The meaning of the word taghoot?

Answer 1

The erudite scholar Imaam Ibn ul Qayyim, rahimahullah, said in I'laam ul Muwaqqi'een Vol1 pg53,

الطاغوت كل ما تجاوز به العبد حده : من معبود أو متبوع أو مطاع . فطاغوت كل قوم : من يتحاكمون إليه غير الله ورسوله ، أو يعبدونه من دون الله أو يتبعونه على غير بصيرة من الله أو يطيعونه فيما لا يعلمون أنه طاعة لله . فهذه طواغيت العالم . إذا تأملتها وتأملت أحوال الناس معها . رأيت أكثرههم أعرض عن عبادة الله تعالى إلى عبادة الطاغوت وعن طاعة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى طاعة الطاغوت ومتابعته .

Translation insha'Allah:

" A 'taaghoot' is everything [by which] the 'abd[slave of Allah] goes beyond the limits [set by the divine legislation], in worship, or in following, or in obedience.

So a 'taaghoot' is anything, other than Allah or the Messenger, to which the people legislate/adjudicate, or [anything] that is worshiped besides Allah, or [anyone] that is followed without knowledge/guidance from Allah, or [anyone] that is obeyed in those matters where Allah [alone] should be obeyed. And these are the 'tawagheet' of this world. To the person who contemplates upon the people who follow them, he will see that the majority of them turn away from the worship of Allah the Most High, and turn to the worship of 'taaghoot', and they [turn away] from the obedience of the Messenger, sallallahu alayhi was salama, to the obedience of the 'taaghoot' and following it."]