«صعيدا‏» refers to the apparent surface of the earth. Jabir said that Taghut refers to the great oppressive polytheist leaders to whom people used to take their cases during the period of ignorance. There was such a leader in the tribe of Juhaina, one in the tribe of Aslam, and every tribe had such a Taghut. These were the soothsayers to whom the devils used to come (bringing news of the unseen). Umar ibn Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said that «الجبت» refers to magic, and «الطاغوت» refers to the devil, and Ikrimah said that «الجبت» means devil in the Abyssinian language, and «الطاغوت» comes with the meaning of soothsayer.

Narrated `Aisha: The necklace of Asma' was lost, so the Prophet sent some men to look for it. The time for the prayer became due and they had not performed ablution and could not find water, so they offered the prayer without ablution. Then Allah revealed (the Verse of Tayammum).