this verse: "We never sent a messenger before you without inspiring him that: "There is no God but I, so worship Me."" (21:25). The meaning of (There is no God but Allah) includes to avoid and to disbelieve in Taghut; i.e., to avoid deifying things/items and mortals and any abominations (e.g., mausoleums, pagan idols, and books of hadiths) to be among the winners in Paradise, as one cannot combine in one's heart/soul the belief in God and in Taghut at the same time. God says the following in the Quran: "To every community We sent a messenger: "Worship God, and avoid Taghut." Some of them God guided, while others deserved misguidance. So travel through the earth, and see what the fate of the deniers was." (16:36); "...So stay away from the abomination of idols...Being true to God, without associating anything with Him..." (22:30-31); "As for those who avoid the worship of Taghut, and devote themselves to God - theirs is the good news. So give good news to My servants." (39:17).

Within the idea of ally/saint:

1- The Only Ally/Saintly Being worshiped in Islam is the Lord God Allah, and people must seek His help and never to take up other deities/saints/allies; i.e., by worshiping mausoleums or mortals, so as to avoid polytheism/disbelief. God says the following in the Quran: "Say, "Shall I take for myself an ally other than God, Originator of the heavens and the earth, and He feeds and is not fed?" Say, "I am instructed to be the first of those who submit." And do not be among the polytheists." (6:14); "...They have no ally apart from Him, and He shares His Sovereignty with no one." (18:26); "Do those who disbelieve think that they can take My servants for allies instead of Me? We have prepared Hell for the hospitality of the disbelievers. Say, "Shall We inform you of the greatest losers in their works?" "Those whose efforts in this world are misguided, while they assume that they are doing well."" (18:102-104); "Say, "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say, "God." Say, "Have you taken besides Him allies, who have no power to profit or harm even themselves?" Say, "Are the blind and the seeing equal? Or are darkness and light equal? Or have they assigned to God associates, who created the likes of His creation, so that the creations seemed to them alike? Say, "God is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, Dominant Lord." (13:16).  

2- Such dead/living saints/allies and 'holy' mausoleums are considered as Taghut darkness of disbelievers/polytheists. God is the Only Saintly Ally in Islam Whose help and Light of guidance are sought by monotheists: "God is the Ally of those who believe; He brings them out of darkness and into Light. As for those who disbelieve, their allies are Taghut; they bring them out of Light and into darkness - these are the Fire-dwellers, in which they will abide forever." (2:257); therefore, one cannot combine in one's heart/soul the belief in God and in Taghut at the same time.

Secondly: resorting to Taghut to judge and settle religious differences:

1- We are to resort only to God's Word (i.e., the Quran) in order to judge and settle religious differences/disputes; God has commanded Muhammad and all believers to do that: "Shall I seek a judge other than God, when He is the One who revealed to you the Book, explained in detail?..." (6:114); "Whatever matter you differ about, its judgment rests with God. "Such is God, my Lord, in Whom I trust, and unto Him I repent."" (42:10).

2- During his lifetime, Muhammad judged affairs of people in the Yathreb city-state (among early believers and the People of the Book) using only God's Word, when people resorted to him as a judge: "And We revealed to you the Book, with Truth, confirming the Scripture that preceded it, and superseding it. So judge between them according to what God revealed, and do not follow their desires if they differ from the truth that has come to you. For each of you We have assigned a law and a method. Had God willed, He could have made you a single nation, but He tests you through what He has given you. So compete in righteousness. To God is your return, all of you; then He will inform you of what you had disputed. And judge between them according to what God revealed, and do not follow their desires. And beware of them, lest they lure you away from some of what God has revealed to you..." (5:48-49).

Thirdly: using Taghut for judgment by hypocrites during Muhammad's lifetime:

1- The hypocrites in the Yathreb city-state disliked very much the fact that Muhammad used the Quran only to judge among them, unless justice was on their side: "And when they are called to God and His messenger, in order to judge between them, some of them refuse. But if justice is on their side, they accept it willingly." (24:48-49). In contrast, believers accept judgment (by Muhammad and others) using God's Word as the reference: "The response of the believers, when they are called to God and His Messenger in order to judge between them, is to say, "We hear and we obey." These are the successful." (24:51). The term (Messenger) here means the message: the Quran itself.

2- To resort to other sources/references in lieu of the Quran to settle religious disputes is to resort to Taghut; let's tackle verses from the Quranic Chapter Four regarding the stance of Quran-hating hypocrites who desired to resort to Taghut.

