Taqiyah

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"Taqiyah" redirects here. For the cap worn for religious purposes, see Taqiyah (cap).

In Shi'a Islam, taqiyya (تقیة taqiyyah/taqīyah) is a form of religious dissimulation,^[1] or a legal dispensation whereby a believing individual can deny his faith or commit otherwise illegal or blasphemous acts while they are in fear or at risk of significant persecution.^[2] The corresponding concept in Sunni Islam is known as idtirar (إضطرار) "coercion". A related concept is known as kitman "concealment; dissimulation by omission". Also related is the concept of ḥiyal, legalistic deception practiced not necessarily in a religious context but to gain political or legalistic advantage.

This practice was emphasized in Shi'a Islam whereby adherents may conceal their religion when they are under threat, persecution, or compulsion.^[3] Taqiyya was developed to protect Shi'ites who were usually in minority and under pressure, and Shi'a Muslims as the persecuted minority have taken recourse to dissimulation from the time of the mihna(persecution) under Al-Ma'mun in the 9th century, while the politically dominant Sunnites rarely found it necessary to resort to dissimulation.^[4]

In the Shi'a view, taqiyya is lawful in situations where there is overwhelming danger of loss of life or property and where no danger to religion would occur thereby.^[1] Taqiyya has also been legitimised, particularly among Twelver Shia, in order to maintain Muslim unity and fraternity.^[5][6]

In Sunni jurisprudence, denying faith under duress is "only at most permitted and not under all circumstances obligatory".^[7] However, there are a few examples of practicing taqiyya among Sunnis where it was necessary.^[4]