Question:
What is said about debate (Munazara)?
Answer:
Debate is a legitimate method of invitation. Its proof is found in the Book and Sunnah, and it is evidenced in the lives of the noble Prophets (peace be upon them), the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and the great Followers. In every era, debates have taken place between the people of truth and the people of falsehood. Debate has been an effective method for establishing the truth and refuting falsehood.
Debate means engaging in discussion and argument with the opponent to express and prove the truth. The purpose is not to defeat the other person but to establish the dominance of the truth and to reform the opponents.
Debate can be held with non-Muslims as well as Muslims, on matters of creed as well as subsidiary issues.
In debate, arguments and proofs are presented; abusive language, insults, and issuing fatwas recklessly are not considered debate and must be avoided.
❀ Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَجَادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ﴾
“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction.”
Allama Samarkandi Hanafi (may Allah have mercy on him)
says:
في الآية دليل أن المناظرة والمجادلة فى العلم جائزة، إذا قصد بها إظهار الحق .
“This verse is evidence that scholarly discussions and debates are permissible when their purpose is to express the truth.”
Allama Nasafi Hanafi (may Allah have mercy on him)
says:
هو رد على من يأبى المناظرة فى الدين .
“This verse refutes those who deny debate in religious matters.”
❀ Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَلَا تُجَادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ﴾
“Argue with the People of the Book in the best manner.”
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
احتج آدم وموسىٰ عليهما السلام عند ربهما، فحج آدم موسىٰ، قال موسىٰ: أنت آدم الذى خلقك الله بيديه ونفخ فيك من روحه، وأسجد لك ملائكته، وأسكنك فى جنته، ثم أهبطت الناس بخطيئتك إلى الأرض، فقال آدم: أنت موسىٰ الذى اصطفاك الله برسالته وبكلامه وأعطاك الألواح فيها تبيان كل شيء وقربك نجيا، فبكم وجدت الله كتب التوراة قبل أن أخلق؟ قال موسىٰ: بأربعين عاما، قال آدم: فهل وجدت فيها
“There was a conversation between Adam (peace be upon him) and Musa (Moses) (peace be upon him) before Allah. Adam prevailed in argument. Musa said: You are Adam, whom Allah created with His own hands, breathed His spirit into, made the angels prostrate to, and gave a place in Paradise, yet you caused everyone to descend to the earth because of your mistake. Adam said: You are Musa, whom Allah chose for prophethood and speech, gave tablets explaining everything, and brought close for secret counsel. Did Allah not write the night long before my creation? Musa replied: Forty years before. Adam said: Do you blame me for something that Allah had written about me forty years before my creation? The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Adam prevailed over Musa in argument.”
❀ Hafiz Ibn Abd al-Barr (may Allah have mercy on him)
says:
في هذا الحديث من الفقه إثبات الحجاج والمناظرة وإباحة ذلك إذا كان طلبا للحق وظهوره .
“This hadith contains a jurisprudential ruling that debate and discussion are permissible, and its permissibility is when the purpose is the search for truth and its dominance.”
❀ Hafiz Iraqi (may Allah have mercy on him)
states:
فيه إثبات المناظرة، والحجاج ولو بين الأبوين ومن هو أعلم منه فى ذلك إذا كان القصد بذلك طلب الحق وتقريره، والازدياد من العلم والله أعلم .
“This hadith proves debate and discussion, which can occur even between father and son or with someone more knowledgeable, provided the purpose is seeking the truth, proving the truth, or increasing knowledge. And Allah knows best!”
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
لما توفي النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم واستخلف أبو بكر، وكفر من كفر من العرب، قال عمر : يا أبا بكر، كيف تقاتل الناس ، وقد قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : أمرت أن أقاتل الناس حتى يقولوا : لا إله إلا الله، فمن قال : لا إله إلا الله، فقد عصم مني ماله ونفسه إلا بحقه، وحسابه على الله، قال أبو بكر : والله لأقاتلن من فرق بين الصلاة والزكاة، فإن الزكاة حق المال، والله لو منعوني عناقا كانوا يؤدونها إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لقاتلتهم على منعها قال عمر : فوالله ما هو إلا أن قد شرح الله صدر أبى بكر رضي الله عنه، فعرفت أنه الحق .
“When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) passed away and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was chosen as Caliph, some Arabs apostatized (became disbelievers). Abu Bakr intended to fight them. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Abu Bakr! How can you fight people when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: ‘I have been commanded to fight the people until they say La ilaha illallah. Whoever says La ilaha illallah has protected his wealth and life from me, except for its due right, and his reckoning is with Allah.’ Abu Bakr said: By Allah! I will fight anyone who differentiates between prayer and zakat, for zakat is a right on wealth. By Allah! If people refuse to give a kid of a goat which they used to give to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), I will fight them to prevent that. Sayyiduna Umar said: By Allah! Allah gave Abu Bakr relief in this matter, and then I also realized that this is the truth.”
❀ Allama Ibn Athir (may Allah have mercy on him)
says:
منها : جواز المناظرة فى الأحكام، فإن أبا بكر وعمر تناظرا وتحاجا فى هذه المسألة
“This narration is evidence that debate is permissible in Shariah rulings because Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) debated and discussed this matter between themselves.”
﴿وَعَصَىٰ آدَمُ رَبَّهُ فَغَوَىٰ﴾
، قال: نعم، قال: أفتلومني علىٰ أن عملت عملا كتبه الله على أن أعمله قبل أن يخلقني بأربعين سنة؟ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: فحج آدم موسىٰ.
﴿وَعَصَىٰ آدَمُ رَبَّهُ فَغَوَىٰ﴾
Opinions of the Scholars:
❀ Hafiz Ibn Abdul Barr, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
فيه دليل على أن المناظرة وطلب الدليل وموقع الحجة كان قديما من لدن زمن الصحابة هلم جرا لا ينكر ذلك إلا جاهل .
“This hadith is evidence that debating, seeking proof, and reasoning with argumentation has been practiced since the time of the Companions and continues to this day; only an ignorant person would deny this.”
❀ He also says:
دليل على إثبات المعرضة والمناظرة وطلب الحجة وموضع الصواب.
“This hadith is evidence that disputation, debate, argument, and seeking the correct stance is permissible.”
❀ He further states:
فيه دليل على إثبات المناظرة والمجادلة عند الخلاف فى النوازل والأحكام .
“This is evidence that in cases of disagreement over new issues and Sharia rulings, debating is permissible.”
❀ Qadi Iyad, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
كله دليل على المناظرة فى العلم .
“All these texts are evidence that debating in religious knowledge is permissible.”
❀ Hafiz Ibn Daqiq al-Eid, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
في الحديث دليل على جواز المناظرة فى مسائل الاجتهاد .
“This hadith is evidence that debating is permissible even in matters of ijtihad.”
❀ Allama Tayyibi, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
أما المناظرة لإظهار الحق، واستكشاف الحال، واستعلام ما ليس معلوما عنده، أو تعليم غيره ما هو عنده ففرض على الكفاية .
“Debating for the expression of truth, clarification of a matter, acquiring knowledge about an unknown issue, and teaching others is a communal obligation (fard kifayah).”
