When is debate between Muslims and disbelievers permissible, and when is it forbidden?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
May Allah reward you, Your Eminence, father. The questioner says: In these later times, we observe and witness seminars and meetings aimed at removing the differences between believers and disbelievers. What is your guidance regarding this?
Answer:
Debate between Muslims and disbelievers, if the intention is to call the disbelievers to Islam, there is no doubt[An-Nahl 16:125] [Al-'Ankabut 29:46] [Ali 'Imran 3:64] to the end of the verse. If the intention of the meetings with disbelievers is to call them to Islam, to explain the merits of Islam, and to demonstrate the falsity of what they are upon, this is obligatory and required. But if the intention is a reconciliation between us and them, where each side accepts the other as they are, this is not permissible. Yes.
May Allah reward you, Your Eminence, father. The questioner says: In these later times, we observe and witness seminars and meetings aimed at removing the differences between believers and disbelievers. What is your guidance regarding this?
Answer:
Debate between Muslims and disbelievers, if the intention is to call the disbelievers to Islam, there is no doubt
and argue with them in a way that is best
وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُAnd do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best
وَلَا تُجَادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُSay, "O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you - that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him
قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، [1606- 4717] متى تجوز المناظرة بين المسلمين والكفار ومتى تحرم؟ - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.