Furthermore...

Furthermore, they respect the ideas adopted by the Muslim sects and jurisprudential schools concerning religious laws. They therefore consider that the past deeds of the person who converts from any other Muslim sects to Shi`ism are acceptable, adequate, and permissible.

Hence, one who converts to Shi`ism, one’s prayers, fasting, hajj, zakat, and matrimonial, divorce and sale contracts, as well as other transactions, which one did according to the rulings of his previous jurisprudential school, are ruled acceptable. The Ja`fariyyah Shi`ah and their brethren of other Muslim sects live together amicably. The Ja`fariyyah Shi`ah do not agree with the Imperialistic factions, such as Baha’ism, Babism, Qadiyanism, and the like. They oppose and fight such factions.

Under certain circumstances, they practice taqiyyah; i.e. hiding one’s beliefs from the others. It has been confirmed by the Holy Qur'an and is practiced by other Muslim sects at times of extremist sectarian clashes. However, the Shi`ah practice taqiyyah for two matters: First: to avoid bloodshed for nothing, Second: to maintain the unity of the Muslims and safeguard it against harm and danger.

(38) The Ja`fariyyah Shi`ah believe that the intellectual, cultural, scientific, and technological failing is one of the causes of the Muslims’ present backwardness and that this problem can be solved by awakening the Muslims, men and women, and raising their intellectual, educational, and scientific levels by establishing scientific faculties—universities and institutions—and utilizing modern scientific achievements in order to solve the economic, constructive, and industrial problems and to strengthen the self-confidence of the Muslims to help them turn towards work and activity in order to attain self-sufficiency and put an end to the state of dependence and subordination to the foreigners.

Accordingly, whenever the Ja`fariyyah Shi`ah resided, they established scientific and educational centers. They also joined the universities and institutions of the country where they live and many of them are graduates in science and technology and hold various high positions. (39) The Ja`fariyyah Shi`ites are linked with their religious scholars and jurisprudents by taqlid; that is, they have recourse to them in religious questions.