Shaykh Abū Sulaymān Fuʾād Ibn Aḥmad ʿĪsā Az-Zintānī:
He (the questioner) says we have some people moving from one place to another, calling people to Islām with the methodology of debating the christians openly and overpowering them with what is in their (christians’) books.
Then a caller who was a graduate of the Islāmic University of Madīnah was asked regarding them, then he praised their methodology with goodness.
Then some brothers pointed to the opposition of their methodology to the methodology of the Salaf with the statements of the scholars.
Then, some people stood up defending them, saying that the Prophet ﷺ debated the delegates of Najrān when they came to him, and that some of the scholars wrote books refuting the Christians.
What is your advice to the Salafis regarding this methodology and those that defend it with this statement?
Tayyib, we say to these people who debate the Jews and the Christians; Tayyib, What if they defeat you? Calling the people this way by debating is not from the methodology of the Salaf (pious predecessors).
Ibn Abbās when he went he debate with the Khawārij. He didn’t make announcements, he sought Alī’s (being the Muslim ruler) permission and he sought the ruler’s permission and went, in fact some scholars opine that this debate should be done with the permission of the ruler. While you, when you go to debate them, you gather the people and begin to debate them with what is with them in their books.
Tayyib, what if they cast doubt upon you, tayyib, and you are not able to give response to it and the people who were Muslims at that time apostate (become disbelievers) due to you debating them, these people, one whose’ neck is their apostasy?
Therefore this is not the correct way in calling people (to Islām). You want to debate some of them and call them to Islām?
(Then) go to him and speak with him, but as for you making that (debate) in conferences and big lectures and organising seminars for it and inviting people to it in thousands, tayyib, this is not from the ways of the Salaf because no matter what a person has of knowledge, some things might be hidden to him thus he will not be able to answer it.
A man came to Al-Imām Mālik (rahimahullāh), and look at the methodology of the Salaf, a man came to Al-Imām Mālik, he (the man) said; I want to debate with you.
He (Imām Mālik) said; if you defeat me? he (the man) said; you will follow me.
He (Imām Mālik) said; if I defeat you? He said; I will follow you.
What did Imām Mālik said? Therefore, this is the foundation of the present debates today, this is the foundation of the present debates today. The one who wins is the one who will be followed.
(They say) We debate with the Jews and the Christians up until we defeat them, so if we defeat them then we are upon the truth therefore people will follow us. Who said this?
What did Imām Mālik say to this man? He said: Go to a doubtful person like you for I am upon certainty about my religion.
He (Imām Mālik) said; and if a third person comes and defeat us, defeats both of us? He said; we will follow him.
He (Imām Mālik) said; go to a doubtful person like you for I am upon certainty about my religion. You have doubts regarding your religion, and the one who defeats you is whom you follow!
Therefore these debates that are based upon defeat, it is a must that caution is taken about it. There might be harm in it upon the Muslims and harm upon the people that are listening.
If you want to…, we are not stopping you from calling the Jews and the Christians to the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ and to the religion of Islām, if you have knowledge (of Islam) or (and) of what you explain the contradictions of their books with, explain this without debating them, and that it (shouldn’t) be by arguments and debates and inviting people, explain the contradiction they’re upon as Allāh سبحانه وتعالى explained it in His book (the Qur’ān), explain this to the people, explain to the Muslims.
But as for you gathering the people, and by seeking to defeat, if they defeat the people will follow us, who told you this? Who told you this?
Even if you win him, there are some people who will not follow you, they won’t listen to your words.
Therefore, the way of the Salaf in calling these people (Jews and Christians), is what they wrote, meaning; from their books and refutations on them, we won’t stop you from refuting them, and talking about them, and explaining their falsehood, and explaining their contradictions, and explaining the falsehood that is with them, there’s no problem in that.
But you making that by way of debate and from you (i.e doing it from your decision), not authorised by the ruler, then there is danger in this upon you and upon the Muslims and upon the non-Muslims (disbelievers) that attend if you should fail in response [to the doubt that might be cast at you] and if they should defeat you.
So beware of this, may Allāh bless you, this is not a Salafī method. And it is sufficient that you transmit to them the statements of the scholars, so when there comes statements of the scholars, “when there comes the river of Allāh, the river of Ma’qil becomes worthless” [an Arabic proverb used to show the worthlessness of something when something greater than it comes].
The statements of the scholars are available, no one will remain debating and talking regarding the likes of these affairs.
Trans. by Abū Ḥalīmah Kamāldīn
