Ruyah Shar'iyya fi al-Jidal wa al-Hiwar ma Ahl al-Kitab
- Author died
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- Editions
- The book is published on the website of the Saudi Ministry of Awqaf without publication details
Ruyah Shar'iyya fi al-Jidal wa al-Hiwar ma'a Ahl al-Kitab (A Sharia Perspective on Disputation and Dialogue with the People of the Book) is a contemporary treatise on Islamic apologetics and interfaith debate by al-Sharif Muhammad ibn Husayn al-Samadani . The work outlines the Islamic legal rulings, conditions, and methodologies governing theological debate and dialogue with Jews and Christians .
Purpose and Scope
The author composed the work in response to modern discourses surrounding interfaith rapprochement, civilizational dialogue, and coexistence initiatives, arguing that such trends often led either to compromising theological principles or to an unjustified neglect of scholarly engagement and refutation . The book aims to elucidate the Islamic legal status of disputation (jidal) and dialogue (hiwar) with the People of the Book, establishing that principled debate is a recognized form of defense for the faith rooted in the Quran, the Sunnah, and classical scholarship .
Structure and Contents
The treatise is organized into an introduction, a preliminary section (tamhid), two main chapters, and a conclusion :
- Introduction and Preliminary Section: Discusses the background and necessity of the topic, followed by four preliminary topics: linguistic and terminological definitions of hiwar and jidal; the factions that reject debating the People of the Book and refutations of their doubts (such as claims that verses commanding debate were abrogated by verses of armed struggle); the various categories of Muslim debaters; and the categories of disputants among the People of the Book .
- Chapter One (Mashru'iyyat Mujadalat Ahl al-Kitab): Focuses on the legitimacy and legal status of debating the People of the Book in Islamic law, divided into three sections: proofs from the Quran, proofs from the prophetic Sunnah, and the specific legal ruling (hukm) governing such engagement .
- Chapter Two (Shurut al-Hiwar wa al-Jidal): Addresses the prerequisites and permissible parameters of debate across three sections: the qualifications and conditions required of the Muslim debater (such as sound knowledge, justice, understanding effective arguments, and openly upholding the truth); the conditions required of the non-Muslim participant; and the valid subject matters for debate and discussion .
Reception
The treatise was reviewed and prefaced by the scholar Alawi ibn Abd al-Qadir al-Saqqaf, who praised the study as a valuable guide for Muslims engaging in dialogue with the People of the Book, particularly highlighting its treatment of the qualifications necessary for a Muslim interlocutor . Al-Saqqaf noted that the author had shared the draft with several scholars and advanced students of knowledge, who received it favorably .
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