Debates and disputations<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n by Al-Imam al-Ghazali (Radhi Allahu Anhu)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n There are eight conditions of debates<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 1. The first condition is that where debate for search of truth is one of 2. The second condition is that one should not consider debates more <\/p>\n He commits sin who does other works leaving aside a more important Fardh 3. The third condition which justifies debate is that the debater should 4. The fourth condition which justifies debate is that the subject for 5. The fifth condition is that debate should be held in private in 6. The sixth condition is that the debater should like truth in the same 7. The seventh condition is that the debater should not prevent his 8. The eighth condition is that debate should be held with such person fro The following evils arise out of modern debates.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 1. Envy. The Holy Nabi (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) said: Envy consumes 2. Pride. The Holy Nabi (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) said: A Mu’min cannot 3. Rancour. A debater is seldom free from the evil of rancour.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 4. Back-biting which is likened by Allahu Ta’ala to the eating of carrion 5. Declaration of self-purity. Allah says: Don’t attribute purity to 6. Spying and prying into secrets of adversary. Allah says Pry not. (49: 7. Nifaaq. A debater expresses his friendship for his adversary outwardly 8. To turn away from Haqq. The nost hateful thing to a debater is to reject 9. Another fault of debate is show and flattering the people in an effort to 10. Deception. Debators are compelled to deception.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n These ten evils are the secret major sins arising out of debates and The learned men are of three classes. One class comprise those who ruin \u00a0 by\u00a0 Al-Imam al-Ghazali \u00a0 Debates and disputations by Al-Imam al-Ghazali (Radhi Allahu Anhu) Know, O’ Reader, that after the Holy Nabi, the Khulafa Rashideen were the leaders of the learned in the science...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[88],"class_list":["post-439","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-topics","tag-debates"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/439","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=439"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/439\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":440,"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/439\/revisions\/440"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=439"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=439"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=439"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nKnow, O’ Reader, that after the Holy Nabi, the Khulafa Rashideen were the
\nleaders of the learned in the science of Allah. There were the eyes of
\nknowledge and were experienced in the legal decisions. They did not take the
\nhelp of jurisprudents except in cases where consultation was necessary. They
\ndecided on the strength of Ijtihad and their decisions were recorded in
\ntheir lives. After their death, Khulafat went to those who not so
\nexperienced in legal matters and administrative affairs. They were compelled
\nto seek the aid of jurisprudents. At that time, a band of Tabi’een were
\nalive and they persisted in following strictly the injunctions of Deen.
\nWhenever Khalifs called them, they fled. But some learned men used to mix
\nwith the Khalifs ans consequently became humiliated. Therefore there were
\ndifferences of opinion and among the learned men and there grew different
\nmathahib as a result, and in some cases, a sect sprung up. There were
\nargumentations and disputations over the intricate questions of religion.
\nThey composed also many works on these subjects. This induced the people to
\ntake to controversies and disputations.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nFardh Kefayah duties, one who has not already fulfilled his part in duties
\nof Farze Ain should not engage himself in the debates even for searching
\ntruth.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nimportant than Fardh Kefayah duties.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nKefaya. He is like a man who does not give water to drink to people who are
\nthirsty and facing death even though he has got power to do so, because he
\nremains then busy in giving lessons of cupping. Once the Holy Nabi
\n(Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) was asked: When will the people give up
\nenjoining good and forbidding evil? The Holy Nabi (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sal
\nlam) said: When flattery will grow in good people among you, kingdom will go
\nto the meanest of you and theology to those who will be corrupt.|<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nhave ability and give decision on his own responsibility without referring
\nto the opinion of al-Imam al-A’zam Abu Hanifah or any other Imams. He who
\nhas not the ability of independent interpretation should not express his
\nopinion but should refer it to an Imam.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\ndecision should be about actual cases that crop up, for example, the
\nquestion of inheritance and not about future cases. The Sahabi (Radhi Allahu
\nAnhum) also held consultations as questions arose or were likely to arise in
\norder to arrive at truth.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\npreference to open meetings in presence of noted people and in grandeur
\nbecause privacy is more suitable for clear thinking and to examine what is
\nright and what is wrong.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nspirit as a lost thing is searched for. He should not mind whether the truth
\nis found by him or by his adversary. When Hazrat Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhu)
\nwas once giving sermon, a woman pointed out to him his mistake to which he
\nsubmitted. At another time, Hazrat Ali (Karam Allah wajhu) was asked a
\nquestion by a man and he replied. When the man pointed out his mistake, he
\nadmitted it.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nadversary from giving up one argument in favor or another and one
\nillustration in favor of another.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nwhom benefit is derived and who is learned.
\n>From these eight conditions, you will be able to distinguish those who
\ndebate for the sake of Allah and those who debate for other purposes.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nEvils of Debates<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\ngood deeds as fire consumes fuels. A debator is never free from envy and
\nhatred. Envy is a burning fire. One who falls in it gets punishment in the
\nworld. Hazrat Ibn Abbas (Radhi Allah Anhu) said: Acquire ‘Ilm wherever it is
\nfound and don’t obey the shayateen who are prone to disputes.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nhave kibr (pride) in him. There is a Hadith-e-Qudsi in which Allah Ta’ala
\nsaid: “Grandeur is My cloak and pride is My mantle. I destroy the one who
\nsnatches anything of these two from Me.”<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n(49:12).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nyourself. He knows best who fears Him. (53:33).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n12).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nbut he cherishes hatred for him inwardly. The Holy Nabi (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi
\nwa Sallam) said: When the learned men do not translate their learning into
\naction, when they profess love for one another with their tongue and nurse
\nhatred in their hearts, when they sever ties of relationship, Allah sends
\nCurse upon them, makes their tongues mute and their eyes blind.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nthe truth revealed to his adversary and thus he takes to deception and
\ndeceit. The Holy Nabi (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) prohibited dispute
\nabout useless things. He (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) said: If a man gives
\nup disputation in matters of unlawful things, a garden will be built for him
\nin Paradise. If a man givesup disputations in matters of Haqq, a house will
\nbe built up for him in the highest Paradise. Allah Ta’ala says: He is more
\nwrongful than one who devises a lie against Allah and calls the truth a lie
\nwhen it comes to him. (29:68) Allah says: Who is more wrongful than he who
\nlies against Allah and treats the truth when it comes to him as a lie
\n(39:33).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nwin their favor and to mislead them. Nifaaq (hypocrisy) is the greatest
\ndisease with which a debator is attacked and it is a major sin.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\ndisputations. Besides these major offences, there arise many other guilts
\nout of controversies leading to blows, kicks, boxing, tearing of garments,
\netc.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nthemselves and also ruin others. Another class make themselves fortunate and
\nmake others also fortunate. Such learned men call others towards good. The
\nthird class of learned men call ruin to themselves but make others
\nfortunate.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"