1- Seeking excellence in discussion or dispute and fussing

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2- Stopping selfishness Shall we be fact seeking or aggressive?

In the Islamic instructions, it is highly emphasized on the manner of discussion with people, specially with ignorant and low knowledge people, and the discussions which do not have any fact seeking aspect are prohibited under the title of dispute and fussing. Even in some cases, discussion is absolutely forbidden.

Holy Quran says:

وَلا تُجادِلُوا اَهْلَ الْکِتابِ اِلاّ بِالَّتِی هِیَ اَحْسَنُ).

Dispute not with the People of the Book save in the fairer manner.(1)

And somewhere else it says:

وَ جادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِی هِىَ اَحْسَنُ).

And dispute with them in the better way.(2)

In the above two verses, the discussions lacking fairer manner and better way are prohibited. They are the same discussions having a sympathetic aspect and accompanied with kindness, courtesy, compassion, and do not leave any ill or negative effect on the other party.

Even in some cases, God officially instructs His Prophet S.A. to choose silence against the aggression of opponents, and absolutely avoid the discussions, the end of which is dispute and obstinacy.

وَ اِنْ جادَلُوکَ فَقُلِ اللهُ اَعْلَمُ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ).

And if they dispute with thee, do thou say, God knows very well what you are doing.(3)

In the several traditions, discussion is prohibited through different subtle interpretations disclosing a series of mental points:

قالَ النَّبِیُّ(صلى الله علیه وآله): «ذَرُوا الْمِراءَ فَاِنَّهُ لا تُفْهَمُ حِکْمَتُهُ وَلا تُؤْمَنُ فِتْنَتُهُ».

The Prophet S.A. said: Avoid dispute because its wisdom is not understood and there is no security against its sedition.(4)

وَ قالَ(صلى الله علیه وآله): «لا یَسْتَکْمِلُ عَبْدٌ حَقِیقَةَ الاِْیمانِ حَتّى یَدَعَ الْمِراءَ وَ اِنْ کانَ مُحِقّاً».

And he said: No one fulfills the reality of belief, unless he leaves dispute, although he is right.(5)

 

قالَ سُلَیْمانُ بْنُ داوُدَ لاِبْنِهِ: «یا بُنَیَّ اِیّاکَ وَ الْمِراءَ فَاِنَّهُ لَیْسَتْ فِیهِ مَنْفَعَةٌ وَ هُوَ یُهَیِّجُ بَیْنَ الاِْخْوانِ الْعَداوَةَ».

Solomon, son of David, told to his son: My son! Avoid dispute because it has no profit and provokes the fire of enmity among the brothers.(6)

عَنِ النَّبِیِّ(صلى الله علیه وآله): «ما ضَلَّ قَوْمٌ بَعْدَ هُدىً کانُوا عَلَیْهِ اِلاّ اُوتُوا الْجَدَلَ».

Prophet S.A. said: no nation strays after guidance, save it engages in dispute.(7)

عَنْ اَمِیرِ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ(علیه السلام): «یا کُمَیْلُ! اِیّاکَ وَ الْمِراءَ فَاِنَّکَ تُغْرِی بِنَفْسِکَ السُّفَهاءَ اِذا فَعَلْتَ وَ تُفْسِدُ الاِْخاءَ».

Commander of the Believers (Imam Ali) A.S. said: O Komeil! Avoid fussing because in this way you impassion the ignorant against yourself, and destroy brotherhood.(8)

The ill effects of discussions mixed with dispute and aggression are precisely studied in the above traditions and it is inferred from them that:

1- Dispute in discussion is useless, and it has no result (because hurting affections of the other party causes him to resist).

2- Dispute is not compatible with belief (because it is the sign of arrogance and seeking excellence, and arrogance is never compatible with belief, the sense of which is submission and surrender to the truth).

3- Dispute results in sedition and attracting enmity and hostility (because everyone is sensitive and strict for ruining of his personality).

4- Dispute causes misguide (because it excites the sense of obstinacy, selfishness, and prejudice and thereby covers the visage of truth).

5- If dispute is made with the ignorant, it encourages them to violate the reverence of one's personality and makes them insolent to him (because when they find their reputation in risk, they will ignore the reverence, which they observed before the learned in normal conditions).

For salvation from such great dangers, Islam instructs to avoid discussions and talks having an aggressive, hostile and eristic aspect, and even do not apply this way for proving the truth.


1- The Spider sura (29), verse 46
2- The Bee sura (16), verse 125
3- The Pilgrimage sura (22), verse 68
4- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, 138/2
5- The same document, narration 53
6- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, 134/14
7- Ebne Majeh, Sonan Ebne Majeh, 19/1, published in Beirut
8- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, 270/77, narration 1
 
 
 
 
 
2- Stopping selfishness Shall we be fact seeking or aggressive?
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