Chapter 11: On Concealing Faith [Taqqiyah]
1- In the book al-Mahasin it is narrated that Muala ibn Khunays narrated that Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) told him: “O Mu'ala! Conceal our secrets, and do not divulge them since God will honor those who conceal our secrets in this world, and will provide him with a guiding light directing him to Heaven in the Hereafter. O Mu'ala! God will abase whoever divulges our secrets in this world, and will darken his path in the Hereafter leading him to Hell. O Mu'ala! Concealing faith is a part of my religion, and the religion of my forefathers. Whoever does not practice it, has no faith. God likes to be worshipped in secret the same way that He likes to be worshipped publicly. O Mu'ala! Whoever divulges our secrets is like one who denies them.”
2- Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “Whoever divulges our secrets is like one who has deliberately killed us, not by mistake.”
3- Bashir narrated that Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) reported on the authority of his father (a.s.): “I swear by God that there is nothing on the Earth dearer to me than concealing faith, O Habib. God will raise the status of whomever practices concealing faith, and God will abase whoever does not. O Habib, people live in peace. When this happens that will be no more.”
4- Regarding God's statement: “Twice will they be given their reward, for that they have persevered, that they avert evil with good” [28:54], Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) commented: “This means by their perseverance in concealing faith they will receive a double reward. And here good means concealing faith and evil means divulging our secrets.”
5- Abi Basir said that he once asked Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.): “Why do you not inform us about secrets in the same way that (Imam) Ali (a.s.) informed his companions?” Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) replied: “By God you are right. But can you tell me of even one case when I told you a tradition about something and you kept it as a secret?” Then Abi Basir said: “By God I cannot even remember one tradition which I kept a secret.”
6- Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “Concealing faith is for times when it is necessary to do so, and the person who conceals his faith knows best when to do it.”
7- Imam al-al-Baqir (a.s.) said: “Concealing faith is for protecting lives and preventing bloodshed. There is concealing of faith if there is bloodshed.”
8- Abi Basir said that once he asked Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) about traditions. Then Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) asked him if he had kept any of the ones he had been told a secret so that he could be told new ones. When Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) noticed that Abi Basir was upset he said: “Do not worry about the ones that you told your friends. Divulging traditions means telling them to people other than your companions.”
9- Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “Subduing one's anger during times when the enemies are in power is considered to be a form of concealing faith. It protects the one who conceals his faith, and keeps him safe from trouble in life.”
10- Ibn Miskan said that Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) told him: “I think if someone insults Imam Ali (a.s.) in front of you, you will chop off his nose if you can.” Ibn Miskan replied: “May I be your devoted servant! Yes, my family and I are all this way.” Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “Do not do this. I swear by God that there were many occasions when I heard someone insult Imam Ali (a.s.) while there was only a small pillar between the man who insulted Imam Ali (a.s.) and me. I hid behind that pillar and when I finished my prayer I walked by, greeted him and shook hands with him.”
11- Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said the following regarding God's statement: “And slew the Prophets in defiance of right” [3:112], “I swear by God that they did not kill them with their swords, but caused them to be killed by divulging their secrets.”
12- In Sifat ul-Shi’ia it is narrated that Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “Whoever does not believe in the practice of concealing faith is not a follower [Shi'a] of Imam Ali (a.s.).”
13- From the book al-Taqiyyah of al-'Ayyashi it is narrated that Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “Whoever does not believe in the practice of concealing faith has no religion. And indeed the practice of concealing faith is more extensive than whatever exists between the Heavens and the Earth.”
14- Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “Whoever believes in God and the Resurrection Day and lives under an unjust government will only talk in order to conceal his faith.”
15- Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said that God admonished a tribe for not concealing faith and said: “When there comes to them some matter touching (public) safety or fear, they divulge it.” [4:83]
16- Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “There is no good in one who does not believe in the practice of concealing faith. And one who does not practice concealing faith does not have faith.”
17- In the book al-Kifayat Fi al-Nusus it is narrated that Imam al-Redha (a.s.) said: “One who is not pious is not religious, and one who does not practice concealing faith does not have faith. The dearest one from among you near God is the one who practices concealing of faith the most.” Then the people asked the Prophet's descendent (a.s.): “Until when should we continue to practice concealing of faith?” He replied: “Until a predetermined day, the day on which our Qaim will rise. Whoever abandons concealing of faith before that day does not belong to our nation.” Then they asked: “O' descendent of the Prophet! From what family is your Qaim?” He replied: “He is from my fourth generation, the son of the Lady of the Maids. Through him God will eliminate all oppression from the Earth.” This tradition has been narrated by Seyed al-Saeed Jalal al-Din Abu-Ali ibn Hamzeh al-Mousavi in his book on the authority of his teachers, on the authority of a trustworthy person, on the authority of the Prophet and the Imams (a.s.).
18- In Al-Mahasin it is narrated that Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said that his father used to always tell him: “Nothing is more pleasing for your father than concealing faith. Indeed concealing faith is a believer's armor.”
19- Abi Basir narrated that Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Concealing faith is a part of God's religion.” He was asked: “Is it a part of God's religion?” He replied: “Yes, I swear by God that when Joseph said: “Behold! Ye are thieves, without doubt!” [The Holy Quran: Yusuf 12:70], they had not really stolen anything. And also when Abraham said he was ill and would not attend the party, “I am indeed sick (at heart)!” [The Holy Quran: Saffat 37:89], by God he was not ill.”
20- Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) said: “Concealing faith is necessary in all issues.”
21- Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “As the time of the appearance [of the Imam (a.s.)] approaches, practicing concealing of faith will become more needed.”
22- Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “God will make whoever divulges our secrets - Ahlul-Bayt - will feel the heat of Iron [Harr al-Hadid].” [Mishkat al-Anwar, Page 87-90]
الفصل الحادي عشر في التقية () - من كتاب المحاسن: عن معلى بن خنيس قال: قال أبو عبد الله (عليه السلام): يا معلى، اكتم أمرنا ولم تذعه، فإنه من كتم أمرنا ولم يذعه أعزه الله في الدنيا وجعله نورا بين عينيه في الآخرة يقوده إلى الجنة. يا معلى ! من أذاع أمرنا ولم يكتمه أذله الله في (1) الدنيا والآخرة ونزع النور من بين عينيه في الآخرة، وجعله ظلمة تقوده إلى النار. يا معلى، إن التقية ديني ودين آبائي، ولا دين لمن لا تقية له، إن الله يحب أن يعبد في السر كما يحب أن يعبد في العلانية. يا معلى، إن المذيع لأمرنا كالجاحد له (2). () - عنه (عليه السلام) قال: من أذاع علينا شيئا من أمرنا فهو كمن قتلنا عمدا ولم يقتلنا خطأ (3).
