An attempt at proving ٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ (at-ṭāghūt) as “the deliberate corrupters of scriptural interpretation” - Part 1
Isaam Rafee
Isaam Rafee
Dec 1, 2022
Salaamun Alaykum Ashabul A'raf.. (Dr Hany - appreciate your comments)
In my investigation to find out who are or what is at-ṭāghūt in the Quran, I came across the phrase:
يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ “O people of the earlier scriptures! Do not commit excess in your “deen” (i.e., established order)”
Which appears to be a marker since it occurs only twice in the Quran, in Surah An-Nisa 4:171 and Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:77. A potential ‘janaah’. Additionaly, the word تَغْلُوا when searched using the gerrund Ghyan-Lam-Waw (غ ل و), returns only 2 results in the same 2 ayats, providing further reinforcement for it to be a marker, of the highest order.
Ghyan-Lam-Waw = to exceed the proper limit, excessive, exorbitant, luxuriant, grow tall, utmost extent of a shot or throw, behaving with forced hardness or rigor. Lane’s Lexicon, Volume 6, pages: 71 ## http://ejtaal.net/aa/#q=glw
Exploring the verses....
4:171 يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْحَقَّ ۚ ......ا ١٧١ “O people of the earlier scriptures! Do not commit excess in your “deen” (i.e., established order) and do not say about Allāh except the truth. It's not what you think! [1] the wiped Isa, son of Maryam is but a messenger of Allah and his dignified supplication that he delegated to Maryam, and a divine message from him (that he delegated to Maryam). So believe in Allāh and His messengers. And do not say, "Three"; desist - it is better for you. ‘innama’, Allāh is but a single deity! (there is only) His way which negates that he has a ‘walad’ (son). To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And Allāh is enough as disposer of affairs. — SI/MQ/Self-edited
5:77 قُلْ يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ غَيْرَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوٓا۟ أَهْوَآءَ قَوْمٍۢ قَدْ ضَلُّوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ وَأَضَلُّوا۟ كَثِيرًۭا وَضَلُّوا۟ عَن سَوَآءِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ٧٧ Say, “O people of the earlier scriptures! Do not commit excess in your “deen” (i.e., established order) other than the truth and do not follow the opinions of a people who had gone astray before and misled many and have strayed from the soundness of the way.” — SI/Self-edited
Observations, questions and a Hypothesis....
The exclusive use of the word تَغْلُوا۟, “commit excess” (and by virtue of being exclusive) seems to define; that when 'excessiveness' is used in the Quran, it refers to going beyond the truth, in otherwords to invent a lie about Allah or belieing the ayaats. As indicated in both ayats after the phrase يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ where in 4:171 it says "and do not say about Allāh except the truth" and in5:77 its follows with "other than the truth".
In short, committing excesses in the Quran is corrupting the scripture, and perhaps also includes adding other books in 'excess' of the revealed scripture.
Since تَغْلُوا۟ has the letter تَ in it, indicating intentionality, and not out of ignorance, therefore “comitting exccess” when used in the Quran is a deliberate act of corrupting the scripture. The Quran is riddled with warnings about not to belie the ayaats of Allah, as this leads to misguidance of multitudes over generations, like in the story of Eissa, mentioned in 4:171 as well as in 5:77.
Next, the phrase وَأَضَلُّ عَن سَوَآءِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ at the end of 5:77 is found only one more time in 5:60 in the same surah (2 occurance in the whole Quran) is perhaps also an exclusive marker connecting the term تَغْلُوا۟ with ٱلطَّـٰغُوتَ.