2/1: God says we are to obey only the Quran, God's Word, both individually and when used by experts; this was also the case with Muhammad as a judge who used the Quran only: "O you who believe! Obey God and obey the Messenger and those experts in authority among you. And if you dispute over anything, refer it to God and the Messenger, if you believe in God and the Last Day. That is best, and a most excellent determination." (4:59). After Muhammad's death, the Quran is the Messenger that remaining in the world till the end of days and we are to read, apply, adhere to it if we are real monotheists, as per this direct discourse addressed to human beings: "And how could you disbelieve, when God's Verses are being recited to you, and among you is His Messenger? Whoever cleaves to God has been guided to the Straight Path." (3:101). Again, the phrase (His Messenger) in 3:101 refers only to the Quran and never to Muhammad. 

2/2: God says the following about the hypocrites who refuse to resort to the Quran for judgment: "Have you not observed those who claim that they believe in what was revealed to you, and in what was revealed before you, yet they seek Taghut sources for legislation, in spite of being commanded to reject them? Satan means to mislead them far away. And when it is said to them, "Come to what God has revealed, and to the Messenger," you see the hypocrites shunning you completely." (4:60-61). Thus, to resort to other references instead of the Quran is to resort to Taghut.

2/3: That the hypocrites insisted on resorting to Taghut sources instead of the Quran is a sign of their disbelief; God has said the following to Muhammad about those hypocrites: "But no, by your Lord, they will not believe until they call you to arbitrate in their disputes, and then find within themselves no resentment regarding your decisions, and submit themselves completely." (4:65).  

Fourthly: the role of disbelievers/polytheists among the People of the Book in Arabia in tempting companions to resort to Taghut in judging religious matters:

1- Some Israelites in Arabia during Muhammad's lifetime carried the Pharaonic influence of the Ancient Egyptian religion; this is indicated by the Quranic term (Gypt), which is similar to the word Egypt. Their adherence to Gypt and Taghut (they are synonymous terms, by the way) made most of those Israelites in Arabia reject the Quran: 'Have you not considered those who were given a share of the Book? They believe in Gypt and Taghut, and say of those who disbelieve, "These are better guided on the way than the believers."" (4:51). More details about Gypt as a type of Taghut preserved by Egyptians, who retained the Pharaonic religion and its features through all eras until now, are mentioned within our book (in English) titled "The Character of Egypt after the Arab Conquest" (found on this link: http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=96).  

2- Some of the Israelites in Arabia who believed in Gypt and Taghut used to tempt and mislead the so-called companions of Muhammad; the only response was preaching and warning both gentile and Jewish Arabs using the Quran and NEVER to fight them or to commit violence against them: "Say, "O People of the Book, why do you hinder from God's Path those who believe, seeking to distort it, even though you are witnesses? God is not unaware of what you do." O you who believe! If you obey a party of those who were given the Book, they will turn you, after your belief, into disbelievers." (3:99-100); "Say, "O People of the Book! Do you resent us only because we believe in God, and in what was revealed to us, and in what was revealed previously; and most of you are sinners?" Say, "Shall I inform you of worse than that for retribution from God? He whom God has cursed, and with whom He became angry; and He turned some of them into apes, and swine, and Taghut worshipers. These are in a worse position, and further away from the right way."" (5:59-60). 

Fifthly: absolute religious freedom within God's Quranic sharia and compulsion in religion in the Taghut sharia:

1- From the Quranic verses we have quoted in the points above, we conclude that there was absolute religious freedom for hypocrites inside the Yathreb city-state to resort to judgment away from the Quran; they are warned against this sin by mentioning torment of Hell in the Hereafter; i.e., there are no penalties exacted by human beings on them for this sin. This applies to all Quranic verses about hypocrites; no one punished them at all and God has not commanded anyone to punish them at all; this applies also to believers in terms of peaceful behavior who were reluctant to engage into self-defense jihad endeavors and they drank wine and worshiped 'holy' mausoleums; God's preaching them is linked to making them bear full responsibility of their deeds/choices on the Last Day as Muhammad's only mission was to convey: "O you who believe! Wine, gambling, idols, and mausoleums are abominations of Satan's doing. Avoid them, so that you may prosper. Satan wants to provoke strife and hatred among you through wine and gambling, and to prevent you from the remembrance of God, and from prayer. Will you not desist? Obey God and obey the messenger, and be cautious. If you turn away - know that the duty of Our messenger is clear communication." (5:90-92). 

2- When believers desire to settle their disputes and differences in this world, they should resort to the Quran and its teachings and preaching and within absolute freedom to choose for oneself without compulsion; God will finally settle the religious differences among all human beings on the Day of Judgment. "If you disbelieve, God is Independent of you, yet He does not approve disbelief on the part of His servants. And if you are thankful, He will approve that in you. No bearer of burden can bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return; and He will inform you of what you used to do. He is aware of what the hearts contain." (39:7).

