Terms and vocabulary items referring to dialogue

In this section, I would like to point to the most important of them.

1. Al-tahâwur (dialogue : it means examining and responding in a discourse and engaging in give and take in it. The root of the word hâra, yahûru, hawran means to return. It is mentioned in this statement by the Most High (Allah): “He verily deemed that he would never return unto Allah” (Sûrah Al-Inshiqâq (The Sundering) ; v.1) (4)

Dialogue requires mutual response between two parties who are engaged in exchanging utterances: an interlocutor and an addressee, or speaker and a receiver (of the speech). The purpose is to arrive at forming an opinion or to derive one from the conversation, which is based on introductory elements and common principles that are considered indisputable by both parties in a dialogue. Furthermore, it is not possible for a dialogue to proceed save if one of the parties is in agreement with the other, reaches the same conclusion and follows his reasoning in a gradual manner.

When the situation between them becomes characterized with non-acceptance or with contradiction, dialogue changes into controversy. In the Holy Quran, Allah (The Sublime) says :

-"…And he said unto his comrade, when he spoke with him: I am more than thee in  wealth, and stronger in respect of men.”(Sûrah al-Kahf (The Cave); v.3).

- “And his comrade, while he disputed with him, exclaimed: Disbelieve thou in Him Who created thee of dust, then of a drop, and then fashioned thee a man.” (Same Sûrah; v. 37)

- “God has indeed Heard (and accepted) the statement of the woman who pleads with thee concerning her husband and carries her complaint (in prayer) to God : and God (always) hears the arguments between both sides among you…" " (Sûrah al-Mujâdila (The Woman who Pleads); v.1)*

2. Al-jadal, al-jidâl, al mujâdala (dialectics): All these terms refer to discussion , a discussion that relies on the ability to argue, aims to convince through the presentation of evidence in order to make the unable understand, and confront a proof with a counter proof for the purpose of silencing with arguments and introducing correction.

Al-jadal can be associated with argument (or dispute) or quarrel because it involves compelling the opponent. The origin of al-jadal, in general, is dialogue, since al-jadalî (the disputant) - for Plato -"is somebody who does best in asking and answering questions”. This is a splendid definition for dialogue.

Al-jidâl (Eristics) is similar to it, even though it is closer to al-mirâ’ (dispute, quarrel), which we will discuss below. The same holds for al-mujâdala, which means the exchange of jidâl (argument). In the Holy Quran, a Surat has Al-mujâdila as a title.

The three terms are derived from the verb jadala, which means to engage in a dispute. The term al-jadal appeared in two Quranic verses, with the meaning of al-mukhâlafa (disagreement) and al-munâza‘a (dispute, controversy) concerning an opinion, including what can reach the level of an intense dispute. The first verse contains Allah’s statement: “…but man is more than anything contentious.” (Sûrah Al-Kahf (The Cave); v. 54. The second verse contains Allah’s statement: “And say: Are our gods better, or is he? They raise not the objection save for argument. Nay ! but they are a contentious folk.” (Sûrah Al-zukhruf (Ornaments of Gold); v. 58).

As for Al-Jidâl and Al-mujâdala, they appeared with the same meaning, which may be to argue for truth or to attempt to impose falsehood. When al-jidâl (dispute) aims to establish falsehood, it becomes negative since its outcome can be only a quarrel. This evokes what the unbelievers did as they tried to belittle truth when they asked, in mockery and scorn, for the occurrence of preternatural phenomena (or miracles) and the quick descent of punishment. This appears in this statement by the Exalted (Allah): “…And they take Our revelations and that wherewith they are translated as a jest.” (Sûrah al-Kahf (The cave); v. 56).

The Holy Quran does not mention the term al-jidâl, in this form, save in two verses, which are:

-First: “Pilgrimage is in the well-known months, and whoever is minded to perform the pilgrimage therein (let him remember that) there is no lewdness nor abuse nor angry conversation on the pilgrimage.” (Sûrah Al-Baqara (The Cow); v. 197)

- Second: “They said: O Noah! Thou hast disputed with us and multiplied disputation with us; now bring upon us that wherewith thou threatenest us, if thou art of the truthful.” (Sûrah Hûd (Hud); v. 32.)

At the same time, the verb jâdala appeared in the Holy Quran, in its perfect, imperfect and imperative forms, in 25 verses. Of these, we refer to the afore-mentioned verse (cf. Sûrah Hûd), in which Noah is the addressee, and where the verb jâdala is in the perfect. We refer also to the introduction of Sûrah Al-Mujâdila (cf. above), where the focal verb is in the imperfect. We would like to add to these two verses the following statement by Allah (The Glorious and Majestuous):

“Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation, and reason 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.” (Sûrah Al-Nahl (The Bee); v. 125)

3- Al-Mirâ’ (dispute, quarrel) and its derivatives: its meaning is to contest (dispute) what the other claims. Its etymological origin is mary al-nâqah, meaning to stroke the she-camel’s udder so that it will release milk. It is used as a metaphor to describe the actions of the parties in a dispute: each disputant tries to extract what the opponent has, in the same way a milker extracts milk from the udder.

