Adab al-Hiwar wa Qawaid al-Ikhtilaf
- Author died
- 1436 AH
- Editions
- The book is published on the website of the Saudi Ministry of Awqaf without publication data
Adab al-Hiwar wa Qawaid al-Ikhtilaf (The Etiquette of Dialogue and Rules of Disagreement) is a treatise by the Saudi scholar Umar Abd Allah Kamil (d. 1436 AH / 2015 CE) on the ethics of debate and the principles governing scholarly disagreement in Islam .
Background and Purpose
The treatise was originally prepared as a research paper presented to the International Conference on Islam's Stance on Terrorism, organized by Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University . In his introduction, Kamil observes that contemporary Muslim societies have been afflicted by extremism, terrorism, and hasty accusations of heresy (bid'ah), disbelief (kufr), and polytheism (shirk) over disputed subsidiary matters where legitimate scholarly differences have long existed . He identifies the absence of dialogue as a primary cause of factionalism and intellectual discord, presenting the work as a guide to establishing constructive discussion and curbing intolerance .
Structure and Content
The work systematically covers the objectives, foundational principles, psychological and scientific etiquette, and linguistic decorum of debate, followed by the jurisprudential rules of disagreement:
- Objectives and Foundations of Dialogue: Kamil defines the primary goals of dialogue as establishing proof (iqamat al-hujjah), Islamic outreach (da'wah), narrowing gaps between differing viewpoints, and refuting specious arguments . Its governing foundations require seeking truth with sincerity, clearly defining the topic of discussion, agreeing upon authoritative textual references (the Quran and the Sunnah), and resolving fundamental principles before debating secondary branches .
- Psychological and Scientific Etiquette: The author outlines personal and behavioral standards for interlocutors, including setting an appropriate environment, maintaining sincerity (ikhlas), fairness (insaf), humility, patience (sabr), compassion (rahmah), and attentive listening without interruption . On the methodological level, he emphasizes grounding arguments in knowledge, beginning with shared points of agreement, progressing gradually, using sound evidence, illustrating concepts through clear examples, and readily conceding error when the truth becomes manifest .
- Linguistic Etiquette and Verbal Pitfalls: The text urges kind speech and the use of indirect suggestion rather than blunt rebuke . It warns against verbal hazards such as self-praise, pedantry, backbiting, lying, monopolizing speaking time, raising one's voice unnecessarily, and mocking the other party .
- Nature and Rules of Disagreement: Kamil divides disagreement into blameworthy contradiction (ikhtilaf madhmum), caused by pride, sectarian bias, and ignorance, and praiseworthy diversity (ikhtilaf mahmud), which encompasses valid differences in legal reasoning (ijtihad) and non-definitive matters . He highlights that divergence in understanding is inherent to the nature of language, human diversity, and the text of revelation, characterizing legitimate legal differences as a mercy and a legislative enrichment for the Muslim community . He concludes with practical rules for handling differences, such as distinguishing definitive (qat'i) from speculative (zanni) proofs, avoiding dogmatic denunciation in matters open to interpretation, and taking a holistic approach rather than blindly following a single authority .
Sources
In compiling the work, Kamil draws upon classical references, notably Abu Hamid al-Ghazali's Ihya Ulum al-Din, Ibn Taymiyyah's Dar Ta'arud al-Aql wa-l-Naql, and Shams al-Din al-Dhahabi's Siyar A'lam al-Nubala, alongside contemporary studies by Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Muhammad Awwamah, and his own earlier publications on dialogue and extremism .
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