The Practice of Dissimulation (Taqiyya) Between Islamophobia and Sectarianism

This chapter briefly examines the roots of taqiyya in Islam and its use in contemporary Islamophobic discourse. It also delves into its use as a tool for sectarian attacks among Muslims. Taqiyya allows Muslims to protect themselves under prosecution in oppressive settings, but this protective nature has been misunderstood and used as part of the anti-Muslim discourse by the media and politicians. This has led to taqiyya being misrepresented as a malicious religious concept used to disguise Muslims’ alleged agenda to take over the world. The chapter exposes the problems with this representation and its malign use by anti-Muslim and right-wing politicians. Ultimately, the chapter concludes that the very fact of the return of the debate on taqiyya shows that Muslims who live in Europe and North America feel unsafe.