It is sometimes questioned as to how Taqayya can be valid for the Apostles and the infallible Imams. Is this not a lie? If Taqayya is valid for them then they will lose their infallibility from sins and mistakes.

The Answer:

Two profound issues are to be considered here:

Some ignorant people consider Taqaya to be the center of all doubts. They surmise that Taqaya is putting something weak in front of the others, and the hiding of the truth. It is said that the followers of Taqaya are found in the Shia sect.

The real mean of Taqaya is so vivid and intellectually sound that following it is considered permissible by all wise people. Actually it is a scheme to face the enemy and perils.

Details

We find religious war ( Jihad), gatherings and social and historical events about it which tell us that many people have hidden the truth that was evident and the explanation about it is that one should have the least amount of loss while the strength is also preserved ( for later use). This hidden deed is called Taqaya which has some norms.

The process of hiding the facts is adopted in all kinds of wars in this world especially these days. The most important among them are the norms about saving one’s strength and keeping it secret from others. All plans of wars are kept secret. The dress and the armament are kept hidden from the eyes of the enemy and all this is another form of Taqayya.

When a senior statesman feels that he has to hide information from the enemy and does so then….. contd.

Contd….because he keeps matters secret from them. So if he feels that the enemy may harm him then it is compulsory for him to do so. This too is a form of Taqayya.

Why should we look too far, in the early days of Islam when the Muslims were a minority they hid their beliefs when in company or control of the enemy to save their strength. Everyone knows the story of Ammar Yasir and his parents. This is why the Qura’n gives permission about it in various verses (1)

The story of the Mumin among the Pharaoh’s people whose story is given in details in the Qura’n is the same. He too adopted certain forms of Taqaya and the Qura’n has given details about it as in verse 28 of Surah Ghafir:

“And a believing man of the Pharaoh’s family said.”

It is not proper for any intelligent Mujahid to disclose his weakness of strength on others especially during sensitive times for this can expose him easily on the enemy and he may kill him.

The fine point is that Taqaya in Islamic terminology is known as a shield. Imam Sadiq is reported to have said: “Taqaya is a believer’s shield.” (2)

Will it be unwarranted for a person who is surrounded by the enemy and whose life is in peril to resort to Taqaya? It is clear that a person who resorts to Taqaya hides his matters and belief as a shield because not doing so will put his life in peril then it is prudent to do so instead of that which will put his life in jeopardy.

Now when the famous Sunni commentator Qartabi reached the issue of Taqaya when he was explaining verse 104 of Surah Nahl he wrote: “It is the unanimous opinion of all scholars of Islam that if a person’s life is in jeopardy (While his heart is full of belief) is being tortured then he can resort to Taqaya to save his life. Even if he does not disclose his secret on his wife he cannot be accused of being a disbeliever.

After saying this he presents a very weak hadith and then says that the Book and the Sunnah, Qura’n and hadith refute these words.

Normally the apostles of God can never be permitted to practice Taqaya. They cannot hide the truth about religion at any cost and so they cannot speak that which is not the truth or else the truth about their mission will remain hidden. Their words will not be trusted. Their words about the divine revelations will become unreliable. . But if they are in peril then it is permissible for them to hide some facts and the Messenger of Islam hid the fact that he had taken shelter in the Cave of Thoor for one day and one night because he was apprehensive about the enemy and his life was in peril. This was Taqaya but there was no inkling of sin or mistake in it. Nothing that he did was against the truth.

We have now reached the end of our discussion on the infallibility and chastity of the Apostles of God.

1. See Surah Imran 28 and Surah Nahl 106

2. Wasailus Shia vol.11 hadith 6 in Chapter about “Amr bil Maroof” page 461