the earliest forerunners among the Emigrants and the Helpers—the Rightly Guided Caliphs (1) and others—were the mightiest of all people. All of this demonstrates that the hypocrites were humiliated among the believers. It is therefore impossible that the mightiest Companions could have been among them. Rather, this description aptly fits those among the Rāfidah and others who possess these traits.

Hypocrisy and heresy are more prevalent among the Rāfidah than among all other sects. Indeed, every one of them necessarily possesses some branch of hypocrisy, for the foundation upon which hypocrisy is built is lying and saying with one’s tongue what is not in one’s heart. Thus, Allah Most High has stated of the hypocrites that they say with their tongues what is not in their hearts.

The Rāfidah make this one of the fundamental principles of their religion and call it taqiyyah (dissimulation). They attribute this to the Imams of the Prophet’s Household—whom Allah has absolved of it—to the point that they relate (2) from Jaʿfar al-Sādiq that he said:

“Taqiyyah is my religion and the religion of my forefathers.” (3)

Yet Allah has absolved the believers of the Prophet’s Household, as well as others, of this. Rather, they were among the most truthful of all people and those who most fully embodied faith. Their religion was taqwā (God-consciousness), not taqiyyah (dissimulation) (4).

Allah Most High says:

“Believers must not take disbelievers as allies instead of believers. Whoever does so has no connection with Allah whatsoever—unless you guard yourselves against them as a precaution.”