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'''Al Takeyya''' is an Islamic concept allowing Muslims to essentially deny their faith for the good of Islam as a whole.  

'''Al Takeyya''' is an Islamic concept allowing Muslims to deny or hide their faith when forced to do so to avoid harm.<ref>IslamToday.com, ''Rulings Regarding the Concealment of Faith'', retrieved 10/16/08[http://www.islamtoday.com/showme_beta.cfm?cat_id=2&sub_cat_id=653]</ref>

The Arabic word, "Takeyya", means "to prevent," or guard against. The principle of Al Takeyya conveys the understanding that Muslims are permitted to lie as a preventive measure against anticipated harm to one's self or fellow Muslims. This principle gives Muslims the liberty to lie under certain circumstances. They can even deny the faith, if they do not mean it in their hearts. Al-Takeyya is based on the following Quranic verse:

Islamic Review states, "The Arabic word, "Takeyya", means "to prevent," or guard against. The principle of Al Takeyya conveys the understanding that Muslims are permitted to lie as a preventive measure against anticipated harm to one's self or fellow Muslims. This principle gives Muslims the liberty to lie under certain circumstances. They can even deny the faith, if they do not mean it in their hearts. Al-Takeyya is based on the following Quranic verse: ''Let not the believers Take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than believers: if any do'' ''that, in nothing will there be help from Allah: except by way of precaution (prevention), that'' ''ye may Guard yourselves from them (prevent them from harming you.) But Allah cautions you (To'' ''remember) Himself; for the final goal is to Allah''. Surah 3: 28" <ref>Islamic Review, Lying in Islam, by Abdullah Al Araby [http://www.islamreview.com/articles/lying.shtml] The mission statement for Islamic Review, a Christian organization, states, "Muslim activists, in their attempt to spread their religion in the West, have been deliberately hiding a certain side of their religion. They carefully avoid, obscure and omit any negative teachings of Islam in order to lure converts. Our mission is to expose these teachings that are withheld from seekers in order to help people gain a more realistic insight of what it is like to live under Islam." </ref>

"''Let not the believers Take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than believers: if any do'' ''that, in nothing will there be help from Allah: except by way of precaution (prevention), that'' ''ye may Guard yourselves from them (prevent them from harming you.) But Allah cautions you (To'' ''remember) Himself; for the final goal is to Allah''." Surah 3: 28

Muslim scholars teach that concealment of faith should only be resorted to in cases of dire necessity, and only to the extent dictated by necessity.  <ref>IslamToday.com, ''Rulings Regarding the Concealment of Faith'', retrieved 10/16/08[http://www.islamtoday.com/showme_beta.cfm?cat_id=2&sub_cat_id=653]</ref>

According to this verse a Muslim can pretend to befriend infidels (in violation of the teachings of Islam) and display adherence with their unbelief to prevent them from harming him.  

Many believe Barack Obama is a Muslim but is able to deny it based on the principle of '''Al Takeyya'''.  A survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press found that ten percent of American voters believe Sen. Barack Obama is Muslim.  16% of conservative Republicans, 16% of white evangelical Protestants and 19% of rural Americans believe the Illinois senator is Muslim. <ref>USA Today, ''Poll: 1 in 10 think Obama is Muslim'', Posted 4/1/2008, by Daniel Burke, Religion News Service, retrieved 10/16/2008.[http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2008-04-01-obama-muslim_N.htm]</ref>

[[Category:Muslims]]

[[Category:Muslims]]