taatillah

Ta'at Allah, often transliterated taatullah, is a central Islamic term referring to obedience to God and submission to His commands as revealed in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. The word combines ta'ah (obedience) with Allah, signaling that ultimate obligation lies with the divine will rather than human authority.

In Islamic theology, ta'at encompasses both acts of worship and ethical conduct. It includes obligatory practices such as prayer, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage, as well as everyday behavior like honesty, justice, and compassion. The concept also functions in jurisprudence to distinguish what is permissible and what is forbidden, and it establishes that obedience to God takes precedence over obedience to humans if a command contradicts divine law.

Practically, ta'atullah shapes personal piety and social responsibility, informing Muslims' relations with family, neighbors, and rulers. While some traditions allow obedience to legitimate authorities, they insist that such obedience remains bounded by God's commands and cannot endorse sin or injustice. The idea is discussed across Sunni and Shia thought and remains a common reference in ethical discourse and religious instruction.