Literature of Dialogue in Islam

The literature of dialogue in Islam (Arabic:أدب الحوار في الإسلام) refers to the comprehensive ethical and procedural framework governing conversation, debate, and interpersonal communication derived from the Quran, the Sunnah, and the broader Islamic intellectual tradition. It encompasses the rules, manners, and objectives of dialogue as a method for conveying truth, fostering understanding, and managing disagreement within Islamic society and beyond.

Foundations in the Quran and Sunnah

The concept of dialogue (al-ḥiwār or al-muḥāwara) is deeply embedded in the foundational texts of Islam. Scholars note that the Quran itself is a text replete with dialogues, featuring exchanges between God and angels, between God and prophets, and between prophets and their people. Regula Forster's comprehensive study on classical Arabic dialogues emphasizes that the Quran and Hadith represent a significant corpus of dialogic texts often overlooked in research (Forster, 2017). Indeed, "we hardly find a page of the Ever-Glorious Qur'an devoid of dialogue, as it is one of the means by which a person can reach the truth accompanied by its clear evidence" (Al-Alwani & Al-Bouti, 2021, p. 25).

Key Quranic Examples

One of the most profound examples is the dialogue between God and the angels regarding the creation of humanity:

"And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, 'Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority.' They said, 'Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?' He said, 'Indeed, I know that which you do not know.'" (Quran 2:30)

This exchange, as highlighted in the ISESCO guidebook, establishes the legitimacy of dialogue even in a hierarchical relationship, allowing the angels to raise a concern while ultimately affirming divine wisdom (ISESCO, 2015, p. 109). The dialogue "allows the other party, the interlocutor, to present his point of view within the limits of proper propriety and courtesy" (Al-Alwani & Al-Bouti, 2021, p. 34).

The Quranic narrative of Prophet Noah's dialogue with his son also demonstrates the use of dialogue in a context of fundamental disagreement, with the outcome left to divine judgment (Quran 11:42-43; cited by Tantawi, 2001, p. 121).

Prophetic Model of Dialogue

The Sunnah provides numerous practical examples of dialogue as a pedagogical tool. The famous Hadith of Gabriel, in which the Angel Gabriel appears in human form to question the Prophet about Islam, Iman, and Ihsan, serves as a primary model (ISESCO, 2015, p. 110). This incident is considered a masterclass in dialogue because it employs questioning to facilitate learning, involves a knowledgeable figure asking questions for the benefit of others, and covers fundamental teachings concisely. This method of dialogue as knowledge transmission is a central feature of classical Arabic literature, which often "inszeniert Figuren in der verbalen Interaktion, verkörperlicht gegebenenfalls Positionen und Meinungen" (Forster, 2017, p. 2).

Furthermore, the Prophet's dialogue with a young man seeking permission to commit adultery is cited as an example of "ensuring that the violator is contained, and the course of his thought corrected" (Al-Alwani & Al-Bouti, 2021, p. 35). Rather than simply rebuking him, the Prophet engaged him in a series of questions: "Do you accept it for your mother?"... "Do you accept it for your daughter?"... Through this Socratic-style dialogue, the young man was made to understand the universal repugnance of the act, leading him to abandon his request.

Definitions and Distinctions

Islamic scholarship distinguishes between dialogue (al-ḥiwār) and other forms of verbal exchange such as argumentation (al-jidāl), debate (al-munāẓara), and dispute (al-mirā) (Al-Alwani & Al-Bouti, 2021, p. 27-30).

Dialogue (al-ḥiwār) is rooted in the linguistic sense of "returning" something, implying a reciprocal exchange. It is characterized as a calm and flexible exchange where both parties aim to understand and persuade each other. The primary purpose of dialogue is to reach understanding and mutual persuasion, with both parties progressing towards agreement and concurrence. In dialogue, participants seek to highlight what they have in common, and it is considered desirable in religious, social, educational, and political matters.

Argumentation (al-jidāl), by contrast, implies a more contentious effort to convince the other, sometimes by any means, and is often driven by a desire to assert superiority. In argumentation, each party strives to prove their superiority over the other, and the exchange tends to escalate into a dispute. While the Quran does not prohibit argumentation entirely, it commands believers to adopt the best method when it becomes necessary: "Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best" (Quran 16:125).