5:60 - قُلْ هَلْ أُنَبِّئُكُم بِشَرٍّۢ مِّن ذَٰلِكَ مَثُوبَةً عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ مَن لَّعَنَهُ ٱللَّهُ وَغَضِبَ عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلَ مِنْهُمُ ٱلْقِرَدَةَ وَٱلْخَنَازِيرَ وَعَبَدَ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتَ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ شَرٌّۭ مَّكَانًۭا وَأَضَلُّ عَن سَوَآءِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ٦٠ Say, "Shall I inform you of (what is) worse than that as penalty from Allāh? (it is) those whom Allāh has cursed and with whom He became angry and made of them ‘apes’ and ‘pigs’ and slaves/worshipers of ṭāghūt. Those are worse in position and have strayed from the soundness of the way.” — SI/self edited
The word ٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ comes from the gerrund Tay-Ghayn-Ya, although it is different from تَغْلُوا۟ with Gh-Lam-Waw, they have somewhat similar meaning around excessiveness. See below
Lane's Lexicon, Volume 5, pages: 141, 142 ## http://ejtaal.net/aa/#q=Tgy Tay-Ghayn-Ya = exceed a limit, to transgress, wander from its orbit, exceed the bound, wayward, to rise high, to overflow, to rage, go astray, deviate, be incurious, mischievous, impious, tyrannical, inordinate, rebellious, exorbitant, exceedingly wicked, insolence, injustice, infidelity, rebellion, storm of thunder & lightning of extreme severity, outburst, powers of evil, lead to evil, be overbold, contumacy, extravagantly disobedient, immoderate, corrupt, top or upper part of a mountain, idol/demon, source of wickedness.
Using root search, it yields 39 occurances in its various form;
As a hypothesis - since the text of the Quran is preserved by Allah, one cannot corrupt the scriptural text itself, but can only corrupt the interpretations by giving it concieted opinions of what ayaats in the scripture means without evidence from the Quran (belieing), therefore I reckon to “commit excess” is to corrupt the interpretation of the ayats or the interpretation of scripture. Applying this concept to at-ṭāghūt we can define it as “the corrupters of interpretation of scripture”, and we can refine the terminology to include intentionality for at-ṭāghūt as “the deliberate corrupters of scriptural interpretation”.
Mind you in my investigation, I find markers in almost every ayat. We need an App for this toiling!!. exciting!! but for now, I have checked out, as a short cut, out of the 39 occurance, the ones that has been translated by Dr. Hany, to kinda see if im on the right track, InsyaAllah;
So, seek to self-correct, as you have been commanded, along with those who repented with you, and do not commit excesses: Indeed, through what you (all) toil (on the scripture), he (Allahh) allows you to see — MQ
53:17
مَا زَاغَ ٱلْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ ١٧
The eyesight (of Musa) never suffered diplopia and was never excessive[13]. — MQ
[13] In other words, Mussa delivered the exact scripture as it was revealed to him, and only later did people corrupt it.
And had Allah expedites for people the evil (they erroneously ask for) in accordance with their hurriedness for what they (erroneously) consider as good, their doom would certainly have been decreed for them, but instead, we leave the ones who do not aspire to receive directly from us, blindly in their excessive aberrance. — MQ
38:55 هَـٰذَا ۚ وَإِنَّ لِلطَّـٰغِينَ لَشَرَّ مَـَٔابٍۢ ٥٥ Thus, and for the excessive ones is an evil return: — MQ
78:22 لِّلطَّـٰغِينَ مَـَٔابًۭا ٢٢ An inevitable retreat for all who persistently exceed the bounds. — MQ Note: from not sticking to the lexicon of the quran. They abused the hadeed, the hukm.
...And we remanded the opinion that we made you percieve only as a tribulation for (some) people, and (similarly) the argumentative group that was cursed in the Qur'an. And we provide them cause for fear, but it only increases them in conceited aggression! — MQ
Most of the ayaats translated by DH indicates excessiveness to be belieing the ayats, going beyond the Hadeed/Hukm, pointing to the intentional act of corrupting the scripture. The award for the best of at ṭāghūt in the past would perhaps be Firaun as he exalted himself (by means of corrupting the scripture) to become a diety himself!!.. I wonder who gets the award for today?
In closing for this part... lemme share these 2 ayaats where Taghut is mentioned in one and with an interesting marker.
And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, (saying), "Worship Allāh and avoid ṭāghūt (i.e., the deliberate corrupters of scriptural interpretation)." And among them (i.e., people of every nation) were those whom Allāh guided, and among them were those upon whom error was (deservedly) decreed. So proceed through the ‘ardh’ (i.e., scripture) and observe how was the end of the beliers. — SI/Self edited
Similar situations have passed on before you, So proceed through the ‘ardh’ (i.e., scripture) and observe how was the end of the beliers. — SI/Self edited
فَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ - Exclusive marker... here Allah is baiting us to"proceed through the ‘ardh’ (i.e., scripture) and observe how was the end of the beliers". Saheeh International and the likes.... your days numbered, id say.
Please forgive me if I have 'mujrimooned' some of the interpretations.. I am but a novice learner.
Krish Tendulkar
Krish Tendulkar