A reading into Abul A’la Maududi’s “Four Basic Qur’anic Terms”

Abul A'la Maududi, founder of the Jamaat-e-Islami (Islamic Congress) in Pakistan for more than 30 years, is one of the most influential figures in the Islamic movement, and the Takfiri ideology in particular.

Maududi gained such stature through his books, of which the most important is the “Four basic Qur'anic terms” that includes his interpretations of four terms, namely Ilah, Rabb, Deen and ‘Ibadah (God, Lord, Religion and Worship).

The book was written in the form of articles that were published in 1947 in Tarjuman ul Quran magazine, which presented the Jamaat-e-Islami in Pakistan. Then, Maududi started announcing the foundation of Jamaat-e-Islami; the four terms acted as the party’s principles.

The 138-page book consisted of an introduction and four chapters that interpret and analyze the four terms; it only got translated into Arabic.

As an introduction, Maududi in his book stresses the importance of teaching the meanings of the four terms to Muslims. “It is essential for proper comprehension of the teachings of the Qur'an fully to understand the implications of these four terms. The Qur'an will in fact lose its whole meaning for anyone who does not know what is meant by ilah or rabb, what constitutes 'iba'dah, and what the Qur'an means when it uses the word deen,” the book’s introduction included.

“He will fail to learn what Tawhid (belief in the One-ness of Allah in the fullest sense) is, or what constitutes its anti-thesis, that is, shirk (the attribution to others, either wholly or partially, of any of Allah's exclusive qualities or attributes).”

Here Maududi is being rather rigorous regarding the essentiality of learning the four terms, denying Tawhid from anyone who does not understand their meanings; such excessiveness features in most of Maududi’s writings.

Maududi points out in his book that meanings of the four terms changed after the Prophet’s era, as he elaborates, “When the Qur'an was first presented to the Arabs they all knew what was meant by ilah or rabb as both the words were already current in their language. They were not new terms, nor were any new meanings put upon them.”

“But as centuries passed, the real meanings of these terms gradually underwent subtle changes so that, in course of time, instead of the full connotations, they came to stand for only very limited meanings or restricted and rather vague concepts.”

Maududi explained why many of the Qur'anic words began to be explained not by their original sense but by what they had by then come to stand for by citing two reasons. The first of which is the gradual decline of interest in the Arabic language, while the second is that words ceased to have the same meanings for the later generations of Muslims that they had for the original Arabs to whom the Qur'an had been revealed.

Maududi, however, contradicted what was mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunna, as he claimed that Islamic communities started to lose the meanings of the four terms after the era of the Prophet, in contradiction to the Prophet saying, “There will always be a group from my Ummah (Community) that will be steadfast on the order of Allah, they will not be harmed by those who oppose them or abandon them, until the order of Allah comes and they will be triumphant over humankind."

In his definition to the term Ilah, Maududi says in his book, “Foremost among the factors which engender a sentiment of some degree of adoration for someone is a person's own state of being in distress or need. He cannot even conceive of worshiping someone unless he has reason to believe that someone to be in a position to remove his distress, to fulfill his needs, to give him shelter and protect him in time of danger, and soothe his troubled heart.”

“It goes without saying that the above belief is accompanied by a belief also in the superiority of the other in status, power, and strength.”

Here, Maududi conflicts divinity characteristics with godly characteristics; in his mention to the godly characteristics, Allah is the Omnipotent, the Creator, and the Total provider, while the Ilah is the one who is worthy of worship.

The concept of Tawhid is based on the belief in the One-ness of Allah in the fullest sense, in both words and actions, in contrary to what Maududi argues in his book.

The book also reads, “Whosoever regards any other person or being to be his helper or patron in the supernatural sense, or capable of solving his problems or fulfilling his needs, of hearing and granting his prayers, or of doing him harm or good, does so only because he believes that Person or being to enjoy some measure of authority in the management of the universe.”

Maududi concluded that the essence of godhood is authority, claiming religion as a mean in seeking this authority rather than an aim. This also contradicts what came in the Qur’an, “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” Surah Adh-Dhariyat [51:56], this means man was created only to worship, not to seek authority.

In the book Maududi interprets the One-ness of a Rabb as he is the caretaker, the overall powerful, the source of guidance and enlightenment, the reference of legislation and law, the ruler of the state and the kingdom, the eternal possessor of sovereignty, and the structure of divinity.

Then Maududi turns to ‘Ibadah as the book defines it, “The basic concept implied by the root word, 'abd, is that of acknowledging someone other than oneself as holding supremacy or enjoying overlordship and of abdicating one's freedom and independence in big favour, of relinquishing any resistance to or disobedience of him, and of surrendering oneself totally to his authority.” He also argued, “Slavery or bondage too are tantamount to similar status.”

Maududi said in his definition of worshiping the taghoot (an earthly tyrannical power) that it is deemed worshiping the taghoot when surrendering to any state, authority, leadership or sultanate that rebels against Allah, denying Him and His right to lay down the law for man, begins to make its own law prevail in the land, and force men to follow these laws.

This is what takfiri groups rely on in their judgement on Arab presidents and leaders and excommunication of people and societies; they see people’s satisfaction with leaders who do not apply the Sharia (Islamic law) as infidels who accepted the ruling of a taghoot. This calls for arming against leaders so that they are not deemed worshippers of the taghoot.

Finally, Maududi defines the word deen (Religion) in the Qur’an as a term that revolves around one or other of four basic concepts, namely sovereignty and supreme authority; obedience and submission to such authority; the system of thought and action established through the exercise of that authority; and retribution meted out by the authority, in consideration of loyalty and obedience to it, or rebellion and transgression against it.

It is noticed that all Maududi’s interpretations of religion are of a political nature; despite that authority and governance are branches of religion, he made their interpretations only about religion, this dramatically influenced Islamic movements and made them kill in the seek for power, claiming it as the sole purpose of religion, as Maududi mentioned in his book.