Disputation (al-mirā) is characterized by obstinacy and a refusal to benefit from the exchange, often motivated by ego or a desire to show off. This form of verbal exchange is generally frowned upon in religion and is considered unproductive for genuine understanding (Al-Alwani & Al-Bouti, 2021, p. 30).

Comparing dialogue with debate and argumentation, several key distinctions emerge. Dialogue is oriented toward understanding and mutual persuasion, with both parties progressing toward agreement and highlighting common ground. Debate and argumentation, on the other hand, are oriented toward challenging the opponent and proving superiority, with the exchange often escalating into a dispute. Dialogue is desired and encouraged in religious, social, educational, and political matters, whereas argumentation is only permitted in religion when conducted in the best manner, and disputation is generally frowned upon. In dialogue, both parties benefit from the exchange and seek what unites them; in debate, each party strives to demonstrate their own superiority and tends to emphasize differences. The Quranic ideal is that even when disagreement persists, it should not lead to enmity or hatred, as the Quran instructs: "and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness" (Quran 5:8).

What fundamentally distinguishes dialogue from these other forms is its orientation. While argumentation and disputation often center on winning the exchange, dialogue is centered on mutual understanding, the identification of common ground, and the pursuit of truth in a spirit of cooperation.

Objectives and Manners of Dialogue

ISESCO outlines several general objectives of dialogue in Islam (ISESCO, 2015, p. 111):

To clarify the structure and content of a message to mold the listener's attitude correctly. To allow the interlocutor to demand additional clarifications to ascertain facts. To respect the interlocutor's right to express his/her position, object, and demand additional evidence. To identify points of concordance and disagreement to bring the interlocutors to agreement. To call to the way of Allah and reveal the truth to people, providing all necessary clarifications. The key manners of dialogue include adopting the best argument, engaging in dialogue while seeking mutual benefit, accepting the reasoning of the interlocutor, and refraining from fanaticism (Al-Alwani & Al-Bouti, 2021, p. 27). As noted by the Mufti of Egypt, Dr. Nasr Farid Wasil, dialogue is essential because "the problem is not the difference in opinion itself; rather, the problem is the negative perception of followers of one madhhab towards followers of another, that they are 'outside the religion'" (Khorshidi, 2008, p. 68).

Significance for Islamic Unity

The literature of dialogue is foundational to the contemporary discourse of Islamic unity. The Cairo Roundtable on "Taqrib between Islamic Madhahib" (Approximation between Islamic Schools of Thought) in 2001 emphasized that dialogue, or al-ḥiwār, is the primary path to realizing unity. Sheikh Muhammad Ali al-Taskhiri articulated that "the path we should take is the path of dialogue," conducted in a calm and rational environment, mirroring the Prophet's own approach to intellectual challenges (Khorshidi, 2008, p. 36). This approach serves as the primary methodology for achieving mutual understanding without demanding that any school of thought dissolve into another.

Sheikh al-Azhar, Dr. Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi, who authored a book on "Adab al-Hiwar fi al-Islam" (The Ethics of Dialogue in Islam), emphasized that God opened the door to dialogue with everyone. He noted that the term "say" (qul) and its derivatives appear over 1,500 times in the Quran, with the imperative form appearing approximately 50 times in Surah Al-An'am alone, sometimes multiple times in a single verse (Khorshidi, 2008, p. 121). This, he argued, demonstrates that dialogue is not merely permitted but is a fundamental method of communication in Islamic tradition.

References

Al-Alwani, T. J., & Al-Bouti, M. S. R. (2021). كتاب حوار الاديان [Book of interfaith dialogue]. Awqaf Online. Retrieved from https://ar.awkafonline.com/

Forster, R. (2017). Wissensvermittlung im Gespräch: Eine Studie zu klassisch-arabischen Dialogen (Islamic History and Civilization, Vol. 149). Brill.

Khorshidi, S. H. (2008). میزگرد تقریب بین مذاهب اسلامی [Roundtable on Taqrib between Islamic Madhahib]. Tehran: World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought.

ISESCO. (2015). Guidebook for Imams and Preachers. ISESCO.