3- The exact opposite is found in the earthly religions of Taghut; when any of such man-made religions dominates within a given society and controls citizens, compulsion in religion is applied by force, to the extent of taking military actions against those who recant and reject the dominant earthly religion. As per the Quran, this grave sin has been committed by the Qorayish tribe against Muhammad and the weak believers who suffered military raids attacking Yathreb while they never fought back in self-defense until God has given them permission to do so to deter their attackers among the Qorayish aggressors so that they avoid being annihilated and to establish religious freedom by putting an end to persecution: "Permission is given to those who are fought against, and God is Able to give them victory. Those who were unjustly evicted from their homes, merely for saying, "Our Lord is God." Were it not that God repels people by means of others: monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques - where the name of God is mentioned much - would have been demolished. God supports whoever supports Him. God is Strong and Mighty." (22:39-40).     

4- These aggressive military attacks by Qorayish against the peaceful believers in Yathreb are described in the Quran as fighting for the sake of Taghut by allies of Satan; believers fight only in self-defense for God's sake to stop aggression and religious persecution. "And why would you not fight in the cause of God, and the helpless men, and women, and children, cry out, "Our Lord, deliver us from this town whose people are oppressive, and appoint for us from Your Presence an Ally, and appoint for us from Your Presence a Victor." Those who believe fight in the cause of God, while those who disbelieve fight in the cause of Taghut. So fight the allies of the Devil. Surely the strategy of the Devil is weak." (4:75-76).  

Sixthly: Taghut and man-made laws/legislations:

1- All Quranic verses of sharia laws/legislations, with their repetitions and details, are less than 200 verses within the entire Quranic text. The main topics of Quranic legislations are as follows: self-defense fighting, marriage/divorce, women's rights, inheritance, social rules, and food. Besides, there are legislative purposes and rules in the Quran such as justice, charity, and ease/facilitation; for more details, we refer readers to our books (in English) titled "The Seven Principles of the Real Islamic Sharia and How to Apply Them" (found on this link: http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=80) & "The Judicial Authority between Islam and the Muhammadans" (found on this link: http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=100). Thus, there is ample room within the Quranic sharia legislative purposes, rules, and principles to issue man-made laws/legislations to regulate fields like housing, traffic, healthcare, trade, etc. within Islamic Shura consultation of  democracy (direct democracy or within parliamentary representatives) within justice and ease/facilitation; these man-made laws/legislations (which are liable to be changed, corrected, amended, etc. for the welfare of people and to serve citizens) are OK since they never violate the Quran.        

2- We find the exact opposite in sharia laws of fiqh scholars of Shiites and Sunnites: they make their myths and contradictory views as part of God's sharia and His religion; this is Taghut. This verse apply to these polytheists: "Or is it that they have partners who issued for them religious laws never authorized by God?..." (42:21).   

3- The Sunnite author Al-Shafei is the first one to establish the Taghut called Sunnite fiqh and he invented so many hadiths and made them supplant and replace Quranic verses (i.e., within the Sunnite notion of Naskh) by misinterpreting on purpose the Quranic term (Messenger) to make it refer only to Muhammad and never to the Quran, in the contexts that carry this meaning (and no other meanings) in the Quranic text. This is Taghut/disbelief par excellence, if we may call disbelief in that way!

Seventhly: Quranists and judging using God's revealed verses:

1- Quranists never engage into the political life and affairs of rule; they only express their views and they are specialized experts in calling and preaching the Quranic Truth.

2- Prohibited items in the Quranic sharia are few exceptions and one is to avoid them as per individual choice out of one's monotheistic faith and fear of Hell in the Hereafter and NEVER out of fear of any sort of religious police. This is way verses that contain sharia laws/legislations remind readers of piety as the essence of Islam and of the fact that God is the Omniscient Lord.   

3- Not all prohibited, forbidden items are penalized in the Quran within punishments exacted on human beings by other human beings. Thus, wine-drinking is not penalized, unlike fornication, sexually slandering women, theft, murder, injuring people, and aggression. In most cases, the penalties are not applied in case of repentance and making amends, apart from atonement.   

4- Some West countries have laws/legislations that are nearer to Islamic sharia laws/legislations – especially in the fields of all types of freedom and human rights. This applies sometimes to penalizing people for certain crimes. Some of these man-made laws make fornication in return for money a crime; yet, they allow fornication based on mutual consent – both types of sex are illicit in Islam. At one point in time, the USA laws prohibited wine and penalized violators of such laws. As for the countries of the Muhammadans, Taghut laws/legislations dominate there under the auspices of tyrants and clergymen; yet, they never stop criticizing the West countries and describing West /legislations laws as Taghut!