In fact...

In fact, one of the most important goals of practicing taqiyyah was to achieve such coexistence with the other Muslims.[^1] In addition to enhancing the security of the virtuous community, coexistence with other Muslims has other benefits, one of which is to ensure the cohesion and unity of Muslim society. This principle has another political goal, which is to protect the virtuous community from the probable negative reactions of other Muslims and ruling authorities.

The Holy Imams of the (‘a) took the following measures: A . They directed their followers to present themselves in general ceremonies and important rituals, which the religion of Islam has paid special attention to as pillars of Muslim society, including Friday and Congregational Prayers. The Shi’ah community showed some reservations on participating in these congregations.

For instance, various terms of validity of congregational prayers, like the specification of decency as a quality to be met by prayer leaders, might not have been met because the majority of prayer leaders were officials or agents of the unjust ruling authorities.

Another reservation was that the Shi’ah jurisprudentially differ with other Muslim groups on the performance of prayers in terms of the timing of the daily prayers and other rulings and acts as well as in terms of certain cultural contents that the Shi’ah believe to have been distorted through history, such as insulting Imam ‘Ali (‘a) and reviling his followers in sermons and lectures delivered during such congregations.

Despite these issues, the (‘a) urged their followers, firmly and vigorously, to attend these congregations. Al-Halabi has reported Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as saying: مَنْ صَلَّى مَعَهُمْ فِي الصَّفِّ الأَوَّلِ كَانَ كَمَنْ صَلَّى خَلْفَ رَسُولِ اللهِ، صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ. Whoever prays with them (i.e. other Muslim groups) in the first line (of their congregational prayers) is regarded as one who prayed behind the Messenger of Allah (S) in congregational prayer.