Ghuluwal

Ghuluwal (Arabic: غلو, romanized: ghuluww) refers to the exaggeration or excessiveness in religious belief, particularly the act of elevating certain figures, such as prophets, Imams, or saints, to a divine status or attributing divine qualities to them. It is considered a heretical concept in mainstream Islam.

Ghuluww is often seen as a deviation from the principle of tawhid (the oneness of God) which is central to Islamic faith. It suggests the worship of someone or something other than Allah (God) directly or indirectly, through extreme veneration that blurs the line between creation and creator.

Different Islamic sects and scholars have varying interpretations and applications of the term, but the core concept revolves around the prohibition of attributing divinity or divine attributes to anyone other than God. Some schools of thought may apply the term more broadly to include extreme veneration that stops short of explicit claims of divinity but still exhibits excessive devotion that rivals the reverence due to God alone.

The term is used primarily in theological and legal discussions within Islam to define and denounce beliefs or practices deemed to be outside the boundaries of orthodox Islamic doctrine.