Kamal F. Ishak

TAQIYYA  - Islamic “Dissimulation”

 

TAQIYYA  - “Dissimulation”. 

 

There are two forms of lying to non-believers that are islamicaly permitted, TAQIYYA and KITMAN.

The purpose is to achieve the advance the cause Islam, by gaining the trust of non-believers in order to draw out their vulnerability and defeat them.

TAQIYYA: From the root word WAQA, “to safeguard”: caution, fear, self-protection; and hence “dissimulation” [in order to protect oneself].

KITMAN: Disguise. 

Both are technical terms within the Islamic belief for dispensation from the requirements of religion under compulsion or threat of injury, due to fear of physical or mental damage.

 

(Sura III, v. 28) “Let not the believers Take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than believers: if any do that, in nothing will there be help from Allah, except by TAQIYYA, that ye may Guard yourselves from them. But Allah cautions you NAFSAHU.”.

This verse tells Muslims not to take non-Muslims as friends, unless it is to "guard themselves" .

The Koran verse is somewhat not clear. NAFSAHU means Allah “Himself” is referring to “the same thing”, i.e. the act of TAQIYYA?

 

Let’s see the provisions of the Kor'an:

(Sura II, v. 225) “ “Allah will not call you to account for thoughtlessness in your oaths, but for the intention in your hearts”.

Allah gives allowance of perjury of one’s oaths.

(Sura IX, v. 3) “announcement from Allah and His Messenger, to the people ..., that Allah and His Messenger dissolve (treaty) obligations with the unbelievers.”

The dissolution of oaths with the non-Muslims, and freedom from liability to them is islamicaly legal.  They are evicted anyway.

(Sura LXVI, v. 2) “Allah has already ordained for you, (O men), (how is) the dissolution of your oaths.”

Allah indicated how to dissolute oaths.

(Sura XL, v. 28) “A believer... who had concealed his faith..”.

A Muslim can "hide his faith" among those who are not believers.

(Sura XVI, v. 106) “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…”.

That means, a Muslim can tell lie, denying Islam. A Muslim may be "compelled" to deceive others for a greater purpose.

 

We can attribute the above mentioned to the characteristics of Allah.

(Sura III, v. 54) “And (the unbelievers) deceived, and Allah deceived too, and the best of deceivers is Allah.”.

This is one of many verses of the Koran incorrectly translated in English. The tendentious version reads: “plotted and planned”, and Allah too “weaves”. Allah is the best of “planners”. The Arabic word used here is Makara, which literally means "cheated" or “deceived” slyly. The purpose is too clear .. to deceive readers.

Allah is the extreme deceiver. (See also Sura VIII, v. Sura 30 and X, v. 21).

The Arabic word used here is MAKARA, which literally means 'deceit'. 

Allah is supremely deceitful. (See also Sura VIII, v. 30 and Sura X, v. 21).

We refer also to the traditions of the “Prophet”:

- The Prophet said: War is deceit. (Bukhari)

- ALY confirmed that lying is permissible in order to deceive an "enemy. (Bukhari). 

- Lying is permitted when the end justifies the means.

 

(Ibn Abbas) If any one is compelled and professes unbelief with his tongue, while his heart contradicts him, in order to escape his enemies, no blame falls on him, because Allah takes his servants as their hearts believe. (Exegesis of Tabari, Sura XVI, v. 106).

(Zamakh’shari) Allah licensed for Muslims, in case of living under the laws of non-Muslims, to co-habitat with them apparently peacefully, but on the contrary, the heart reassuring hostility and hatred and wait for the demise of the inhibitor. (KASH’SHAF). 

 

In short, the Muslim lie to stave off the threat or punishment.

 

(Ibn KATHIR) Those believers, who live in some areas or times fear for their safety from the disbelievers, are allowed to show friendship to the disbelievers outwardly, but never inwardly.

(Muhammad's Companion, Abu Ad-Darda') We smile in the face of some people while our hearts curse them. (Bukhari, vol. 7).

 

This practice was emphasized in Shia'a Muslims 

The eighth Imam Shia'a said: The one who does not practice TAQIYYA has no faith. (Kashf al-Ghummah, Al-Ardabili).

"Nine tenths (90%) of religion is TAQIYYA (dissimulation), hence one who does not dissimulate has no religion." (Al-Kafi).

"The most beloved thing on the surface of Earth is TAQIYYA. (Kafi, Base provisions).

