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.