Debate and its Etiquette

Even before Allah created J. Adam AS, prevailed the debate and the first argument was

presented by Iblis LA when he debated with Allah regarding His command to prostrate

in front of J. Adam AS. Since then there always has been a debate between right and

wrong. Prophets, messengers and their successors have debated with the tyrant kings

of their time, with their nation and sometimes with their family members. The debate

between right and wrong exists till today. Sometimes to defend the existence and unity

of Allah, sometimes to protect the finality of Holy Prophet SAWS or to safeguard the

Wilayat of Ameerul Momineen AS and sometimes to respond to allegations against the

long life and occultation of Hazrat Wali Asr ATFS. In this article we shall see some of

the best practices to debate in the light of Quran and traditions.

The Holy Quran says:

وَ لا تُجادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتابِ إِلاَّ بِالَّتي‏ هِيَ أَحْسَن‏

And do not dispute with the followers of the Book except by what is best (Ref: S.

Ankabut: 46)

Aimmah AS narrated regarding this verse: That here Ahlal Kitab refers to Jews and

Christians and the best refers to the Holy Quran (Ref: Tafseer Ayyashi Vol 2 Pg. 150)

In simple words Imam AS is ordering us that if we wish to debate with the Jews  and the

Christians we should do it with the help of Quran and use the Book of Allah as a

medium.

A similar discussion can be found under the following verse

ادْعُ إِلى‏ سَبيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَ الْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَ جادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتي‏ هِيَ أَحْسَن‏

Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and have disputations

with them in the best manner (Ref: S. Nahl: 125)

The second criterion for debate is that we must only use those words and knowledge

that have come from Aimma AS. When a person from Shaam came to debate with

Imam Sadiq AS he asked his companion Yunus bin Yaqoob to debate with him but he

refused by saying ‘I wish I could but, may Allah take my soul in the service for your

cause, I have heard that you do not allow debating and say that woe is for those who

debates. Some of them say - This is accepted and that is not accepted and this is alright

to say but that is not alright to say that this we understand and that we do not

understand’. Imam AS replied to this objection by saying ‘I said so if they would ignore

what I say and follow what they themselves want.’