SYNOPSIS OF THE ETHICS OF DISAGREEMENT IN ISLAM pdf

Synopsis of the Ethics of Disagreement in Islam

SYNOPSIS OF THE ETHICS OF DISAGREEMENT IN ISLAM

‘I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it’, said Voltaire in a statement largely attributed to him.

 A somewhat similar attitude was exhibited by Imam al-Shafii’ while dealing with his opponents. Yunus al SadafT said, ‘Wiser than al Shaft!’ I have never seen anyone. I debated with on a juristic issue, and then we parted.

He met me on the same day, took my hands and said: O Abu Musa! Is not it right to remain as brothers while disagreeing on an issue?’

This is how the Muslims scholars exercised their intellectual freedom while holding their opponents in high esteem. Intellectual disagreement is very much inherent in Islamic intellectual discourse. Right from the era of the Prophet (saas), the Muslims enjoyed, exercised and exhibited this disagreement in an unhindered environment.

Despite being directly guided by Allah, the Prophet (saas) asked His Companions for their opinions while making any decisive conclusion.

Quite interestingly we see that upon ‘Umar’s (r.) desire, a few Qur’anic injunctions were revealed upon the Prophet (saas) reflecting the space of creative thinking among the early Muslims.

 This space created the much-needed dynamism in the Islamic scholarly arena propelling the Muslim academicians to go for profound and further intellectual penetration.

The scholars engaged in scholarly debate in early Islamic periods were cognizant of the boundaries between fundamental and non-fundamental issues, of what to fight for and what to fight not, were able to adduce authentic and genuine proofs in favor of their opinions,

and would produce their positions in front of the Muslim masses for an informed judgment on their parts, without making any manoeuvre to influence and manipulate public support.

This intellectual debate was honest in nature, candid in endeavour and sincere in exercise which