Taqiyyah means concealing or disguising one’s beliefs,
convictions, ideas, feelings, opinions, and strategies at a time of imminent
danger, whether now or later in time, to save one’s self from physical and or
mental injury or even death. It is also called “Dissimulation”
Although, there are many Ayahs of Noble Qur’an prohibiting
the unlawful murders of human beings, but history is loaded with ruthless and
unlawful massacres of human beings. Surah
al-Mai’da Ayah 32: “For this reason, We made it a law for the children of Israel
Surah al-An’am Ayah
151: “…..Take not a life which Allah has made sacred except by way of justice
and law.”
Protection of life is very important in Islam. If there is
an imminent danger to one’s life, Allah allows even to eat prohibited items so
as to save the human life. Surah
al-Baqarah Ayah 173: “Allah has forbidden you to eat that which has not been
properly slaughtered, blood, pork, and the flesh of any animal which has not
been consecrated with a mention of the name of Allah. However, in an emergency,
without the intention of transgression or repeating transgression, one will not
be considered to have committed a sin.”
It is abundantly
clear why Shiahs had to resort to Taqiyyah in their history.
Taqiyyah has its roots in the Noble Qur’an and in the
conducts of Prophet’s companions, and the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.)’s approval is
a vivid testimony to its existence and permisibility during the early days of
Islam.
“Whoever renounces
faith in Allah after (affirming) his faith – barring someone who is compelled
while his heart is at rest in faith – but those who open up their breasts to disbelief,
upon such shall be Allah’s Wrath, and there is a great punishment for them”
(16:106)
One day, Ammar bin Yassir and his parents were captured by
the enemies and the infidels asked them to renounce Islam. His parents bore
witness to the Oneness of Allah and the prophet hood of the Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.s.). His parents were martyred and he was tortured. In order to avoid
enemy’s torture, Ammar uttered what the infidels wanted him to utter, and so he
was free. When he narrated the whole story, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
consoled him and gave him permission to repeat it in future if his life was in
danger. Hence, the above Ayah was revealed.
“The faithful should
not take the faithless for allies instead of the faithful, and whoever does
that Allah will have nothing to do with them, except when you are wary of them
out of caution.” (3:28 )
This Ayah clearly testifies that friendship with infidels is
not permissible. But in case of Dissimulation (Taqiyyah), when one intends to save
his life or ward-off dangers, then outward friendship with them is permissible.
The despotic rulers in general and Umayyad and Abbasid governments in particular, were inimical to
Shi’ahs and resolved to eliminate them; the Shi’ahs used Taqiyyah as per Qur’anic
injunctions and Prophetic approval by hiding their true beliefs.
Muslims in general also used Taqiyyah to safeguard their
lives and property.
Difference between
Nifaq and Taqiyyah:
Nifaq is the
belief against Islam in their hearts but declaration of Islam in words.
Taqiyyah is the
correct belief of Islam by heart but declaration of anti Islamic belief in
words. Hence Taqiyyah and Nifaq are
opposite to each other and can never be found in one place.
In Surah al-Ghafir,
Ayah 28: “And said a man who was a believer from the people of Pharaoh: who
used to conceal his faith.”
In Surah al-Qasas,
Ayah 28: “A man came running from the farthest part of the city saying ‘Musa,
people are planning to kill you. I sincerely advise you to leave the city.”
So also Hazrat Abu Talib did not declare his
faith openly, he was able to protect the life of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
In all the above cases, Allah was pleased with the hiding of
faith, because it had great benefits.
The faithful from the family of Pharaoh’s faith based on
Taqiyya was so pleasing to Allah that he was counted as a “Siddiq” (Most Truthful). The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: “There
are three Siddiqin: (1) Habib Najjar (2) the faithful from the
family of Pharaoh (3) Ali bin Abi Talib.”
As per al-Baidawi, Prophet Musa also spent considerable
period of his life in Taqiyyah.
Even the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) kept his mission secret for
three years!
Best way to perform
Taqiyyah:
Sometimes a sentence or phrase may be used in such a way
that the hearer takes it to conform to his own ideas, while the speaker takes
it to mean a quite different thing.
“The believer from the family of Pharaoh” was reported to be
his cousin. When his partiality towards Prophet Musa became known, some
courtiers complained to Pharaoh about it. He became furious and called his
cousin for clarification. The court was full. The believer asked the people:
The Believer: Tell me who is your Lord?
Courtiers: Pharaoh
The Believer: Who is your Creator?
Courtiers: Pharaoh
The Believer: Who is your Sustainer?
Courtiers: Pharaoh
Then the Believer declared: O King! I keep you and all these
present as my witness that their Lord is my Lord, their Creator is my Creator,
their Sustainer is my Sustainer.”
Pharaoh’s anxiety vanished and the back-biters were
punished. The real intention of the Believer is quite clear.
References:
The Noble Qur’an
The Shia Rebuts by
Sayyid Rida Husayni Nasab
Taqiyya by
Syed Saeed Akhter Rizvi
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