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Taqiya vs martirdom: two different approaches

cambridge79

Active Member
it may be interesting to confront these two different doctrines that christianity and islam suggest when their members find themselves in a danger situation.

Taqiya is a form of Islamic dissimulation 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.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taqiya

martirdom in christianity is the will of a believer to go as far as giving his life in order of not giving up his faith. It was common during the early years of christianity, before the edict of Milan, and Roman couldn't really get the point of that, they considered the christians as completely mad cause of the joy the displayed when facing their death
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_martyrs

i find it interesting that two religions so tied togheter adopt two approaches that are as far apart as they could be. What's your opinion on such subject? wich approach do you find more honest?

for example Taqiya may seem a very deprecable act of cowardice, denying your god in order to have your life spared looks extremely unreligious. On the other hand is extremely practical fundamentally because it makes you stay alive.
But also it may suggest a not complete faith in your god otherwise you would not hide your faith to save your life, considering the fact that in theory you believe in a wonderful afterlife.
Martirdom on the other hand can be seen as the highest form of sacrifice in the name of your faith, but on the other hand it may looks pointless and silly, because a dead man is of no use to no one and because it shows how careless a man can become when believing in a god.

It's also interesting that Peter himself in the gospels ended up adopting Taqiya to save himself from the people that were accusing him of being a christ follower. It's also interesting that Peter later in his life ended up being a martyr

On the other hand is also interesting how martyrdom is adopted as a war tactics today in muslim world, even if it's a very different thing from the martyrdom i was talking about cause christians were persecuted while today muslim bombers kill themselves in order to kill as many people around them as they can. So i think this last thing should not be debated because it's basically a totally different thing. instead it may be interesting to talk about what i would call "reverse Taqiya", by that i mean people who simply pretend to be muslim under muslim regimes just to not put their life at risk because if they were to speak their true feelings they would be put in prison or to death, like saudi arabia costantly remind us on a daily basis.

so what are your toughts about martirdom and taqiya?
 
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Ingledsva

HEATHEN ALASKAN
it may be interesting to confront these two different doctrines that christianity and islam suggest when their members find themselves in a danger situation.

Taqiya is a form of Islamic dissimulation 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.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taqiya

martirdom in christianity is the will of a believer to go as far as giving his life in order of not giving up his faith. It was common during the early years of christianity, before the edict of Milan, and Roman couldn't really get the point of that, they considered the christians as completely mad cause of the joy the displayed when facing their death
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_martyrs

i find it interesting that two religions so tied togheter adopt two approaches that are as far apart as they could be. What's your opinion on such subject? wich approach do you find more honest?

for example Taqiya may seem a very deprecable act of cowardice, denying your god in order to have your life spared looks extremely unreligious. On the other hand is extremely practical fundamentally because it makes you stay alive.
But also it may suggest a not complete faith in your god otherwise you would not hide your faith to save your life, considering the fact that in theory you believe in a wonderful afterlife.
Martirdom on the other hand can be seen as the highest form of sacrifice in the name of your faith, but on the other hand it may looks pointless and silly, because a dead man is of no use to no one and because it shows how careless a man can become when believing in a god.

It's also interesting that Peter himself in the gospels ended up adopting Taqiya to save himself from the people that were accusing him of being a christ follower. It's also interesting that Peter later in his life ended up being a martyr

On the other hand is also interesting how martyrdom is adopted as a war tactics today in muslim world, even if it's a very different thing from the martyrdom i was talking about cause christians were persecuted while today muslim bombers kill themselves in order to kill as many people around them as they can. So i think this last thing should not be debated because it's basically a totally different thing. instead it may be interesting to talk about what i would call "reverse Taqiya", by that i mean people who simply pretend to be muslim under muslim regimes just to not put their life at risk because if they were to speak their true feelings they would be put in prison or to death, like saudi arabia costantly remind us on a daily basis.

so what are your toughts about martirdom and taqiya?

Actually I was raised Christian, - and in my studies - was told Christians can deny in danger situations, - because God knows it is a temporary false statement that you don't actually mean = He knows the heart.

Peter denies Christ - and does just fine.

At the cross the men run and hide so as not to be recognized as followers, and thus crucified themselves.

*
 

DawudTalut

Peace be upon you.
.....
so what are your toughts about martirdom and taqiya?
Holy Quran
[3:170] Think not of those, who have been slain in the cause of Allah, as dead. Nay, they are living, in the presence of their Lord, and are granted gifts from Him,
http://www.alislam.org/quran/tafseer/?page=474&region=E1&CR=EN,E2&CR=EN,E2


""Third allegation: That there is a philosophy in Islam called taqiyya that permits Muslims to lie if necessary for the good of the faith! Nothing could be farther from the truth.""
https://www.alislam.org/library/articles/Three-Allegations-Against-Islam-Refuted.pdf
 

use_your_brain

Active Member
Holy Quran
[3:170] Think not of those, who have been slain in the cause of Allah, as dead. Nay, they are living, in the presence of their Lord, and are granted gifts from Him,
http://www.alislam.org/quran/tafseer/?page=474&region=E1&CR=EN,E2&CR=EN,E2


""Third allegation: That there is a philosophy in Islam called taqiyya that permits Muslims to lie if necessary for the good of the faith! Nothing could be farther from the truth.""
https://www.alislam.org/library/articles/Three-Allegations-Against-Islam-Refuted.pdf
Taqiyya is not allowed in Islam. I don't know in Ahmadia Religion, because it is practiced in Shiah.
 

