Quran Encourages Mujadalah But Muslims Are More Interested In Munazara
By S. Arshad, New Age
Islam
28 April
2021
Munazarah Is Argumentation Based On Sectarian Beliefs Which Is Not Recognized Or
Supported By The Quran
Important Points:
1.
In a Munazara, the participants from
rival sects present arguments to prove the other sect wrong.
2. Sometimes
a Munazara results in violence which is against the spirit of Islam.
3. Munazaras
are on the wane in India and Pakistan but still in vogue in the Indian
sub-continent.
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The Quran
enjoins on all Muslims to carry forward the mission of the holy Prophet pbuh.
The Prophet pbuh conveyed the message of God with love, patience, perseverance
and tolerance. After his death, the responsibility of conveying the message of
God was passed on all the Muslims. To do so, the Quran encourages Muslims to
engage in dialogue with non-Muslims and call them towards the Deen of God. But
at the same time, Muslims are also asked not to enter into any confrontation
with them if they do not listen to the message of the Quran.
“And when they hear
vanity they withdraw from it and say: Unto us our works and unto you your
works. Peace be unto you! We desire not the ignorant.”(Al Qasas:55)
The Quran
uses the word Jadal meaning peaceful
dialogue as a means to convey God’s message to the non-Muslims. Jadal means to
argument, to discuss or to enter into a dialogue. Therefore, the Quran
encourages Mujadalah with non-Muslims where Muslims will present the message of
the God with the help of arguments. There is even a surah in the Quran named Al
Mujadalah. The Quran says,
“And argue (jadal) not
with the People of the Scripture unless it be in (a way) that is better, save
with such of them as do wrong; and say: We believe in that which hath been
revealed unto us and revealed unto you; our Allah and your Allah is One, and
unto Him we surrender”.(Al Ankabut:46)
In another
verse, God exhorts Muslims to reason with (non-Muslims) in a better way (Jadal)
Call unto the way of
thy Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation, and reason (jadal) with them in the
better way. Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He
is Best Aware of those who go aright.(Al Nahl:125)
The Quran
also says that the non-believers contend (Jadal) with falsehood in order to
refute the Truth.
“We send not the
messengers save as bearers of good news and warners. Those who disbelieve
contend (jadal ) with falsehood in order to refute the Truth thereby.”( Al Kahf: 56)
There is
another verse where God says that the non-believers indulge in Mujadalah but
their arguments are based on falsity and have no grounds.
“None argue (jadal)
concerning the revelations of Allah save those who disbelieve, so let not their
turn of fortune in the land deceive thee (O Muhammad).” Al Mumin:4)
Those who wrangle
(jadal) concerning the revelations of Allah without any warrant that hath come
unto them, it is greatly hateful in the sight of Allah and in the sight of
those who believe.
(Al Mumin:35
“And that those who
argue concerning Our revelations may know they have no refuge.”(As Shura: 35)
From the
verses quoted above it becomes clear that the non-believers argue with the
prophet pbuh to refute the Truth but their arguments are not based on facts.
They argue only for the sake of arguing.
Therefore,
the Quran exhorts Muslims to engage in Mujadalah with non-Muslims in order to
convince them and guide them to the path of God.
But
unfortunately, the Muslims have abandoned the path of Mujadalah and have
adopted the path of Munazara which is
a sectarian practice. In the Indian sub-continent, Munazara between Deobandi and Barelvi sects are held in which both
the parties try to prove the beliefs of each other false. Munazara is therefore a sectarian Mujadalah without a basis in the
Quran or Sunnah. In a Munazara, a
team of scholars from both the side sit with hundreds of books to support their
belief. During the 50s or even earlier, Munazara
was very commonplace in India and Pakistan. Sometimes, a Munazara would result in violence injuring the participants. During the Munazaras, the leader would exhaust all his knowledge and energies
to prove the opposite sect Munafiq
and even Kafir and the opponent would exhaust all his knowledge and energies to
prove the other sect Kafir or Munafiq and defend his own sect. Though the
popularity of Munazara is has waned
in India due to social and political circumstances, it is still in vogue in
Pakistan.
The mission
of propagating the Deen is being ignored by the Muslims and they waste their
energies and resources in proving the other sect wrong whereas the Quran tells
them not to be divided into sects and sub-sects and hold on to the rope of
Allah steadfastly. The Quran also narrates the fate of the bygone nations who
were divided into sects and had invited the wrath of God. The Quran time and
again tells Muslims to struggle in the path of God and to call all the people
on earth towards one God. And to achieve this goal, the Quran encourages
Muslims to engage in Mujadalah (peaceful dialogue) with non-Muslims and with
the People of the Book. It does not encourage Munazara (Arguments based on sectarian beliefs) as the Quran does
not recognize sects.
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Also
Read: What is Munazara in Islam and What are the good
manners during Munazara?
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Mujadalah
or interfaith dialogue is the most suitable means to convey the true message of
Islam in the modern age. Modern science or the scientific discoveries and
advancements have only strengthened the belief of man in religion or spiritual
existence of God. New scientific insight into natural phenomena or new facts
about the outer universe have brought new religion closer to science and
therefore, superstitions, unfounded dogma or belief in animism or atheism has
been rejected by science. That’s why the greatest scientist of the 20th century
believed in a Supreme Power that runs the universe. Such academic or
intellectual dialogue or debate is encouraged by the Quran under Mujadalah. In
modern religious milieu, Mujadalah will not mean ony debating the genuineness
of Islam but also discussing Islam with the help of modern scientific advances
and new discoveries that strengthens belief of a Supreme God. Mujadalah will
also mean presenting research work on science and scientific phenomenon
mentioned in the Quran thus proving the relevance of the Quran in the modern
world.
From this
point of view, Munazara is a
retrograde practice that negates Islamic spirit of unity of the nation or
community and also puts the prophetic mission of Dawah behind the back. Muslims
have the responsibility to continue the mission of the Prophet pbuh by engaging
in Mujadalah and abandoning the sectarian practice of Munazarah. Propagating the message of Islam through videos, through
publications, translations and exegeses and through interfaith dialogue come
under Mujadalah. Muslims should sectarianism and embark on the path of God and
His Prophet pbuh and seek good for the entire humanity. Indulging in sectarian
differences and declaring all the other sects Kafirs is unbecoming of a true
Muslim. Muslims should use all their abilities, energies and resources only to
convey the message of the Quran to the people of the world and bury their petty
sectarian differences for the collective good.
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S. Arshad is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-society/quran-encourages-mujadalah-muslims-more/d/124750
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