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'''Taqiyya''' (al-Taqiyya) is a concept in [[Shia]] [[Islam]]<ref> "Taqiyah" Oxford Dictionary of Islam. John L. Esposito, Ed. Oxford University Press. 2003. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Accessed 9 June, 2006.</ref> which encourages "disguising one's beliefs, intentions, convictions, ideas, feelings, opinions or strategies."<ref name="Islam watch">http://www.islam-watch.org/Warner/Taqiyya-Islamic-Principle-Lying-for-Allah.htm</ref> It is authorized under the Qur'an and Sunna.{{fact}}

Many people believe that [[Barack Hussein Obama]] is a Muslim who is using Taqiyya as a means to justify his public denials of his Muslim faith. A survey in March 2008 by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press found that ten percent of American voters believed Sen. Barack Obama was Muslim. 16% of conservative Republicans, 16% of white evangelical Protestants and 19% of rural Americans believed Obama, who at the time was an Illinois senator and Presidential candidate, was 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> In a later survey, in July 2008, the number had risen to 12% of American voters who thought Obama was a Muslim. Interestingly, 37% of those who thought he was Muslim intended to vote for him. <ref>Pew Research Center, ''12% - Still Think Obama is Muslim'', retrieved 10/16/08[http://pewresearch.org/databank/dailynumber/?NumberID=509]</ref>