or through stratagem; and when they are powerless they resemble the hypocrites, practicing taqiyyah (1) and duplicity just as the hypocrites do. Innovations are, after all, offshoots of disbelief: the idol-worshippers and the People of the Book, when able, fight the believers, and when unable they feign loyalty.
By contrast, the believer is instructed—when he has the means—to uphold the religion of Allah, as far as he can, whether through combat or other lawful means. When incapable, he withholds from what lies beyond his strength, endures whatever affliction comes his way without hypocrisy, and is instead permitted a measure of tact and to speak under coercion only what necessity requires, for Allah has granted him relief and a way out.
Hence the people of the Sunnah stand opposite the innovators: when they gain power over them they do not transgress by declaring them unbelievers, killing them, or the like. Rather, they treat them with the justice that Allah and His Messenger have commanded, just as ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz (2) did.
(1) Taqiyya: a verbal noun derived from waqa (to guard) and ittaqa (to avoid out of fear). In Arabic one says tawqiita al-shay’ and ittaqaytuhu, both conveying caution or avoidance. Ahmad Amin explains: “It means preserving one’s honor, life, or wealth out of fear of one’s enemy by outwardly showing what one conceals; thus it involves concealment and dissimulation, manifesting what is not reality.”
Among the Shi’a, it denotes a secret system in their affairs: when the Imam intends to revolt against the caliph, he devises secret plans, informs his followers who keep them concealed and outwardly profess obedience until the plans are complete—this is taqiyya. Similarly, if they fear harm from a non-Muslim or a Sunni, they placate him and outwardly profess agreement—this too is taqiyya. Thus, for the Shi’a taqiyya is an integral part of their doctrine: they enjoin it, regard it as a fundamental principle and a pillar of their religion, attribute many narrations on it to their Imams, and build their history upon it. See: Taj al-Arus by al-Zabidi, vol. 10, p. 396; Durha al-Islam by Ahmad Amin, vol. 3, pp. 246–247; al-Khutut al-‘Aridah by Muhibb al-Din al-Khatib, pp. 8, 54–55.
(2) Abu Hafs Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz ibn Marwan ibn al-Hakam al-Qurashi al-Umayyad (d. 101 AH) was a just imam and ascetic caliph, Commander of the Faithful. He died in 101 AH at nearly forty years of age, after a caliphate of two and a half years. May Allah have mercy on him.