In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Some people refrain from debating even if they are right and they site this hadeeth as evidence: “I guarantee a house in Jannah for one who gives up arguing, even if he is in the right”. [Ref 1] So they abandon debate.

Response: The one who abandons debate in the religion might not be completely right in doing so, because this might obstruct the truth and lead to defeat. [NB: The Shaikh (rahimahullaah) stated on page 243 that many people argue based on falsehood and defeat a person who is upon truth, so we do not say that such a person gained the upper hand over the truth, rather he gained the upper hand over the person who is upon truth due to his inability to debate][Ref 2]

However, it may be that a person is in the right whilst arguing with another person about something that is not related to the religion, for example he says: “I saw such and such person in the market” and the other person says, “Rather I saw him in the Masjid”, and thus an argument occurs between them. This is the type of argument mentioned in the hadeeth (i.e. the one that should be abandoned by a person even if he is in the right). As for the one who abandons debate in the path of aiding the truth, then he is not completely right in doing so and this action of his is not sanctioned by the hadeeth. [End of paraphrased quote] [Sharh Hilyati Taalibal Ilm. page 245]

Finally, you can find a series of very beneficial lectures on the principles of debate by Ustaadh Abu Hakeem on this link: https://soundcloud.com/masjidassunnahaston/sets/principles-of-debates

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[Ref 1: Reported by Imaam Abu Dawud (rahimahullaah). Hadeeth Number 4800. Declared Hasan By Imaam Albaani (rahimahullaah) in his checking of Abu Daawud].

Ref 2:

 

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

In Sharh Hilyati Taalibil Ilm pages 253-254, Shaikh Uthaymeen [rahimahullaah] spoke about the six distinguishing signs of beneficial knowledge, then he stated that the third of them is that a person increases in humility whenever his knowledge increases, so he does not become arrogant towards the people. Then the Shaikh [rahimahullaah] said:

If there is a clash between humbling oneself to the truth and humbling oneself to the people, then one should give precedence to humbling himself to the truth.  For example, if there is a person who curses [or abuses, reviles etc] the truth and rejoices due to his enmity against the one who acts upon the truth, then in this case one should not be humble in the presence of this person; rather one should humble himself to the truth and debates this man [i.e. the one who abuses the truth]; even if he belittles or speaks against you, do not give concern to what he says [or to him], because the truth must be aided. [paraphrased]

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Iyaad Bin Himaar [radiyallaahu-anhu] said: The Messenger [sallal-laahi-alayhi-wasallam] stood amongst us one day and addressed (us), so he said: Indeed Allaah has revealed to me that you must be humble, so that no one boasts over another and no one oppresses another. [Saheeh Muslim: Hadeeth Number: 2865]

[Indeed Allaah has revealed to me that you must be humble]- Meaning: Everyone should be humble towards the other and not elevate himself above another [person]; rather he [a person] should place him [i.e. the other person] in the same rank as himself or honours him more. And it was from the customary behaviour of the Salaf [may Allaah have mercy upon them] for one amongst them to treat someone younger than him like his own son and someone older than him like his own father, and someone similar to him like his own brother. So he looks at the one older than him with honour and reverence, the one younger than him with compassion and mercy and the one similar to him with equality-none transgresses against the other. This is from the affairs that are obligatory upon a person to characterise himself with- humble in the presence of Allaah and towards his Muslim brothers.

[An Excerpt from Sharh Riyaadus-Saaliheen- by Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen (rahimahullaah): Number: 602 slightly paraphrased]

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Allaah [The Most High] said:

قُلۡ تَعَالَوۡاْ أَتۡلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّڪُمۡ عَلَيۡڪُمۡ‌ۖ أَلَّا تُشۡرِكُواْ بِهِۦ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا‌ۖ وَبِٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَـٰنً۬ا‌ۖ وَلَا تَقۡتُلُوٓاْ أَوۡلَـٰدَڪُم مِّنۡ إِمۡلَـٰقٍ۬‌ۖ نَّحۡنُ نَرۡزُقُڪُمۡ وَإِيَّاهُمۡ‌ۖ وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواْ ٱلۡفَوَٲحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ‌ۖ وَلَا تَقۡتُلُواْ ٱلنَّفۡسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكُمۡ وَصَّٮٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ

Say (O Muhammad): “Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with Him; be good and dutiful to your parents; kill not your children because of poverty – We provide sustenance for you and for them; come not near to Al-Fawahish (shameful sins, illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) whether committed openly or secretly, and kill not anyone whom Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause (according to Islamic law). This He has commanded you that you may understand”. [Surah Al-An’aam. Aayah 151]

وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواْ مَالَ ٱلۡيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحۡسَنُ حَتَّىٰ يَبۡلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ ۥ‌ۖ وَأَوۡفُواْ ٱلۡڪَيۡلَ وَٱلۡمِيزَانَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ‌ۖ لَا نُكَلِّفُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَا‌ۖ وَإِذَا قُلۡتُمۡ فَٱعۡدِلُواْ وَلَوۡ ڪَانَ ذَا قُرۡبَىٰ‌ۖ وَبِعَهۡدِ ٱللَّهِ أَوۡفُواْ‌ۚ ذَٲلِڪُمۡ وَصَّٮٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ

“And come not near to the orphan’s property, except to improve it, until he (or she) attains the age of full strength; and give full measure and full weight with justice. We burden not any person, but that which he can bear. And whenever you give your word (i.e. judge between men or give evidence, etc.), say the truth even if a near relative is concerned, and fulfill the Covenant of Allah, this He commands you, that you may remember”. [Surah Al-An’aam. Aayah 152]

وَأَنَّ هَـٰذَا صِرَٲطِى مُسۡتَقِيمً۬ا فَٱتَّبِعُوهُ‌ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ ٱلسُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمۡ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكُمۡ وَصَّٮٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّڪُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ

“And verily, this [i.e. Allah’s Commandments mentioned in the above two Verses 151 and 152] is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not [other] paths, for they will separate you away from His Path. This He has ordained for you that you may become Al-Muttaqoon [the pious]”. [Surah Al-An’aam. Aayah 153]

Shaikh Abdur Razzaaq Al-Badr [hafidhahullaah] said: All these Aayaat end with the command [ذَٲلِكُمۡ وَصَّٮٰكُم بِهِ – This He (i.e. Allaah) has commanded (or ordained) for you]. At the end of the first Aayah [.e. Al-An’aam Aayah 151] Allaah said: [ذَٲلِكُمۡ وَصَّٮٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُون- This He has commanded you that you may understand]; at the end of the second Aayah [i.e. Al-An’aamin Aayah 152] Allaah said: [ذَٲلِڪُمۡ وَصَّٮٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُون- This He commands you, that you may remember]; and at the end of the third Aayah [i.e. Al-An’aam Aayah 153] Allaah said: [ذَٲلِكُمۡ وَصَّٮٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّڪُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ – This He has ordained for you that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)]. Some of the scholars say that because the first thing is that one should understand what is intended by the command; secondly is that he remembers and finally he fears Allaah [by doing what he has been commanded] and keep away from what will anger Allaah.

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[Sharh Kitaab At-Tawheed. Lesson 1]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahullaah] said: Hearts that are emptied of Love for Allaah -hearts that are turned away from Him and seeking remedy from others besides Him- are afflicted with an infatuation with images; for when the heart is filled with Love of Allaah and a strong love for meeting Him [i.e. in the hereafter], this infatuation with images is repelled from it.  And for this reason, Allaah [The Most High] stated about Yusuf [alayhis-salaam]:

[كَذَٰلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ السُّوءَ وَالْفَحْشَاءَ ۚ إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُخْلَصِينَ -Thus it was, that We might turn away from him evil and illegal sexual intercourse. Surely, he was one of Our chosen, guided slaves]. This shows that sincerity to [Allaah] is a means to repelling [evil]. And because of this, some of the Salaf said: ‘’Infatuation is an agitation in empty hearts.” Meaning: [Hearts] emptied of other than what they crave for.

[Source: An excerpt from At-Tibbun Nabawiy’ by Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah) with the footnotes and checking of Al-Allaamah Muhammad Haamid Al-Faqee (rahimahullaah) page180. slightly paraphrased]

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Verification is one of the most important affairs, if not the most important. Verifying what is transmitted from others is an important affair, because sometimes the transmitters harbour evil intentions, so they transmit – intentionally and deliberately – that which will tarnish the reputation of the one they transmit from. And sometimes they do not harbour an evil intention, but they understand something in a manner that is opposite to what is intended by it.

Therefore, it is obligatory to verify. So, when the proof [sound source] of the transmission is established, then the one from whom the statement was transmitted is engaged in a discussion [or his statement is examined] before a judgement is passed as to whether it is a mistake or not. That is because it may become clear to you – by way of discussion [or observation] – that the one from whom the statement was transmitted is correct. And if not, then what is known is that if a person were to immediately pass a judgement merely based on what he hears, he will transmit things [i.e. statements, views, opinions etc] from some of the scholars – those considered to be the beacons of [Sharee’ah] knowledge – that which the souls will dislike; but when one verifies, contemplates and establishes contact with this Shaikh, the affair will become clarified [or clear to him].  [Excerpt from Sharh Hilyatil Taalibil Ilm Pages 75-76. By Shaikh Uthaymeen (rahimahullaah). Paraphrased, see Arabic text below]: