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Sheikh `Abd al-Rahmân
al-Sa`dî used to hold regular classes in Islamic Law. During some of his
lessons, he would take half the class and instruct them in a certain
scholarly opinion regarding a matter of Islamic Law. Then he would take the
other half and instruct them in the opposing scholarly opinion. Afterwards,
he would bring the two groups back together and have them discuss the
matter. In this way, he trained his students in how to engage in objective
discussions and how to respect the opinions of others. He wanted them to
give his students the tools for constructive dialogue. He wrote a book from
these experiences entitled Debates in Islamic Law.
Today, there is a desperate
need to instruct people in the etiquettes and manners of debate. Such
manners are a reflection of a person’s own values, first and foremost.
Then, they are an expression of the respect and regard that the person has
for others. A person’s engagement with himself is vital. He must be able to
look at himself critically, evaluate his own opinions, and prohibit himself
from following his own vain desires.
Allah says: “And as for him
who fears to stand in the presence of his Lord and forbids the soul from
low desires, then surely the garden will be his the abode.” [Sûrah
al-Nâzi`ât: 41]
Allah also says: “Indeed, I
swear by the self-reproaching spirit.” [Sûrah al-Qiyâmah: 2]
Someone who knows his own
self and is able to command it and restrain it, this is someone who is
capable of self-assessment and personal development. This is the
description of a believer upon guidance.
Therefore, the highest and
most vital level of dialogue is the dialogue that one of us engages in with
his own self. I believe that most people do not have the ability to engage
in such an inward dialogue. They do not realize that it is a vital part of
all dialogue.
People must learn how to
speak and engage in discussions. There is no benefit in our remaining
perpetually silent, as if we are sleeping or in our graves. There needs to
be dialogue of an honorable tone between all people – between children and
adults, husbands and wives, and various sectors of society – in all
matters, big and small.
Open discussion is a
necessary and vital element of contemporary society. Society needs explore
and solve its problems at the negotiating table. There is a need for open
academic dialogue where issues can be approached in an objective and
intelligent manner that transcends petty individual interests. There is a
need for open and peaceful political dialogue.
Through dialogue, the best
solution can be at least approximated. Dialogue is the world’s approach to
communication today that manifests itself in the global media and in global
politics. We find cross-cultural dialogues and dialogues being undertaken
between civilizations. There are dialogues going on between ideological and
religious groups. Conferences and symposiums are convened just for this
purpose, with delegates coming together to discuss their points of agreement
and disagreement. In this way, they discover the common ground which they
can use as a basis for cooperation.
In the Muslim world, we
face many obstacles to the realization of affective dialogue. First, we
have a problem listening. This is especially the case with us Arabs, who
tend to prefer talking over listening. One of us will speak and the other
will not hear a word, since he is too busy waiting for his turn to speak.
Then we have a serious problem understanding each other. Due to this, one
of our poets writes:
I say “Amr”, so he hears
“Sa`d”
Then he writes “Hamad” and
reads it “Zayd”!
Then we have a problem with
reporting information and with quoting others, in spite of the fact that
Allah says: “O you who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any
news, ascertain the truth, lest ye harm people unwittingly, and afterwards
become full of repentance for what you have done.” [Sûrah al-Hujurât: 6]
The Prophet (peace be upon
him) said: “It is enough for a person to perpetrate a lie that he repeats
everything that he hears.”
Then there are problems of
an ethical nature – like slander, deliberate misrepresentations of facts,
forgeries, and lies. Those who wish for dialogue – whether they represent
political interests or what have you – are faced with the daunting problem
of managing the dialogue process. There are difficulties in matters of
procedure and with respect to objectivity, even when the people concerned
are honest Muslims and people of integrity, and even when they are n the
right. If we want to give the correct opinion its due, we need to be
trained to advocate it properly. This requires developing people who are
sensible, articulate, and who possess mature and proficient advocacy
skills. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of dialogue As a
consequence, we need to prepare people to be able to engage in dialogue.
Such people will have the requisite knowledge and ethical awareness to be
effective.
To accept the idea of
dialogue is to admit to the existence and legitimacy of a diversity of
opinion. It is to admit that there are disagreements. It is not an
admission that all the viewpoints expressed are correct, just that they
deserve to be looked into and discussed.
Many people do not
understand this, especially when it comes to interfaith dialogue. They see
interfaith dialogue only as an attempt to bring various belief systems
closer together by having people of various faiths sacrifice certain
aspects of their religious beliefs for the sake of bringing their various
religions to a common middle ground. By contrast, real interfaith dialogue
is a search for points of exiting commonality, so that people of different
religions can work together in matters where they have shared interests.
They can, for instance, cooperate in combating corruption and in defending
human rights.
We can have no doubt that
Islam encourages cooperation of this sort, which advances the values of
Islam and the welfare of the Muslims. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) spoke
about the type of covenants and agreements the Arabs used to engage in
before Islam in which they would cooperate with each other in their mutual
interests. He then said: “If I were invited to do the same after Islam, I
would do so.”
This global dialogue is the
way the world communicates and the way we as Muslims must communicate with
the world. It is the way we will express our religion’s values and
principles to the world.
Some of those who object to
the principle of dialogue cite that some of our Pious Predecessors used to
prohibit arguing with the people of falsehood. I would say that this was
the approach of some of the Pious Predecessors and it was suitable for
their time and for the particular circumstances they were dealing with.
They observed that the truth was clear, established, and easily discernable
to all people, while at the same time there were some strange and obviously
false claims being circulated. They judged that if those strange ideas were
disputed, it would only serve to draw unnecessary attention to them.
What matters most is that
both the Qur’ân and in the Sunnah call to its necessity of dialogue. Allah
tells us regarding the Jews and Christians: “Argue with them in the best
manner.” [Sûrah al-Nahl: 125]
By
Sheikh Salman al-Oadah
Location: IslamToday
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