This term occurred in the Holy Quran in two forms:

First: It occurred as a noun and a verb (in the imperfect and imperative), with the meaning referring to the intensity of a dispute and triumph in a debate, in four verses, e.g.: “… So contend not concerning them except with outward contending, and ask not any of them to pronounce concerning them” (Sûrah Al-Kahf (The Cave); v. 22). Perhaps that Allah’s ordering the prophet (PBUH) to extract information from his interlocutors, from the people of the Book, is nothing but asking him to imitate their action. For in the the action of mirâ’ (dispute, contention), there is a condemnable dimension in contention.

Second : the noun al-mumtarûn and its verb appeared in the Holy Quran with all the forms of this latter in 11 verses. They all refer to hesitation, suspicion and even denial. An example is this statement by The Exalted: “And lo! verily there is knowledge of the Hour. So doubt ye not concerning it…" (Sûrah al-Zukhruf (Ornaments of Gold); v. 61). Another example is: “It is the Truth from thy Lord (O Muhammad), so be not thou of those who waver.“ (Sûrah Al-Baqara (The Cow); v. 147).

To the above form should be added that of mira’, which occurred in 5 verses, e.g.:"…So be not thou in doubt concerning it. Lo! it is the Truth from thy Lord; but most of mankind believe not” (Sûrah Hûd (Hud); v. 17).

In the light of these facts from the Holy Quran, Moslem scholars have discussed all the levels of conversation, conversation having as its goal al-munâdhara (debate, discussion ) on which they have written a great deal. They have even written on the rules of good conduct during debates, preferring al-hiwâr (dialogue) and rejecting al-mirâ’ (contention), expressing reservations concerning al-jidâl (argument, dispute) save in few instances:

(a) when it is geared to “cause the Truth to triumph and bring vanity to naught” (T.N: a take off from Sûrah Al-Anfâl (Spoils of war); v. 8);

b) it is not engaged into for some other purpose like using it to test one’s obstinacy, to show one’s wonders, haughtiness, fame, and so on.

In so-doing, these scholars were following the prophet’s guidance (PBUH), who said:

-"When an erstwhile guided people go astray, they are given contentiousness.” (Related by Ibn Hanbal, Al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Mâjja, on the authority of Abî Umâma)

- “Whoever sought knowledge for the purpose of using it to compete with the learned or showing ability to be contentious with stupid people, or to draw people’s attention to him, Allah will put him in hell.” (Authenticated by Al-Tarmidhî, on the relation of Ka‘b Ibn Mâlik)

It is worth mentioning that, in the context of imparting knowledge and using convincing pieces of evidence, there appeared in the Holy Quran forms of the verb sa’ala (ask) many times. In the Surat of the Cow, the asking is about new moons and the forbidden month, wine, orphans, menstruation, and twice about what should be spent. It shoud suffice for us to cite one example: “they ask thee (O Muhammad), of the new moons. Say: They are fixed periods of time for mankind and for pilgrimage… (v. 189).

In other surat, the asking is about the spoils of  war, the soul, Dhu al -Qarnayn, and the mountains, as well as the Destined Hour (in many verses). An instance of asking for the Destined Hour is in this statement by The Exalted:

“They ask thee of the (destined) Hour, when will it come to port. Say: Knowledge thereof is with my Lord only. He alone will manifest it at its proper time. It is heavy in the heavens and the earth. It cometh not to you save unawares. They question thee as if thou couldst be well informed thereof. Say: Knowledge thereof is with Allah only, but most of mankind know not.” - (Sûrah al-A‘râf (The Heights); v. 187)

It is worth mentioning that the asking of questions in the Holy Quran has been associated with a number of parties. We limit our mention to questions having to do with the believers, the people of the Book or of the Scripture, the polytheists:

1. As concerns the believers, they were urged not to ask many questions of the prophet (PBUH), before the revelation descends upon him. This is clear in the following Quranic verse:

“O ye who believe! Ask not of things which, if they were made known unto you, would trouble you; but if ye ask of them when the Qur’an is being revealed, they will be made unto you. Allah pardoneth this, for Allah is Forgiving, Clement.” (Sûrah Al-Mâ’ida (The Table spread); v. 101)

2. For the People of the Scripture, we would like to mention the following statement by Allah (The Mighty and Sublime):

‘The people of the Scripture ask of thee that thou shouldest cause an (actual) Book to descend upon them from heaven. They asked a greater thing of Moses aforetime, for they said: Show us Allah plainly; The storm of lightning seized them for their wickedness.” - (Sûrah Al-Nisâ’ (Women); v. 153)

3. For the polytheists, we would like to mention the following statements by Allah (Praised be He):

- “ If thou wert to ask them: Who created the heavens and the earth, and constrained the sun and the moon (for their appointed work)? they would say: Allah, how then are they turned away?”- (Sûrah Al-‘Ankabût (The Spider) ; v. 61)

- “If thou wert to ask them: who causeth water to come down from the sky, and therewith reviveth the earth after its death? they verily would say :Allah. Say: Praise be to Allah! But most of them have no sense.” (Same Sûrah; v. 63)

- “And verily, if thou shouldest ask them: Who created the heavens and the earth? they will say: Allah…"- (Sûrah Al -Zumar (the Troops); v. 38)

- “And if thou ask them who created them, they will surely say: Allah. How then are they turned away?” - (Sûrah Al-Zukhruf (Ornaments of Gold); v. 87)