Taqiyyah (Dissimulation)

Another favourite topic or myth used to attack Shias is the concept of dissimulation (otherwise known as Taqqiyah) - i.e. to hide one's true faith in the face of provocation and risk of life. Once again, let me begin again by referring to the Quran:

"Any one who, after accepting faith in Allah, utters Unbelief,- except under compulsion, his heart remaining firm in Faith - but such as open their breast to Unbelief, on them is Wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a dreadful penalty."(Surah 16, Verse 106)

"A believer, a man from among the people of Pharaoh, who had concealed his faith, said: "Will ye slay a man because he says, 'My Lord is Allah'?" (Surah 40, Verse 28)

"When Moses came back to his people, angry and grieved, he said: "Evil it is that ye have done in my place in my absence: did ye make haste to bring on the judgment of your Lord?" He put down the tablets, seized his brother by (the hair of) his head, and dragged him to him. Aaron said: "Son of my mother! the people did indeed reckon me as naught, and went near to slaying me! Make not the enemies rejoice over my misfortune, nor count thou me amongst the people of sin." (Surah 7, Verse 150)

The above three verses all go some way to explaining the concept of taqiyyah. The first verse states that taqiyyah is permissible only in the times of need, in the second verse a believer was forced to conceal his faith at the time of the Pharaoh for fear of prosecution and lastly even a Prophet of God had to engage in taqiyyah in order to save his own life.

The concept of taqiyyah is clearly supported by the Quran and one that is engaged by Muslims at times of persecution. It doesn't mean that we have become liars and cannot be trusted. Often our 6th Imam has been quoted as saying: "Nine tenths of religion is Taqiyyah (dissimulation), hence one who does not dissimulate has no religion." (Al-Kafi, Volume 9). From this people try to conclude that 90% of the Shia faith is based on lies. Typical Sunni course of action, taking one quote completely out of context.

This statement was first made at a time when true Muslims were under severe prosecution. The rulers of the Arab world at the time were extremely corrupt and keen to abolish Islam altogether. To prevent the risk of death and punishment, many Muslims had to engage in taqiyyah. This is supported by Sahih Bukhari: "Anas said, "I do not find (now-a-days) things as they were (practiced) at the time of the Prophet." Somebody said "The prayer (is as it was.)" Anas said, "Have you not done in the prayer what you have done? Narrated Az-Zuhri that he visited Anas bin Malik at Damascus and found him weeping and asked him why he was weeping. He replied, "I do not know anything which I used to know during the life-time of Allah's Apostle except this prayer which is being lost (not offered as it should be)." (Sahih Bukhari, Book 10, Number 507)

The above hadith testifies that the practices of the Holy Prophet had been changed and even the namaaz was being altered. During this time, where were the true Muslims? If they weren't raising their voice, they remained in hiding to save themselves. When the 6th Holy Imam states that 90% of the religion is taqiyyah, then that is because 90% of the religion being practiced by the rulers was corrupt and not the true religion of Islam. Anyone who wasn't engaging in taqiyyah, but was instead following the rules of the caliphs at that time was not practising true Islam.

More importantly, fast-forwarding to today and post 9/11, Muslims throughout the world are being prosecuted and victimised. In the face of such aggravation what are we meant to do? In some situations people have no choice but to hide their true beliefs. To interpret taqiyyah as a form of lying and not telling the truth as people accuse Shias of is, once again, plain wrong.

Temporary marriage

Arguably one of the more popular Shia myth's revolves around the concept of temporary marriage, Muta. Our critics claim that we are a bunch of womanisers and that Muta, is an attempt to legitimise prostitution! We are apparently allowed to engage in a temporary marriage for as short or as long as needed and do whatever we want in that time period with no consequence and no responsibility for our actions. It is an act that is apparently haram, against the teachings of the Holy Prophet and the Holy Quran. It is an act which proves that we are somehow non-Muslims and deserve to be condemned as such.

So, with that in mind, here is my straight-forward, but accurate take on the topic and I leave it you to draw your own conclusions. As always, the best place to start is with the Holy Quran. The concept of Muta, revolves around one main verse:

"(...Except the forbidden women) the rest are lawful unto you to seek them with gifts from your property (i.e., dowry), provided that you desire protection (from sin), not fornication. So for whatever you have had of pleasure (Istamta'tum) with them by the contract, give unto them their appointed wages as a duty. And there is no sin for you in what you both agree (in extending the contract) after fulfilling the (first) duty. Lo! Allah is ever Knower, Wise." (Surah 4, Verse 24)

The word 'marriage' is specifically not mentioned in this verse, it is instead the word 'istamatatum' which translates to muta. It was a practice that was allowed during the time of the Prophet and according to many Sunni books was later prohibited by the second caliph, Umar. "The Verse of Hajj-at-Tamatu was revealed in Allah's Book, so we performed it with Allah's Apostle, and nothing was revealed in Qur'an to make it illegal, nor did the Prophet prohibit it till he died. But the man (who regarded it illegal) just expressed what his own mind suggested." (Sahih Bukhari, Book 60, Number 43). The man mentioned was Umar the second caliph.

Furthermore, in Sahih Muslim, the claim that Umar banned the act of Muta is confirmed in the following hadith: "Abu Nadra reported: While I was in the company of Jabir b. Abdullah, a person came to him and said that Ibn 'Abbas and Ibn Zubair differed on the two types of Mut'as (Tamattu' of Hajj 1846 and Tamattu' with women), whereupon Jabir said: We used to do these two during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). Umar then forbade us to do them, and so we did not revert to them." (Sahih Muslim, Book 8, Number 3250) So, with the aid of Sunni sources, it seems as if Muta is allowed as according to the Quran, practiced during the time of the Prophet and was subsequently forbidden by the second Caliph. As a Muslim, I think it's important to follow the Prophet rather than the second Caliph, don't you?

Having tried to prove the authenticity of Muta, obviously it is a topic that raises much debate because of what it means. I don't want to get into the rights and wrongs of Muta. It was introduced at a time when fornication and prostitution was rife, it was used at a time when men went to war and would be separated from their wives for long periods. Like any other rule or act, it is open to abuse. By all means criticise those who abuse the laws of Islam, but to abuse the act and furthermore Shias for practicing the act in a correct manner, when it is clearly allowed by God and his Prophet is wrong.