Saint Frankenstein

Here for the ride
Premium Member
Taqiya seems rather simple to me. It seems to be based on the Islamic concept that it is what is in your heart that is most important. Sometimes we say and do things we do not really mean, so our intentions are very important. If you are terrified that you may be harmed, persecuted or lose your life, you may have a moment of weakness and outwardly deny God. However, that doesn't necessarily speak to what you believe in your heart. So believers can be assured that God is not necessarily going to hold it against you.

Also, despite what sectarians in Islam say, the taqiya concept is found in both Sunni and Shia Islam, as the Wiki article attests. However, martyrdom is seen as more noble.
 

use_your_brain

Active Member
Taqiya seems rather simple to me. It seems to be based on the Islamic concept that it is what is in your heart that is most important. Sometimes we say and do things we do not really mean, so our intentions are very important. If you are terrified that you may be harmed, persecuted or lose your life, you may have a moment of weakness and outwardly deny God. However, that doesn't necessarily speak to what you believe in your heart. So believers can be assured that God is not necessarily going to hold it against you.

Also, despite what sectarians in Islam say, the taqiya concept is found in both Sunni and Shia Islam, as the Wiki article attests. However, martyrdom is seen as more noble.
Taqiyya is not found in Sunni whatsoever.
 

Saint Frankenstein

Here for the ride
Premium Member
Taqiyya is not found in Sunni whatsoever.
It's mostly associated with the Shia because they are a minority that has often faced persecution by the Sunni majority, and so they would keep secret their beliefs out of fear of harsh mistreatment.
http://islamicresponse.blogspot.com/2011/05/what-is-taqiyya.html

However, it is also found in Sunni Islam, although it tends to be referred to as idtirar:

"With widespread misconceptions around the notion of Taqiyyah amongst Muslims, there is an underlying need to address these issues and clear any preconceived perceptions of Taqqiya being a form of hypocrisy and deception. The event facilitated for presentations by Shaykh Ayub Rashid and Shaykh Abdul Hadi with time being dedicated to Q&A and discussions at the end.

In his presentation, Shaykh Ayub Rashid examined the concept of Taqiyyah from the perspective of the Shi'i school of thought by using the holy Qur'an, the Prophet's sunnah and hadith to illustrate to shed light on the topic. He explained that taqiyyah was not a new invesntion, rather it dates back to the time of the holy Prophet and has a direct link with specific verses of the holy Qur'an i.e. Sura al Imran (3:28) and Sura al-Nahl (16:106); where a believer is permitted to conceal his real faith and utter something which contradicts his faith for the sake of his own life or the people around him. He explained that Taqiyyah was used as the shield from the severe persecution of Shias by the hands of the Umayyad and Abbasid rulers. He also acknowledged that the notion of Taqiyyah has been misused by the people inclined to their vested interests which has caused a great deal of misunderstandings but has no concern with the proper teachings of the Shia Imamiyah school of thought.

On the other hand, Shaykh Abdul Hadi al-Umri presented on the Quranic concept of Idtirar and Ikrah (extraneous circumstances) based on the teachings of the Sunni school of thought. He explored the state of idtirar (helplessness) and its applications and conditions concerning the human life. And, ended by also admitting of the misuse of this Quranic principle by the people of various Hiyal (tricks) for the sake of their worldly desires.

The discussion ended with an interactive Q&A session allowing all scholars and attendees present to take part and iron out any issues or concerns they may have had.

In conclusion, the scholars all accepted and agreed on the following statements;

- Taqiyyah and Ikrah are synonymous terms from the same origin and are denoted by the Quran on an equal basis.
- Taqiyyah is not a new invention in Shi'ism and it's terminology is derived from the holy Qur'an making it justifiable in Islam.
- Taqiyyah can only be practiced in genuine life or death circumstances similar to Idtirar and anything relating to worldly benefits is strictly forbidden and deceptive.
- The ulama of both schools of thought have to educate their communities about the true concept and application of Taqiyyah to dissipate the misconceptions around the issue."
http://almahdi.edu/education/8-news...ective-of-the-quranic-terms-ikrah-and-idtirar

To say that it's just a Shia concept is either ignorance or sectarian divisiveness.
 

use_your_brain

Active Member
It's mostly associated with the Shia because they are a minority that has often faced persecution by the Sunni majority, and so they would keep secret their beliefs out of fear of harsh mistreatment.
http://islamicresponse.blogspot.com/2011/05/what-is-taqiyya.html

However, it is also found in Sunni Islam, although it tends to be referred to as idtirar:

"With widespread misconceptions around the notion of Taqiyyah amongst Muslims, there is an underlying need to address these issues and clear any preconceived perceptions of Taqqiya being a form of hypocrisy and deception. The event facilitated for presentations by Shaykh Ayub Rashid and Shaykh Abdul Hadi with time being dedicated to Q&A and discussions at the end.

