Question:
What is the meaning of denying Al-Taghut (false deities)? May Allah reward you best.
Answer:
It means to declare oneself free from worshipping false deities and to believe that all deities worshipped along with Allah are false. Allah (Glorified be He) says, “Whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.” [Al-Baqarah: 256]
The word Al-Taghut applies to all objects of worship taken as gods besides Allah. Denying or disbelieving in Al-Taghut means to declare yourself free from worshipping idols, statutes, jinn or other false objects of worship. One must also believe that the true god is Allah, alone without partner. Whoever does not believe in this will not rightfully be called a Muslim.
Therefore, one must believe that only Allah (Exalted be He) is worthy of worship and that worship of false deities, like jinn or idols, is null and void. As the word Al-Taghut (pl. Tawaghit) refers to any object worshipped along with Allah, it may refer to idols, trees, stones which are taken as objects of worship. However, the term cannot refer to the worship of Awliya’ (pious people), prophets, or angels. It is the devil from among jinn or mankind, which incites man to worship Awliya’, prophets or angels, which is referred to as Taghut. The Awliya’ , prophets and angels do not bear the sin of being worshipped by people, because they would never allow others to worship them besides Allah. Thus, the word Al-Taghut can refer to anyone who incites others to worship other than Allah (Exalted be He), like Firawn (pharaoh) and those like him.
Therefore, disbelieving in Al-Taghut means to declare oneself free from worshipping other than Allah and believing that such worship is null and void. One must believe that true worship must be offered to Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says in Surah (Quranic Chapter) “Al-Hajj”: “That is because Allah — He is the Truth (the only True God of all that exists, Who has no partners or rivals with Him), and what they (the polytheists) invoke besides Him, it is Batil (falsehood).” [Al-Hajj: 62]