Taqiyya (al-Taqiyya, also spelled Takeyya) is a concept in Shia Islam which encourages "disguising one's beliefs, intentions, convictions, ideas, feelings, opinions or strategies." It is authorized under the Qur'an and Sunnah. Taqiyya allows a Shia Muslim even "to deny or denounce his faith if, in so doing, he protects or furthers the interests of Islam, so long as he remains faithful to Islam in his heart." Taqiyya further permits "lying under oath in testimony before a court, deceiving by making distorted statements to the media such as the claim that Islam is a 'religion of peace.'"