الجدلConceptDialectical Argumentation in the QuranالجدلSpirituality9Verses8Surahs14Connections#418of 828

Key Verses

1. 16:125An-NahlCommand
   ٱدۡعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلۡحِكۡمَةِ وَٱلۡمَوۡعِظَةِ ٱلۡحَسَنَةِۖ وَجَٰدِلۡهُم بِٱلَّتِي هِيَ أَحۡسَنُۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُهۡتَدِينَ
   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.
   In context

   Invite - O Messenger - to the religion of Islam, you and the believers who follow you, in a manner that is appropriate for the condition, understanding and mindset of the person who you are inviting and with admonition that contains encouragement and caution. Argue with them in the manner that is best in terms of speech, thought and politeness, for it is not your duty to guide people.

2. 22:3Al-Hajj
   وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُجَٰدِلُ فِي ٱللَّهِ بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٖ وَيَتَّبِعُ كُلَّ شَيۡطَٰنٖ مَّرِيدٖ
   Among mankind is he who disputeth concerning Allah without knowledge, and followeth each froward devil;
   In context

   Amongst people there is he who argues regarding Allah’s power to resurrect the dead, without any knowledge to take support from, and who in his belief and saying follows every satan and misguided leader who is rebellious against his Lord.

3. 22:8Al-HajjWarning
   وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُجَٰدِلُ فِي ٱللَّهِ بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٖ وَلَا هُدٗى وَلَا كِتَٰبٖ مُّنِيرٖ
   And among mankind is he who disputeth concerning Allah without knowledge or guidance or a scripture giving light,
   In context

   Among the disbelievers is he who argues regarding the oneness of Allah and regarding His sending His Messenger with guidance, without any proof from sound reasoning or clear sound texts, but solely due to his desires.

4. 29:46Al-AnkabutCommand
   ۞وَلَا تُجَٰدِلُوٓاْ أَهۡلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِي هِيَ أَحۡسَنُ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مِنۡهُمۡۖ وَقُولُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا بِٱلَّذِيٓ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡنَا وَأُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكُمۡ وَإِلَٰهُنَا وَإِلَٰهُكُمۡ وَٰحِدٞ وَنَحۡنُ لَهُۥ مُسۡلِمُونَ
   And argue not with the People of the Scripture unless it be in (a way) that is better, save with such of them as do wrong; and say: We believe in that which hath been revealed unto us and revealed unto you; our Allah and your Allah is One, and unto Him we surrender.
   In context

   O believers! Do not discuss and debate with the Jews and Christians to whom the divine books were revealed, except in the best of manners and most exemplary of ways: inviting them by exhortation and establishing clear proofs. As for those of them who oppress by showing stubbornness and arrogance, fight them until they submit, or pay the Jizyah with their own hands while subdued.

5. 40:4GhafirWarning
   مَا يُجَٰدِلُ فِيٓ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَلَا يَغۡرُرۡكَ تَقَلُّبُهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡبِلَٰدِ
   None argue concerning the revelations of Allah save those who disbelieve, so let not their turn of fortune in the land deceive thee (O Muhammad).
   In context

   No one disputes about Allah’s signs that indicate to His Oneness and the truthfulness of His messengers except those who reject Allah due to their deficient intellects. Do not grieve over them and do not let the abundant provision and favours that they enjoy deceive you. Their being given respite is a means of gradually luring them into their own destruction.

6. 2:197Al-Baqarah
   ٱلۡحَجُّ أَشۡهُرٞ مَّعۡلُومَٰتٞۚ فَمَن فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ ٱلۡحَجَّ فَلَا رَفَثَ وَلَا فُسُوقَ وَلَا جِدَالَ فِي ٱلۡحَجِّۗ وَمَا تَفۡعَلُواْ مِنۡ خَيۡرٖ يَعۡلَمۡهُ ٱللَّهُۗ وَتَزَوَّدُواْ فَإِنَّ خَيۡرَ ٱلزَّادِ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰۖ وَٱتَّقُونِ يَـٰٓأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ
   The pilgrimage is (in) the well-known months, and whoever is minded to perform the pilgrimage therein (let him remember that) there is (to be) no lewdness nor abuse nor angry conversation on the pilgrimage. And whatsoever good ye do Allah knoweth it. So make provision for yourselves (Hereafter); for the best provision is to ward off evil. Therefore keep your duty unto Me, O men of understanding.
   In context

   The time of the Hajj is the well-known months, starting with the month of Shawwāl and ending on the 10th of Dhū Al-Ḥijjah. Sexual relations and things that lead to it are prohibited for any person who decides to perform the Hajj in these months once he enters the state of iḥrām.

7. 11:32Hud
   قَالُواْ يَٰنُوحُ قَدۡ جَٰدَلۡتَنَا فَأَكۡثَرۡتَ جِدَٰلَنَا فَأۡتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ
   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.
   In context

   Noah’s people said to him, out of stubbornness and pride, that he had debated and disputed long enough, and told him to bring them the punishment he had promised them, if he was telling the truth in what he claimed.

8. 18:54Al-Kahf
   وَلَقَدۡ صَرَّفۡنَا فِي هَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ لِلنَّاسِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٖۚ وَكَانَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ أَكۡثَرَ شَيۡءٖ جَدَلٗا
   And verily We have displayed for mankind in this Qur'an all manner of similitudes, but man is more than anything contentious.
   In context

   I have explained in different ways, in this Qur’ān that was revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him), many types of examples so that they will take a lesson and pay heed. But the thing that is most apparent in man - especially the disbeliever - is to wrongfully argue.

9. 43:58Az-Zukhruf
   وَقَالُوٓاْ ءَأَٰلِهَتُنَا خَيۡرٌ أَمۡ هُوَۚ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلَّا جَدَلَۢاۚ بَلۡ هُمۡ قَوۡمٌ خَصِمُونَ
   And say: Are our gods better, or is he? They raise not the objection save for argument. Nay! but they are a contentious folk.
   In context

   And they say, “Are our deities better or is Jesus better?” Ibn Al-Ziba‘rā and others did not draw up this comparison in love of hope in reaching the truth, rather in love of argumentation. They are a nation quarrelsome in nature.