In his presentation, Shaykh Ayub Rashid examined the concept of Taqiyyah from the perspective of the Shi'i school of thought by using the holy Qur'an, the Prophet's sunnah and hadith to illustrate to shed light on the topic. He explained that taqiyyah was not a new invesntion, rather it dates back to the time of the holy Prophet and has a direct link with specific verses of the holy Qur'an i.e. Sura al Imran (3:28) and Sura al-Nahl (16:106); where a believer is permitted to conceal his real faith and utter something which contradicts his faith for the sake of his own life or the people around him. He explained that Taqiyyah was used as the shield from the severe persecution of Shias by the hands of the Umayyad and Abbasid rulers. He also acknowledged that the notion of Taqiyyah has been misused by the people inclined to their vested interests which has caused a great deal of misunderstandings but has no concern with the proper teachings of the Shia Imamiyah school of thought.

On the other hand, Shaykh Abdul Hadi al-Umri presented on the Quranic concept of Idtirar and Ikrah (extraneous circumstances) based on the teachings of the Sunni school of thought. He explored the state of idtirar (helplessness) and its applications and conditions concerning the human life. And, ended by also admitting of the misuse of this Quranic principle by the people of various Hiyal (tricks) for the sake of their worldly desires.

The discussion ended with an interactive Q&A session allowing all scholars and attendees present to take part and iron out any issues or concerns they may have had.

In conclusion, the scholars all accepted and agreed on the following statements;

- Taqiyyah and Ikrah are synonymous terms from the same origin and are denoted by the Quran on an equal basis.
- Taqiyyah is not a new invention in Shi'ism and it's terminology is derived from the holy Qur'an making it justifiable in Islam.
- Taqiyyah can only be practiced in genuine life or death circumstances similar to Idtirar and anything relating to worldly benefits is strictly forbidden and deceptive.
- The ulama of both schools of thought have to educate their communities about the true concept and application of Taqiyyah to dissipate the misconceptions around the issue."
http://almahdi.edu/education/8-news...ective-of-the-quranic-terms-ikrah-and-idtirar

To say that it's just a Shia concept is either ignorance or sectarian divisiveness.
I expected seeing quran and hadith quotes in your response. So far, you simply strengthen my assertion that Sunni has not to do with Taqiyyah.
 

Saint Frankenstein

Here for the ride
Premium Member
it is very annoying the user forces us to read the link. Better you propose the quran and hadith texts by your own selection.
If you're so lazy as to not be able to simply click a link and read a short article, I can't help you. But God can. So go to pray for Him for the ability to take tiny steps to educate yourself.
 

Saint Frankenstein

Here for the ride
Premium Member
I know you strive to find Taqiyya passage in Quran. You can't find one.
Apparently you are an ISIS supporter, so I will end this now before I waste any more time. For shame.
fingerwagging-smiley-emoticon.gif
 

Saint Frankenstein

Here for the ride
Premium Member
Actually, Taqiyyah is there in Islam, but Shiaa mainly take it as okay to generally lie to those of different beliefs than their own to achieve a goal (Shiaa brothers, please correct me if I'm wrong). Other Muslims take it as to lie in cases of having no choice to not cause their death or similar grave disaster, otherwise it is forbidden to lie. Like for example I'm not Shiaa and I'm allowed to lie about not being a Muslims if I was to be killed for being one.
Please, brother, read my post here: http://www.religiousforums.com/thre...two-different-approaches.183725/#post-4595937

It is not taught in Shia Islam that it is okay to lie for worldly goals. There is much misconception here and all sides must educate themselves. Education helps with understanding and understanding brings compassion and friendliness. :)
 
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Smart_Guy

...
Premium Member
Please, brother, read my post here: http://www.religiousforums.com/thre...two-different-approaches.183725/#post-4595937

It is not taught in Shia Islam that it is okay to lie for worldly goals. There is much misconception here and all sides must educate themselves. Education helps with understand and understanding brings compassion and friendliness. :)

Hey, thanks for the heads up. I'll delete my post :D

Although I did not mean worldly goals, I meant those concerning beliefs. An unclear statement is still a mistake tho :)

I know you strive to find Taqiyya passage in Quran. You can't find one.

Actually, there are some. Here is one of them:

Quran 16:106 (translation):
Whoever disbelieves in God after his belief; those who [willingly] open their breasts to disbelief, upon them is wrath from God, and for them is a great punishment, except for one who is forced [to renounce his religion] while his heart is secure in faith.

That verse implies that it is allowed to renounce religion if forced to, as long as the heart still believes in it.

You can refer to the Arabic text, maybe you have another interpretation for it. There are different interpretations in Islam for the Quran for such verses. I had to rearrange the order of phrase since in the original text it was put in an unclear order for the exception phrase. It is highly suggested to refer to the original text if you know Arabic.
 
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