Taqiyah

[Hadrami]

I was wondering about Shia Taqiya. When infallible imam said that taqiyah is 9/10 of religion and there is no religion for shia who abandon Taqiya. What is the context? Does it mean whatever we hear from imam is only 1/10 truth & 9/10 falsehood?

[Hani]

I think the one who fabricated this narration meant that keeping things secret and hidden was more important than everything else.


This is because early Imami movement were underground movement and even the Imams themselves never knew what the Koufans were inventing and attributing to them.

[Taha]

What if that hadeeth was given ... in taqiyyah? 


Jokes aside, it refers to protecting the identity of the Imam and his teachings.  Remember, the Abbasids and Ummayads were killing ANYBODY that claimed a rival Imamate/Caliphate, and all Shias regardless of sect (Shias were much more divided then than now).  So the concept of hiding your religion, hiding your Imam, hiding the knowledge, etc. was very important for practical purposes.  Considering that there is no Imam to protect anymore and that nobody is threatening to kill me for being Shia, taqiyyah is no longer obligatory.  In fact, I would say it's haraam unless it's to protect a life or property from injustice, etc.