The Ruling on Dialogue and Debate with Those Who Differ in Creed

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Question:
The questioner says: Some people see the necessity of dialogue and debate with those who differ from us in creed, while others see no necessity for it. What is your opinion?

Answer:
The dialogue and debate intended to establish the truth and refute falsehood is required. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said:

and argue with them in a way that is best

وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ

[An-Nahl 16:125]

He, Mighty and Majestic, said:

And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best

وَلَا تُجَادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ

[Al-'Ankabut 29:46]

The debate intended to clarify the truth and refute falsehood is obligatory and required.

Say, "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 and not take one another as lords instead of Allah." But if they turn away, then say, "Bear witness that we are Muslims [submitting to Him]."

قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَقُولُوا اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ

[Ali 'Imran 3:64]

.
If the purpose of dialogue with disbelievers is to clarify the truth, establish the truth, refute falsehood, and present the argument against them, this is required and obligatory. However, if the purpose of dialogue is to be tolerant toward them and to reach a mutual agreement with them, this is not permissible. This is compromise; it is not dialogue. This is compromise. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says:

They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you].

وَدُّوا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ

[Al-Qalam 68:9]

He, Mighty and Majestic, says:

Then is it to this statement that you are indifferent

أَفَبِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَنتُم مُّدْهِنُونَ

[Al-Waqi'ah 56:81]

This is a denial by Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, of compromising in the Qur'an. This is compromise, not dialogue. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says:

They wish you would disbelieve as they disbelieved so you would be alike

وَدُّوا لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ كَمَا كَفَرُوا فَتَكُونُونَ سَوَاءً

[An-Nisa 4:89]

and they wish you would disbelieve.

وَوَدُّوا لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ

[Al-Mumtahanah 60:2]

. And Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says to His Prophet:

⁽⁷³⁾ And indeed, they were about to tempt you away from that which We revealed to you in order to [make] you invent about Us something else; and then they would have taken you as a friend. ⁽⁷⁴⁾ And if We had not strengthened you, you would have almost inclined to them a little. ⁽⁷⁵⁾ Then [if you had], We would have made you taste double [punishment in] life and double [after] death. Then you would not find for yourself against Us a helper.

وَإِن كَادُوا لَيَفْتِنُونَكَ عَنِ الَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ لِتَفْتَرِيَ عَلَيْنَا غَيْرَهُ وَإِذًا لَّاتَّخَذُوكَ خَلِيلًا وَلَوْلَا أَن ثَبَّتْنَاكَ لَقَدْ كِدتَّ تَرْكَنُ إِلَيْهِمْ شَيْئًا قَلِيلًا إِذًا لَّأَذَقْنَاكَ ضِعْفَ الْحَيَاةِ وَضِعْفَ الْمَمَاتِ ثُمَّ لَا تَجِدُ لَكَ عَلَيْنَا نَصِيرًا

[Al-Isra 17:73-75]

. Compromise is never permissible. Yes.

Source أسباب نجاة الأمة — islamhouse.com (1:02:42)

The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.

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