 

The TAQIYYA has many rulings associated with it; we will mention some of them. 

1) When a man is among a large group of unbelievers, and fears for his life or property from them, he can beguiles or cajoles them with his tongue. 

He does this by avoiding disclosure of enmity. It is also permissible to produce speech that gives the impression of friendship and alliance but on condition that he internally maintain the opposite and use allusive language in all of what he says.

3) TAQIYYA is permissible with regard to displaying alliance and enmity, also with regard to disclosing one’s religion.  

4) The TAQIYYA is allowed before unbelievers who are dominant. 

However, Shafi’i declared that in situations, TAQIYYA becomes legal even among Muslims as a means to protect one’s life.

5) TAQIYYA is permissible for the purpose of preservation of life. Is it also permissible for the preservation of property? 

- The Prophet said: The inviolability of a Muslim’s property is like the inviolability of his life.

- The Prophet said also: He who is killed protecting his property is a martyr”.

It should also be permissible] because man has a compelling need of property. How, then, could it not be permissible here?

(Razi, Tafsir)

 

(Sura III, v. 29) “Whether ye hide what is in your hearts or reveal it, Allah knows it all.”.

 

Islamic TAQIYYA is still valid?

(Mujahid) The application of TAQIYYA was valid in the beginning of Islam, because of the weakness of the believers; but now that the Islamic government has got power and strength, it is not valid. 

(Hassan al-Basri) TAQIYYA is allowed to the Muslims up to the day of resurrection. And this opinion is more acceptable because it is a must, to keep off all types of harm from one’s self as much as possible. (Razi, Tafsir)

As usual in Islam, nothing is well defined.

 

(Ibn Abbas) If any one is compelled and professes unbelief with his tongue, while his heart contradicts him, to escape his enemies, no blame falls him on him, because Allah takes Muslims as their hearts believe. (Exegesis of Tabari, Sura XVI, v. 106).

(Ibn Abbas) Those who have been coerced, and as such uttered with their tongues that which their hearts did not confirm to escape punishment, have nothing to fear. Allah holds His servants responsible for that which their hearts have ratified. (Sunan al-Bayhaqi).

 

(The Companion Ibn MASOUD) There is no speech I would not speak if it spared me two stripes from a man in power.

.. He limited the license to speech, not the acts. This is nonsense, as coercion can be in deeds and in words, in spite of the intimate faith, as told by 'Omar ibn al-Khattab. (Qurtobi, Tafsir the Koran, Sura XVI).

 

In his workbook, Abdul RAZZAQ narrated that the son of Omar used the TAQIYYA with the Umayyad Caliphs.

The TAQIYYA is then a legal hypocrisy in Islam, applies also to economic interests. 

In Islam always searched for material interests and sex. 

 

(Hassan al-Basri) For the believer, TAQIYYA is permissible until the Day of Resurrection. Dissimulation of Muslim is to be practiced to protect oneself from punishment though false declaration, while thinking otherwise. Some people refuse it saying: It's hypocrisy, but it is true that it is permissible, the Koran says:  “you should guard yourselves against them by TAQIYYA, guarding carefully” (Sarkhassi in Mabsoot). 

Muslims admit that TAQIYYA is a kind of hypocrisy.  It is an eternal doctrinal teaching according to the belief of Islam, exactly similar to the duty of jihad. 

(Ibn Abbas) Dissimulation is outward cajolery to be done towards the infidels or being among them. A Muslim dodges them with his tongue, in spite of no affection for them in his heart. 

(QATADA) If the infidels are dominants, or if Muslims live between unbelievers, they [Muslims] can dissimulate showing patronage to them (KAFIRS) to stave off the threat, while their heart remain firm in hatred to them, waiting the good moment to overcome them. 

This kind of hypocrisy is what the Muslims currently apply when they claim that Islam is a religion of peace, which is clearly a lie. They know the weakness and inability of Islam in the face of others.

Conclusion

 

The concept of TAQIYYA is eternal.

TAQIYYA is allowed for protection of both life and property.

A Muslim may dissimulate not only among unbelievers but also among other Muslims.

Dissimulation may be applied to both words and deeds.

The "official"Islamic doctrine denies the possibility of using TAQIYYA when a missing the condition of grave and imminent threat to personal safety. Nonetheless, often Muslims practice this concept cunningly for proselytism in Western coutries, concealing many aspects of Islam that are not shared by the majority of non-Muslims. 

So, TAQIYYA can be considered a form of Jihad.